Cool MateHow are you vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How are you
High-frequency chunk
What's up?
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: How are youMost common: How are you
| How are you | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊ ɑː jʊ//🇺🇸 //haʊ ɑr ju// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | A way to ask someone about their well-being. | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | When I saw my friend, I asked, 'How are you?' | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | ask how are you, respond to how are you, say how are you, greet with how are you, casually how are you | What's up, buddy?, What's up, man?, What's up with that?, Hey, what's up?, So, what's up? |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'How do you?' instead of 'How are you?', Using it too formally in casual settings., Forgetting to wait for a response. | Using it in a formal meeting where a respectful greeting is expected., Misunderstanding it as a question requiring a detailed answer., Not responding appropriately with a casual reply. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in informal and formal conversations. More personal than just saying 'Hello.' Use with friends, family, or colleagues. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
Frequently asked questions: How are you vs What's up?
What's the difference between How are you and What's up??
How are you: A way to ask someone about their well-being. What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Which is more formal: How are you and What's up??
How are you is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: How are you and What's up??
How are you is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How are you: When I saw my friend, I asked, 'How are you?' What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use How are you and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. How are you and What's up? are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.