Cool MateHow goes it vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How goes it
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
What's up?
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most common: What's up?
| How goes it | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊ ɡəʊz ɪt//🇺🇸 //haʊ ɡoʊz ɪt// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | How are you? | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | Hey, John! How goes it with you? | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | How goes it with you?, How goes it today?, How goes it over there? | What's up, buddy?, What's up, man?, What's up with that?, Hey, what's up?, So, what's up? |
| Common mistakes | Using in formal contexts like business meetings., Confusing with 'How's it going?', Expecting a detailed answer rather than a simple 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 | Used informally to ask someone how they are doing. Best for casual conversations among friends. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: How goes it vs What's up?
What's the difference between How goes it and What's up??
How goes it: How are you? What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Which is more common: How goes it and What's up??
What's up? is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How goes it: Hey, John! How goes it with you? What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use How goes it and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. How goes it 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.