Cool MateHow's about vs What about
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How's about
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
What about
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: What aboutMost common: What about
| How's about | What about | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊz əˈbaʊt//🇺🇸 //haʊz əˈbaʊt// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt əˈbaʊt//🇺🇸 //wɑt əˈbaʊt// |
| Meaning | What do you think about this? | A way to ask for someone's opinion on a subject. |
| Example | How's about we go for a hike this weekend? | What about going to the beach this Saturday? |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | how's about dinner, how's about a visit, how's about a break | What about that, What about this, What about me |
| Common mistakes | Used in formal situations where 'how about' would be appropriate., Confused with other phrases like 'how about that'., Adding unnecessary words like 'how's about that'. | Confused with 'What about that?' - often used differently in context., Not using it to introduce new topics when needed., Overusing in formal discussions where direct questions are preferred. |
| Usage notes | Used in casual conversations to propose or suggest an idea, often in friendly contexts. Avoid in formal settings. | Used in conversation to introduce a new topic or ask for opinions. Appropriate in most informal and neutral contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: How's about vs What about
What's the difference between How's about and What about?
How's about: What do you think about this? What about: A way to ask for someone's opinion on a subject.
Which is more formal: How's about and What about?
What about is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: How's about and What about?
What about is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How's about: How's about we go for a hike this weekend? What about: What about going to the beach this Saturday?
Can I use How's about and What about interchangeably?
Not always. How's about and What about 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.