Cool MateHow's tricks vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How's tricks
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
What's up?
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most common: What's up?
| How's tricks | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊz trɪks//🇺🇸 //haʊz trɪks// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | How are things going? | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | When I saw my friend, I said, 'How's tricks?' | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | ask how's tricks, respond to how's tricks, use how's tricks in conversation | 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 where a simple 'How are you?' is better, Misplacing the phrase in a conversation; it's a greeting, not a question about specifics | 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 | This phrase is informal and typically used between friends. It's not suitable for formal situations. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: How's tricks vs What's up?
What's the difference between How's tricks and What's up??
How's tricks: How are things going? What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Which is more common: How's tricks and What's up??
What's up? is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How's tricks: When I saw my friend, I said, 'How's tricks?' What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use How's tricks and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. How's tricks 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.