How to Respond to "How Are You?" Like a Native Speaker | | Go Natural English

Hi, I'm Gabby hi, I'm Vanessa from gonaturalenglish.com

How are you this is one of the most basic

First things that you'll learn in your English class, but in this English lesson

We're gonna help you to learn how to respond in more natural creative ways

Maybe you're tired of always responding to how are you with? I'm fine

Thanks, and you or I'm well

How about you there are many many many different ways to respond that we're going to show you today

So if you want to learn more fun and creative ways to respond then stay tuned

Let's jump into this English lesson in this free english lesson

We're going to cover the basics that you need to know about how to respond to this very common question

How are you how to improve your english greetings?

we're going to show you lots of examples and some role-plays and then at the end you should

stick around because we're going to test your understanding with a quiz and even if this seems like a basic

Topic we're going to challenge you with some advanced expressions

And if you would like to learn more about how to speak English more naturally

Common mistakes and how to fix them as well as native speaker tips to advance your English fluency

Then that part of the lesson is inside our complete go natural English course

You should join the waitlist now to learn about when it opens and how to join. You can do that at gonaturalenglish.com

Pre-reg the link is in the description. So we'll see you there. But now let's jump into the english lesson

Number one I'm well, hi. How are you? I'm well, thank you. How are you? I am well - Thank You

number two, I'm

Good, how are you? I'm good. Thanks. How are you? I'm good

Number three, I'm fine

Hi Vanessa, how are you? I'm fine. Thanks. How are you? I'm fine. Thank you

these are three of the most common ways to respond - how are you now the problem or a

Consideration is that responding with I'm fine

Or I'm well is more formal and if you're in a casual informal

Situation with friends people might think that you're a little bit

Too formal a little bit uptight, or maybe you're a bit cold

so

We're going to share a lot more options with you to give you a more creative way to respond

Depending on your mood now

I'm well is the most grammatically correct way to respond and there's nothing wrong with it

Also, I'm fine is correct. So don't get me wrong

there's no problem with using these but we're going to

Fine-tune your English according to the situation so that you can make the best impression and sound more like a native

natural English speaker

So let's begin by thinking about your mood

How are you feeling when you answer the question, how are you? Then your answer depends on that

So we're gonna share several different ways to respond depending on if you're feeling happy or not. So good or just

Okay, so let's jump into some examples

if you are happy here are two responses that you could use in your

conversation

Number one. I've never been better. Hello. How are you?

I've never been better my boyfriend proposed to me last night Oh, congratulations

That's great news. Thank you. I've never been better is only used when we are very happy or very

Excited about something that happened to us. For example

Somebody proposed to me in the example. I am very happy about that

I would not use. I've never been better if I'm having a bad day or if I'm just feeling

Alright, remember to use this only when things are going very well in your life

Repeat after me. I've never been better

I've never been better. This phrase is also sometimes shortened to never better

so remember you can say I've never been better or

Simply say never better

Number two, I can't complain. Hi. How are you? I can't complain. How are you?

Okay. Thank you

I can't complain is used when overall things are going. Well and everything is alright

It's neither super positive nor super negative

But it's a great one to use and sometimes we shorten it by just saying can't complain

Now try repeating after me. I

can't complain I

Can't complain

If

You're neither happy nor?

Upset now here are two phrases that you might use to respond to. How are you?

number one

Not too bad

Hello, how are you? Not too bad. How are you?

I'm not too bad either not too bad is used when you feel okay?

It's considered to be a neutral response

So you are not too happy. Not too sad you're okay

sometimes native speakers shortened this phrase to

Not bad so you can say not too bad or not bad

Repeat after me. Not too bad not

Too bad

Number two so far. Oh good

Hello, how are you? So far so good. How about you? I'm pretty good. Thanks so far

So good is used when you want to let people know that up until now in your day. Everything is pretty okay

It's going just fine so so far

So good is a nice little phrase that you can use pretty much anytime when things are just okay

So let's try repeating after me

So far so good

So far so good

If you are upset

Here are two ways that you could use to respond in your conversation

Number one I've seen better days

Hi, how are you?

I've seen better days. How are you? Oh, no, I'm sorry to hear that

I'm doing okay to have seen better days is an expression that you should use

only when you are having a bad day and don't feel well you

Should never use this if you are having a great day

To have seen better days

means

Exactly that that you have had better days in the past

so

Avoid using it if you're feeling even okay only use it when you don't have a great day

also, I'll add that it would be kind of strange if Vanessa said I've seen better days or I'm not doing very

Well, and then if I said I'm doing great

So maybe temper your response accordingly as I did when I said I'm doing okay so next

Number two. I'm hanging in there. Hi Gabi. How are you?

I'm hanging in there. How about you? I'm okay

Thanks. I'm hanging in there

Means that things are not going well

It means that you haven't given up or quit or lost. Hope

But there's something happening in your life. That's not very good

Now when Americans say this phrase we tend to leave off the final G in the in sound in hanging

in there so we don't say

hanging

In there we say hanging in there now. Let's try repeating after me. I'm

Hanging in there. I'm

Hanging in there

Now that you've learned several new phrases for responding to the question

How are you and improving your greetings in English?

We're going to talk about when and how and with whom to practice these responses. Can you use them in formal and informal?

Situations I would say yes

Americans tend to use these responses in both situations

But culturally we have a few notes to share with you and vanessa is gonna talk more about that

Americans like small talk

We are friendly people

Sometimes visitors are students who are studying in the United States

think that it's a little bit strange when they are walking and

A stranger comes up to them and asks, how are you?

This is because in some cultures it is not okay, or it is not common to ask a stranger

How you're doing? However in the United States, it is completely normal and

It's not

Necessary to keep a conversation going if you don't know the person, however

it is considered polite to smile and to say

I'm great

Thanks or any response that's similar to the ones that we are showing you in this video

Yeah, so Americans love small talk and it is called small talk for a reason in general

We keep the response short, especially if you're talking with a stranger someone you don't know very well

Maybe a neighbor who you see walking down this a co-worker your boss or if you're in a professional situation

we generally keep their response short and

Positive even if you're not having a great day

Sometimes it's not really appropriate to share that we really like to keep things positive

But if you're with close friends your family or someone who you can share your feelings with

Openly then, of course, you can tell them how you're feeling

Now we have a quiz to test your understanding of the more advanced phrases that we shared with you

We're going to act out a few situations and see if you think our responses are appropriate or not

Hi, Vanessa, long time no see

How are you doing?

I've never been better. I lost my wallet this morning. Oh, no

Should we use? I've never been better in this situation

Take a moment to think about it

The answer is No

Why not?

because as we explained before I've never

Been better should only be used when we are feeling great and having a great day

I just told Gaby that I lost my wallet. Why would I be feeling great about this?

Also my tone let you know that I was very upset about what happened to me

So I've never been better should not be used in this kind of situation number 2

Hey, Gaby, how are you doing? Hey, I'm hanging in there

I just won first place in a dancing competition Wow

Thank you. Okay is my use of

Hanging in there. I'm hanging in there

appropriate in this situation

Think about it

The correct answer is no

Remember hanging in there me like you're hanging from the edge of a cliff about to fall off

This is a horrible situation

something that is worrisome and

Negative so I used it in the wrong

Situation because winning a dancing competition is definitely an awesome thing that I would be happy about

So this is not the appropriate phrase

Number three. Hello Vanessa. How are you?

I've seen better days. I didn't pass my exam today

Oh, no, I'm sorry to hear that is I've seen better days

appropriate for this situation

Let's think about it

The answer is

Yes

Why does this work? Well because

We said that I've seen better days

Should be used when you're not feeling too well when you're not doing great that day

I didn't pass my exam and I'm not happy about it. So

Saying that I've seen better days

Makes complete sense in this situation. Yeah, it's like today is not good

I have seen better days other days were better

Number four. Hi Gabi. How are you?

So far so good. I forgot to pay my rent and it was due this morning. Oh

Yeah, so is the use of so far so good appropriate in this situation

Let's think about it

The answer is no

So far so good is when things are going well in your day and

There is no problems

But if I forgot to pay my rent and it's due today, I'm gonna have a big problem

I could get kicked out or evicted from my apartment

this is a very bad thing not good at all and

Keep in mind that it's always so far so good

Sometimes students so far good or so far so well

No, it's always so far so good

So, how did you do on the quiz?

Tell us in the comment and also tell us using an expression that you learned today or your favorite way to

Respond to how are you in the comments? We'd really love to know. How are you?

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Now again, as I mentioned if you'd like to learn more with us

I highly recommend that you get on the wait list for our complete English course with more complete lessons and our

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slash

Pre-reg the link is in the description. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time. Bye. Bye