How are you? How do you do?

abumashal · Fri May 20, 2005 19:29 pm *How are you? How do you do?*

What's the difference between:
How are you?
and
How do you do?
In which circumstance can we us them?
Thanks to all.

Alan · Fri May 20, 2005 20:02 pm *Greetings*

The conventional greeting is: How do you do? when you are first introduced to another person, to which the reply is also: How do you do?

How are you? is a question you put to someone when you are asking about their health or how they are feeling.
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Jailbird · Sat May 21, 2005 23:25 pm *How are you? How do you do?*

I`ve never really thought o such a difference between these two phrases... I think it may be even easier to use "What`s up?" Though it isn't always suitable...
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rich7 · Sun May 22, 2005 7:09 am *Hi baby*

Well as a matter of fact is easier to ask "what's up?" in an informal greeting whereas " who are you?" is usually found in a formal context, at least IMHO.
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Alan · Sun May 22, 2005 9:05 am *Greetings*

I can't agree with these comments, I'm afraid. I presume you mean HOW are you? But then that would usually be restricted to someone you already know and not for the first time meeting. What's up? to me means: What's going on? and doesn't really fit with the idea of greeting.
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Torsten · Sun May 22, 2005 12:22 pm *How are you?*

I've noticed that ESL speakers all too often confuse the meaning of How do you do with How are you? Grammatically the phrase How do you do is a question but it simply means Pleased to meet you and as Alan has said the answer to How do you do is just How do you do. Fortunately enough the largest mobile phone company in the world has been spending millions of pounds on teaching their customers the most popular phrase of the English language. Do you know what company I'm referring to?
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sunny · Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:53 am *How are you? How do you do?*

No, but I really would like to know Very Happy

That's a quite funny topic!
By the way, I was told that in grade 10 or something...

Torsten · Fri Jul 22, 2005 13:26 pm *How are you?*

Sunny, you must have heard of that company - it's the largest mobile phone service prodiver in the world. Their name starts with V and ist made up of two parts the which one of which is actually a Slavic word meaning 'water'.
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uwe · Sun Jul 24, 2005 14:40 pm *How are you? How do you do?*

Maybe exchange the how with what and think about it one more time.
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englishfan · Sun Jul 24, 2005 19:46 pm *How are you?*

Uwe, so you mean we should replace how with what and then we get a new question? Then instead of How do you do you get What do you do. Now we have three questions:
How are you?
What do you do?
How do you do?
OK, as has been established the third one isn't really a question but just a phrase. However, I must admit I haven't heard it so often. Here in Canada most people would simply say Hey, how are you?
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Kievstar · Sun Jul 24, 2005 20:23 pm *How are you?*

sunny · Sun Jul 24, 2005 21:45 pm *How are you? How do you do?*

Okay. It is clear to me now Smile

nel · Tue Aug 30, 2005 18:19 pm *How are you doing?*

I don't want to confuse anybody but here in Edinburgh people usually say "How are you doing?".
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Alan · Tue Aug 30, 2005 18:56 pm *Greeting*

Hi Nel,

That expression is not only restricted to Scotland and is used throught the UK.

Alan
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darav · Tue Sep 13, 2005 21:29 pm *How are you? How do you do?*

first i want to write that this is my first participation in this
perfect forum
I want to thank you a lot my teachers and thank abumashal for asking such an important question.

Smile

....
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