GREETINGS

 

Greetings and Asking About Health

Formal and Professional

Greeting/Question	Context
Good morning / afternoon / evening.	Standard, time-specific greeting.
How are you?	Standard, polite, and universally appropriate.
How have you been?	Used when you haven't seen the person in a while.
I hope you are well.	Polite and professional, often used in written communication.

Standard and Neutral

Greeting/Question	Context
Hello!	Simple and friendly.
Hi!	Casual and friendly.
How's it going?	Very common, slightly less formal than "How are you?"
What's up?	Casual and common, often a simple filler question.
How are things?	Good for asking about general life/work status.

Informal and Casual (Slang)

Greeting/Question	Context
Hey!	Short, informal greeting.
Sup?	Short for "What's up?" (Very informal).
Howdy!	(Mostly US/Southern slang).
Alright?	(Mostly UK slang—can be a greeting and a question rolled into one).
Long time no see!	Used when you haven't seen someone in a while.

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Possible Answers and Responses

Positive Responses

Response	Context/Tone
I'm very well, thank you. And you?	Formal and polite.
Fine, thank you. How about yourself?	Standard, polite.
Great, thanks!	Enthusiastic and positive.
Pretty good!	Standard, positive, and casual.
Can't complain.	Neutral to positive, suggesting things are satisfactory.
I'm good. / Good.	Simple, common, and casual.
Not bad.	Neutral, meaning acceptable or fine.
Just the usual!	Casual, suggesting things are normal.
All good.	Very casual and brief.

Negative or Neutral Responses

Response	Context/Tone
Not so well, actually.	Direct, for when you want to share a negative feeling.
I've been better.	Common way to indicate you aren't feeling well.
A little under the weather.	Polite way to say you are slightly sick.
I'm okay, thanks.	Neutral, might imply things aren't great but you don't want to elaborate.
Just hanging in there.	Implies you are struggling but surviving (casual).