[General] How r u?and how do u do?

[Catherine 13]

What's the best formal and informal answer to "how do u do?"and "how r u?".Is it usuall to answer with the same sentence?

 

[Raymott]

What's the best formal and informal answer to "how do u do?"and "how r u?".Is it usuall to answer with the same sentence?

In speech, you won't detect the silly SMS spelling, so just answer normally.
In emails, etc. I'd say, "Please don't call me 'u'." or maybe, "Could you use proper English, please? I don't like seeing my language butchered like this."
Of course, you risk offending people but, hey, someone's got to do it.

Was that the question?

 

[Catherine 13]

Mmmm...I didn't mean U,I meant the general question"How do you do"and "How are you".should we answer with "how do you do" and "how are you" or not?

 

[Barb_D]

The easiest answer to "How are you?" is "Fine, thanks. You?"

The answer as I understand it (since I can't recall ever having anyone say it to me) is to repeat "How do you do?"

 

[5jj]

The answer as I understand it (since I can't recall ever having anyone say it to me) is to repeat "How do you do?"

'How do you do' with the response 'how do you do?' was the supposedly correct form in BrE about fifty years ago, but I haven't heard it for a long time.

 

[Catherine 13]

That's so interesting,because our English teacher insisted on this issue that we have to answer "how do u do"with "how do u do"and nothing else.And she is so sure about it.so you answer with other terms?

 

[5jj]

That's so interesting, because our English teacher insisted on this issue that we have to answer "how do u do"with "how do u do"and nothing else.And she is so sure about it. sSo you answer with other terms?

No - we just don't use 'how do you do' much these days.

ps. We try in this forum to use correct English as far as we can. 'U' for 'you' is fine in chatrooms and informal emails and texts, but please spell the word in full here.

 

[Catherine 13]

okay,sorry,I didn't know that.thanks for your help.

 

[5jj]

okay,sorry,I didn't know that.thanks for your help.

 

[Ellena]

That's so interesting,because our English teacher insisted on this issue that we have to answer "how do u do"with "how do u do"and nothing else.And she is so sure about it.so you answer with other terms?

Actually, your teacher is right, that's what they've taught me and many other students, when we learned our British English variant. It's just that we rarely use this greeting nowadays (it was mentioned already), as it is very-very formal! Well, maybe when the Queen has a party and all of the sudden she invites you, then I imagine, it's just the right time for "how do you do" and "how do you do"!