How to reply "How are you?"

[Jaomarine]

I learned in school that the standard reply to "How are you?" is " I'm fine, thank you."
However, recently I heard that "I'm fine, thank you." is too an outdated expression and no modern time native English speakers would use it. I would like to know whether the expression is still in use or not. Thank you.

 

[JMurray]

I can report from another part of the Anglosphere that "I'm fine, thank you/thanks" is very common usage. More informally, "Good, thanks" is often heard. Any of these responses is often followed by "(and) yourself?".

not a teacher

 

[Barb_D]

Fine, thanks. Howboutyou? (This is pretty common. I ran the words together to show you how they actually sound.)

 

[5jj]

I have the impression that most languages have such phatic exchanges.

 

[Rover_KE]

I use and hear it quite a bit. I believe that the majority of people in the US still use it.

. . .also in the UK.

Ignore whoever told you it was outdated, Jaomarine.

And welcome to the forums.

Rover
lympic:

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Jaomarine:

I thought that you might be interested in this.

A few minutes ago, I heard this conversation on an American radio "talk show" (and I immediately remembered this thread):

A woman caller: How are you?

The radio show host: Good. What do you want to talk about today?

*****
I think that other responses could include:

I can't complain
I'm hanging in there
Not bad
OK
Super!
Never been better

 

[winnie22]

"Not bad" is an example to your question

 

[Jaomarine]

Thank you for all the comments and advises. They are very helpful!

 

[Rover_KE]

"Not bad" is an example of an answer to your question.

.

 

[Rover_KE]

Thank you for all the comments and advice. They are very helpful!

Your thanks are appreciated, Jaomarine, but you don't need to send them in a separate post.

We are all happy to accept a simple click on the Like button as your acknowledgement of our help.

Rover
lympic:​