# Greeting - How do you do? [and responses]



## marget

"How do you do"?  Is this a question that one  uses only the first time one meets another person?  By that, I mean it is never used again even if people meet again.  Is a reply expected? Is this expression in common use? Is it extremely formal, more BE than AE? If 'how do you do" is not in everyday use, is "pleased to meet you" a better expression? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!


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## Tabac

marget said:
			
		

> "How do you do"? Is this a question that one uses only the first time one meets another person? This is normally when I hear it. By that, I mean it is never used again even if people meet again. Is a reply expected? The reply is often, "How do you do?" Is this expression in common use? Not it my groups. Is it extremely formal, more BE than AE?I have a feeling it's more frequently used in BE, but since I'm not there it's hard to say.  If 'how do you do" is not in everyday use, is "pleased to meet you" a better expression? I think so. Any other suggestions?
> 
> Thanks!


"Nice meeting you" (especially at the end of the engagement).  "Good to meet you."


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## Joelline

In AE, it is, generally, used only the first time one meets another person, unless a very long time has gone by since the first meeting.  A typical response might be "Fine, thank you, and you?"  But since no one thinks of the literal meaning of the words, a "how do you do" is also an appropriate response.

It is used in everyday formal use: i.e. it is used when someone introduces you to someone else or when someone is introduced to you.

typical dialogue:

Mr. Jones.  Ann, may I introduce Paul?
Ann:  How do you do?
Mr. Jones, Paul, this is Ann.
Paul: Pleased to meet you.

You'd never use it in informal introductions:  Hey, everybody, this is Ann!
"Everybody" would say, Hi, Hello, etc.

This is a harder question than it appears to be.  I sat here wracking my brain and trying to remember every time I've used the expression!


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## marget

Thanks again for the help!


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## ikus

I would think that a reply is expected (because it is a question) and that it is oten used again even if you are meeting the person for a second time.


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## GenJen54

I agree with Joelline's assessment and example. 

I would add, however, that the expression in general seems to be falling out of use.  I recall using it much more when I was younger (being introduced to friends of my parents and especially grandparents). 

Now, we tend simply to say "Nice to meet you" when introduced to someone.  

Mr. Apple:  Ms. Pear, I would like you to meet my friend Orange.
Ms. Pear:   (It's) Nice to meet you, Orange. _(alt.  It's a pleasure to meet you). _
Orange:    (It's) Nice to meet you, too.


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## MarcB

I have often heard it in AE but only in formal situations usually at a first time meeting (but not only).Also it is I think a generational thing. It sounds better than s'up?


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## Brioche

marget said:
			
		

> "How do you do"? Is this a question that one uses only the first time one meets another person? By that, I mean it is never used again even if people meet again. Is a reply expected? Is this expression in common use? Is it extremely formal, more BE than AE? If 'how do you do" is not in everyday use, is "pleased to meet you" a better expression? Any other suggestions?
> 
> Thanks!


 
In traditional [old-fashioned?] BE etiquette, the answer to "How do you do?" was "How do you do?"
It is a formal greeting.
It is not restricted to introductions.


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## You little ripper!

"How do you do?" is not intended to elicit a reply. The response is "How do you do?"
I would be very surprised if I ever heard anyone say that when being introduced. Most Australians wouldn't even use it if they were introduced to Elizabeth Windsor. They would probably say, "Really nice to meet you".


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## marget

Thank you for all your comments!


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## Brioche

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> "How do you do?" is not intended to elicit a reply. The response is "How do you do?"
> I would be very surprised if I ever heard anyone say that when being introduced. Most Australians wouldn't even use it if they were introduced to Elizabeth Windsor. They would probably say, "Really nice to meet you".


 
Do you mean Elizabeth Mountbatten-Windsor?
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page3379.asp


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## moirag

No Brits here, I see. The answer is any of those, i.e "How do you do?" or "pleased to meet you" or "Nice to meet you": It is formal, and falling into disuse, I would say it´s rare nowadays. I have never used it, not once in my life and don´t honestly know when I´ve heard it. I´d say "Nice to meet you" or "Hello".


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## Gatamariposa

Don't think I have ever used that, except maybe when joking around, it's very high register.

Purrs Gatita


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## Toepicker

To my ear 'How do you do' sounds quaint and I would expect to hear it from a member of the Royal family when addressing a 'subject' for the first time. (We Brits are all 'subjects' rather than citizens!), or in a period drama or play. I could never imagine using this terminology myself, except to poke fun at aristocrats! I always say 'Hello, nice to meet you' when meeting someone for the first time.


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## A90Six

*BE London: colloquialisms*

*"How do you do?"* can sound very formal, although it is still often used by less cultured speakers, such as myself. The greeting would sound something like, *"'Ow ja do?"* It is often shortened further to simply, *"'Ow do?"* In the USA the similar contraction, *"Howdy?"* can still be heard.

"How do you do" can also be used, in the southeast of England at least, to mean fuss, bother, fight or argument. "The bride's ex-boyfriend turned up at the church and there was a right old how do you do."


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## diogerepus

How are you?
How do you do?

Here are some questions.
1. How are these two different in meaning or situation? 
2. Can someone say 'I'm fine,' when the other person says 'How do you do?'?


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## GEmatt

diogerepus said:


> How are you?
> How do you do?
> 
> Here are some questions.
> 1. How are these two different in meaning or situation?
> 2. Can someone say 'I'm fine,' when the other person says 'How do you do?'?


 
diogerepus,

To me, they don't seem particularly different, as methods of greeting. But obviously, the first one can be a more pointed question, referring to the other's well-being, in addition to being a simple greeting.  The second one is only a greeting.

"How do you do?"  strikes me as relatively formal, although this may be a difference between AE and BE.  In any event, it's always a good idea to respond with a corresponding level of formality, which is why I'd advise against "I'm fine," in favour of something like "I'm (very) well(, thank you)."


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## panjandrum

There are many previous threads on this topic.
They are not easy to find, though - here is one - How are you?


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## regal

Hello,

"How do you do?" is more formal than "How are you?" So, used in different situations indeed.
When you are asked "How do you do?" you ought to answer "How do you do?" too. You can't answer "Fine" for instance.
But you can answer "Fine" or something else ("Horrible",...) when you are asked "How are you?"
Good luck!


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## user_gary

I have seen many person asks `how do you do' when they met.

But could you tell me, what does `how do you do' mean?


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## Mister Micawber

.
No meaning; it is a set phrase of greeting.
.


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## Sarah1

Hello

Although we never use "how do you do" to ask how somebody is, I suppose the expression (which is another way of saying "pleased to meet you") literally means "How are you doing?"

Sarah


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## Lisica

Is it used more often in British or American English?


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## Brioche

The traditional reply to "How do you do?" is "How do you do?"

It's really just a polite formula.


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## panjandrum

There are many previous threads on this topic.
Use forum search and you will see them.
How are you and how are you doing.
How are you? 
How are you doing
How are you/How do you do?


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## Thomas Tompion

In BE *How do you do*? is not a question asking *How are you*? but a formula of politeness: it's what you say when you are introduced to someone for the first time.

Apparent Question:  How do you do?
Apparent Answer:   How do you do?

Of course the inexperienced and the unwary and the foreigners often fall into the obvious trap and answer: *I'm very well thank you*.  

Do you have similar problems in AE?  I seem to remember you are very meticulous about making sure you've got the other person's name right, something many of us are probably too vague about.


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## cholandesa

Very interesting.. lived in England for years but never really realised how this worked..
Thanks for sharing!

Elise


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## cuchuflete

Thomas Tompion said:


> In BE *How do you do*? is not a question asking *How are you*? but a formula of politeness: it's what you say when you are introduced to someone for the first time.
> 
> Apparent Question:  How do you do?
> Apparent Answer:   How do you do?
> 
> Of course the inexperienced and the unwary and the foreigners often fall into the obvious trap and answer: *I'm very well thank you*.
> 
> Do you have similar problems in AE?  I seem to remember you are very meticulous about making sure you've got the other person's name right, something many of us are probably too vague about.



AE speakers don't have too many problems with "How do you do?" because they don't use it much.
If my memory is any good on this topic, a common reply is "Pleased to meet you", which seems to 
be another way of saying 'Hello'.


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## born in newyork

I was taught to say "How do you do?" and to respond in kind when the expression is used on me.  As a practical matter, however, I never hear it.  

Usually people say "nice to meet you" or something similar that is not a trap for the unwary.  Sometimes they say "how are you doing?"  -- a question that need not be answered but if someone did, no one would care or probably even notice.


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## _Leona_

Nice that you brought that back to my mind, I've always wondered whether this expression was actually used or not. I was also taught to answer with the same question but I'm not sure I've ever used or heard it. I remember they told us at school that it is used *in quite polite situations*, what do you think? Does that really fit?


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## iceskater1286

_Leona_ said:


> I remember they told us at school that it is used *in quite polite situations*, what do you think? Does that really fit?


I would imagine it would only be used in "polite" settings (such as business meetings maybe?) in AE as I have never heard it used in normal daily conversation. And I was not aware that the proper response was "How do you do" in return. In my mind, I picture a refined gentlemen tipping his hat and saying "how do you do" to a lady as he passes by her and the lady I guess would just nod or say hello. I didn't realize it was something used in introductions. How interesting.


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## mplsray

iceskater1286 said:


> I would imagine it would only be used in "polite" settings (such as business meetings maybe?) in AE as I have never heard it used in normal daily conversation. And I was not aware that the proper response was "How do you do" in return. In my mind, I picture a refined gentlemen tipping his hat and saying "how do you do" to a lady as he passes by her and the lady I guess would just nod or say hello. I didn't realize it was something used in introductions. How interesting.


 
Note that the dialectal expression _Howdy!_ to which the expected answer is _Howdy!_ comes from _How do ye?_ (_Howdy_ is old, dating to 1712).


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## Tresley

When my colleagues and I visited the USA to meet business counterparts that we had never met before we were greeted with:

"Hiya! How y'all doin' "?

We all just looked at each other, bemused, not knowing whether to reply "pleased to meet you" or "fine, thank you. How are you"?

We just shook hands and none of us said anything. (Was that bad manners? I know it was embarrassing).

I suppose it works both ways.  What's the correct answer to "Hiya! How y'all doin' "?

I would love to know!


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## iceskater1286

Tresley said:


> When my colleagues and I visited the USA to meet business counterparts that we had never met before we were greeted with:
> 
> "Hiya! How y'all doin' "?
> 
> We all just looked at each other, bemused, not knowing whether to reply "pleased to meet you" or "fine, thank you. How are you"?
> 
> We just shook hands and none of us said anything. (Was that bad manners? I know it was embarrassing).
> 
> I suppose it works both ways. What's the correct answer to "Hiya! How y'all doin' "?
> 
> I would love to know!


 
I am from the Southern US and that sounds like a very Southern phrase to me, especially with the y'all. So if this was said as a greeting and not after an introduction, I would've answered "Hi. Fine thanks. How are y'all?" or something like that. But if it was after an introduction, and like the "how do you do" thing, I don't know.


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## caballoschica

It has been ingrained in my brain to respond, "I'm fine, how are you?" to any form of "How are you?"  

Tresley, I _think_ either of your answers would have been acceptable.  I probably would have answered by saying, "Hi! I'm fine, thank you, how are you?" Or some version of that.


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## Tresley

Thank you to Icetrance and Caballoschica for your replies.

This unfortunate greeting happened in Atlanta.

My colleagues and I were totally bemused! In the UK it's normal to say 'how do you do' or 'pleased to meet you'.

Things were fine after that - it was just a bad start.  We all got on like a house on fire after that and our American colleagues loved our Yorkshire accents!

Thank you.


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## Setwale_Charm

Thomas Tompion said:


> In BE *How do you do*? is not a question asking *How are you*? but a formula of politeness: it's what you say when you are introduced to someone for the first time.
> 
> Apparent Question: How do you do?
> Apparent Answer: How do you do?
> 
> Of course the inexperienced and the unwary and the foreigners often fall into the obvious trap and answer: *I'm very well thank you*.
> 
> Do you have similar problems in AE? I seem to remember you are very meticulous about making sure you've got the other person's name right, something many of us are probably too vague about.


 
 Do you realise some natives fall into this trap too? It is just that one is more accustomed to hearing "How are you?" and automatically goes on with "Well, thank you".


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## user_gary

Some more dicussions on `how do you do':

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=385369


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## Thomas Tompion

Setwale_Charm said:


> Do you realise some natives fall into this trap too? It is just that one is more accustomed to hearing "How are you?" and automatically goes on with "Well, thank you".


 
Yes, Setwale, I do realize this. Of course, this is a social minefield, and it's best to know what the conventions are to avoid stepping on something, unless you want to. 

Many English people wouldn't turn a hair at *'Pleased to meet you'* in response to *'how do you do?'*, but many others would regard it as ill-educated, I'm sorry to say. After the *'how do you do's'* are over, of course, you can say things like *'I'm very pleased to meet you'*, but that's another matter.


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## love_in_idleness

^Alternatively, you could say both if you wanted to hedge your bets. If someone said 'How do you do?' to me, I would first return the question to them, and then say 'It's nice to meet you.' Or that's what I've done so far, anyway.


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## travellingsam

Hi All, 
I come from a non-english background, I want to know, what is the reply of this phrase- How do you do?  is it "How do you do?" or just "fine, thank you" Please advise.


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## Joelline

There are many possible replies to "How do you do?"  The two you suggested are the most common; however, it is considered polite in the second to say, "Fine, thank you, *and how are you*?"


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## GreenWhiteBlue

If you are using the phrase not as a question about someone's health, but merely as a standard thing to say upon a formal introduction, one can respond with any other phrase used as a standard formal greeting or introduction.

For example, Mrs. Smith is introducing several people to Mrs. Greatname:

Mrs. Smith: _Mrs. Greatname, may I present Mr. Jones _...
Mrs. Greatname (to Jones): _How do you do?_
Mr. Jones: _How do you do?_
Mrs. Smith: ... _and Mr. Brown ..._ 
Mrs. Greatname (to Brown): _How do you do?_
Mr. Brown: _Good morning._
Mrs. Smith ... _and Mr. Green?_
Mrs. Greatname (to Green):_ How do you do?_
Mr. Green: _It is a great pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Greatname_.

Under such circumstances, the phrase need not be regarded as a genuine question seeking information.


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## panjandrum

If you look for greeting in the WordReference dictionary, you will find many other threads about this topic.
I have changed the name of this one to match the rest


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## Terry Morti

Joelline said:


> There are many possible replies to "How do you do?"  The two you suggested are the most common; however, it is considered polite in the second to say, "Fine, thank you, *and how are you*?"



This is not the case in Britain. We are not asking about your health or even state of mind. The 'correct' British response is simply "how do you do" in return.


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## dobes

I would take "How do you do?" as a simple greeting to be returned and not a real question.  But I think "How are you?" is a little different.  We address the question to everyone, and from strangers or acquaintances we expect the answer, "Fine, thanks, how are you?" or some variant. But friends are free, depending on the circumstances, to really answer the question and use it to begin a conversation.


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## Yôn

I say, ‘Howdy’ as a greeting all the time, and that word is a shortenning of the phrase: ‘How do you do?’ I never, of course, expect anyone to reply with a telling of their current state. So, generally, I say: ‘Howdy, what's up?’

One thing, however, is that I think ‘How do you do? What's up?’ sounds down-right foolish. For this reason, I think, that ‘How do you do?’ is probably a phrase that would be best if not used. I think something like ‘How are you?’ ‘How's it going?’ or (and yes, this is fowl  ) ‘Wazzup?’ In fact, a ‘How art thou?’ might even be better than ‘How do you do?’ simply for the fact that it removes the uncomfortable uncertainty that you place on the respondent (to whom I would assume you are attempting politeness) of trying to figure out whether they should answer or not... consider:

Mr. Q: ‘Hello, J, how do you do?’ 
Mr. J: ‘I'm do--’
Mr. Q: ‘And Mrs. R? How do you do?’

You see... if Mr. J thinks he needs a response, and Mr. Q thinks it's a greeting not requiring reply, Mr. Q will keep talking, and Mr. J will accidentally interrupt trying to answer his question, thinking it rude not to answer a question of ‘how are you?’ 

So... back to the topic, eh?  If someone asks you that question, wait a sec... see what they do... don't just stare at them for a minute, but instead wait just a little second. Do they ask someone else? If you are the only person in the room with the asker, then really, you can answer it however you want. I mean, if someone doesn't expect a reply of you telling about your state of being, they probably still would not be insanely disgusted that you gave one.

Then again, this probably has no real importance in general social situations. I'd think that going in for an interview for a job would be the only time people would be acting so pompous that they may not hire you just because you answered what they considered to be a rhetorical question.

Mr. Ace: ‘Hello, Bill, how do you do?’
Mr. Bill: ‘Pretty fine. How 'bout yourself?’

 That conversation sounds spiffy! I would only make one change...

Mr. Ace: ‘Howdy, Bill, how do you do?’
Mr. Bill: ‘Darn tootin' fine, I do say so. How 'bout things from your neck of the woods?’

Okay... this is getting long-winded... I'm cutting it off now... sorry for waisting so much time 


Jon


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## dobes

Isn't "How do you do?" a kinda British thing? Except for the 'howdy' form, of course.  And it seems that, like the British "How do you do?" "Howdy!" requires no response except the same thing said in return.


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## Packard

I make a point to not ask questions that can be answered with one word.  It both starts and stops a conversation.

It is better to ask a question that requires a real answer.


That said, a "fine, thank you" will suffice.  Indeed, with that kind of question a more elaborate response is inappropriate.


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## Dandee

Is it true that the phrase "how do you do" is not used anymore for introducing onself in England and EEUU?.

I have learnt: "How do you do" exclusively when you meet someone for first time.
"How are you" for all the next meetings with the same person.

Is that form of behaviour in use today?

Thanks.
Dandee.


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## kazzazarazza

I would say that is a rather old fashioned expression and I can't think of a time when I've heard someone use it in every day conversation.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

It is used for formal introductions between people who are probably not going to call each other by their first names.  It is not used in informal circumstances.


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## TheAmzngTwinWndr

In America we would (almost) never say "how do you do" (I stuck the "almost" in there in case some people use it, though I've never heard it said in everyday conversation). I don't know if they use it in Britain, but when we're trying to make fun of a Brit, we'll put on a heavy British accent and be very proper, with "how do you do" usually working its way in.


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## Trisia

I have a question related to this. If someone says "how do you do", how are you supposed to reply? We were taught this in school when I was little, but I noticed the natives say lots of things quite differently from what I was taught.


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## TheAmzngTwinWndr

You could reply, or you could not.

Example:
Chris: Nick, this is my friend, Dom.
Nick: How do you do? (as they shake hands)

or

Chris: Nick, this is my firiend, Dom.
Nick: How do you do? (as they shake hands)
Dom: Fine, thank you.

Either way is fine, but to me it seems that after "how do you do" you wouldn't say anything, but if the person said "how are you" then you would respond.  That's just how I've usually heard it, but nothing is written in stone.


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## sdgraham

Dandee said:


> Is it true that the phrase "how do you do" is not use anymore for introducing onself in England and EEUU?.
> 
> I have learnt: "How do you do" exclusively when you meet someone for first time.
> "How are you" for all the next meetings with the same person.
> 
> Is that form of behaviour in use today?
> 
> Thanks.
> Dandee.



Curmudgeonly speaking:

"How do you do?" is quite formal, but still in use and as you say, it's really an acknowledgment of the introduction (even if people introduce themselves) and as such, doesn't need to be repeated.

Most people don't really care how the other person is, of course, and another way of finishing the introduction is to say "Pleased to meet you."

"How are you?" is very common, to the point of being ritualistic. (It's still the case, however, that the person probably doesn't have the slightest interest in your well-being and one is expected to respond with something like "Well, thank you," even though he or she might have just been diagnosed with a horrible disease and been told that the dog bit the vicar just before the car rolled down a hill into a school bus - or something similar.)

When I'm asked "How are you?" my response is usually, "Better than nothing, according to my wife." 

And, colloquially, one frequently hears in the U.S., at least, expressions like "How'er you doing? or "How's it going?"

Finally, note that the "How do you do?" is the root of the greeting "Howdy," that's part of the vernacular of the American West.


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## TheAmzngTwinWndr

In response to "howdy" comming from "how do you do", you'll also hear some people say "howdy do" which is easier to see how it derived.


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## Trisia

So, for you, "How do you do" = how are you?

Most interesting. We were told it's a very formal way of greeting, and the conversation would be like this:

Chris: Nick, this is my friend, Mr. Jester (Dom would require the informal address )
Nick: How do you do?
Dom: How do you do?

EDIT: Ok, got it.


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## TheAmzngTwinWndr

"How do you do" is very formal and not used in common speech (I picture the queen of England using it).


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## GreenWhiteBlue

I don't know why anyone would say this is not used in the United States today.  I have certainly both heard it used by others, and have used it myself.  It is not particulary strange, or uncommon, or out of use -- it is merely formal.  (Now, whether formality in general is strange, or uncommon, or out of use, is another question...) The most common responses to it are either nothing spoken (a nod of acknowledgment serving instead) or else a repetition of the same phrase.


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## Trisia

Thank you, GWB . So they were right after all ...


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## nichec

GreenWhiteBlue said:


> I don't know why anyone would say this is not used in the United States today. I have certainly both heard it used by others, and have used it myself. It is not particulary strange, or uncommon, or out of use -- it is merely formal. (Now, whether formality in general is strange, or uncommon, or out of use, is another question...) The most common responses to it are either nothing spoken (a nod of acknowledgment serving instead) or else a repetition of the same phrase.


 
The last time I heard it (within a month), it went like this:

--David, this is her.
--Oh, how nice.......
--So, David, Silvia. Silvia, David.
--How do you do? (David grabs Silvia's hand)
--How do you do, sir. (Silvia thinking: Can I get my hand back?)
--I've heard so much about you and your work.......(finally giving her hand back)
--Likewise, this is truly an honor, sir. (looking for something to wipe her hand without being noticed)


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## Harry Batt

"How do you do? in the Midwest is often  replaced by "How's it going?" However, it continues to be an informal as well as a formal greeting. In teaching English as a second language, instructors not only teach "How do you do," but teach the pronuciation the way americans say it, viz., "Howdjuhdo?"


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## liliput

"How do you do?" is only for formal first time introductions, and the question usual remains unanswered. Both parties ask "How do you do?" without expecting an answer. A grammatically correct answer would be something like "I do fine", which I can't imagine anyone ever saying and this is probably why questions like "How are you doing?" and "How are you?" are more common - "I'm doing fine" and "I'm fine thanks".
Such formality is rare these days, even in most working environments, and I suspect it's mostly limited to the upper echelons of society and perhaps the older generation.


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## Hese

Hello there,

I know this has been discussed before, but to be honest I couldn't make sense of previous threads.

I was told at school that "How do you do" was equivalent to "Hello" and should therefore be answered with "How do you do" and not with "I'm fine, thanks!).

I was also told the expression was primarily British English and not very common in the States.

So, could anybody confirm my suggestion or contradict it? Thank you very much!


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## Will5

It is very formal and I've never actually had this phrase said me in my whole life. Yes it is a greeting but if someone said it to me now I would probably say Im fine thanks, due to my youth. I think it is more commonly said ,'you all right?' or 'all right?' This is informal and I think its a colloquial term.


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## Melz0r

I agree - nobody in England says "how do you do". The only people who say "how do you do" are British people being mocked in American comedy shows, and perhaps the Queen.


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## Hese

Well,some of my colleagues are British and they do say "how do you do" (they are between 25 and 40 years old, that's what is so confusing....


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## Melz0r

Hmm. Perhaps I was over-generalising slightly, then! It's very formal, certainly. I believe the correct answer _is _"how do you do", but this rule isn't upheld seriously. Answering "How do you do?" with "I'm fine, thanks" would not be a serious linguistic mistake in my opinion.


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## Loob

Well, I have had it said to me a number of times in my life (which is just a _tad_ longer than Will5's).  And I've always given the textbook answer.

Each time, though, I get a vague feeling that I've wandered into the pages of an Agatha Christie novel.


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## una madre

It used to be used quite a lot as an equivalent of  "pleased to make your acquaintance."  Neither of these phrases are in use much anymore - especially in North America.  Basically it means hello with no expectation or desire to hear how you are feeling. 

In addition, if someone did say  "how do you do?" to you after you were introduced to them you would never say "how do you do?" back to them.   That would sound really odd!     I would pick another reply such as "nice to meet you."

Hope I'm not making this thread go the non-sensical way of the previous one!


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## Topsie

"How do you do" is _very _formal and only used when being introduced to someone for the _first _time. You shake hands and say "How do you do" to which the answer is... "How do you do".
It is not a question, so_ never _means "How are you?" (which requires a response such as "I'm fine thanks, and you?")
In most cases, even "semi-formal" ones, most people say "Pleased to meet you"/"Nice to meet you" which is a lot less "stuffy"!!!


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## sound shift

Oh well, I must be stuffy , because my response to "How do you do?" is "How do you do?"


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## Topsie

sound shift said:


> Oh well, I must be stuffy , because my response to "How do you do?" is "How do you do?"


Mine too! (comes from being well brung up! )


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## fleia262

marget said:


> "How do you do"?  Is this a question that one  uses only the first time one meets another person?  By that, I mean it is never used again even if people meet again.  Is a reply expected? Is this expression in common use? Is it extremely formal, more BE than AE? If 'how do you do" is not in everyday use, is "pleased to meet you" a better expression? Any other suggestions?
> 
> Thanks!



*To answer your questions, the greeting "how do you do" is a one time greeting. **A reply is always expected. If someone uses the greeting "how to you do?" it is polite to say the same right back. It is very formal, and very polite, but at this day in age, I highly doubt if you used it, whomever you are speaking to will have the foggiest clue as to what to say back. A good response to "pleased to meet you" is "likewise."

You: Hello, I am (your name)
James: I'm James. How do you do?
(Now, you should respond to this by saying the same.)
You: How do you do?
(Now, it is appropriate for you to begin speaking on whatever matter you wished to discuss. Either you or the other person is correct to begin a new conversation.)
James: I have reviewed your...

It was a particularly common greeting back in the early to mid twentieth century.

Hope that helps!*


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## Mister Micawber

fleia262 said:


> *
> 
> It was a particularly common greeting back in the early to mid twentieth century.
> 
> *



And remains so among those of us who are still alive.


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## effect3

Moderator's note: This question has been added to a previous thread. 
Please scroll up and read from the top. 
Cagey, moderator 

How do you do? What's the answer?
When somebody says " How do you do?", what should the correct answer be?
In many books we often read that the correct answer to the question How do you do? should be the same question. But I often see in many English books that the answer can also be very similar to the question "How are you?"
I'd appreciate your opinions.


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## Dryan

I don't think there's really much difference between "How are you (doing)?" and "How do you do?"

The answer to either question requires cultural context. Where I live, for example, "How are you doing?" is often used as a greeting and doesn't necessarily require an answer or can be answered with the same phrase. It's an optional pleasantry. It's actually awkward / rude around here to turn that question into a production unless you're extremely close to the other person.


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## Hermione Golightly

"How do you do?" required the response "How do you do?" It is almost never used these days because it is so formal. That's why I used the past of require.
It was used only the first time people met. And I mean, only once, and never again. It has been replace by "How are you?". This does not require a serious answer. A typical rejoinder is "Fine! How are you? Pleased to meet you!"
These phrases are meaningless. They're called 'phatic communication', meaning we have to say _something!_


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## DonnyB

Hermione Golightly said:


> "How do you do?" required the response "How do you do?" It is almost never used these days because it is so formal. That's why I used the past of require.
> It was used only the first time people met. And I mean, only once, and never again. It has been replace by "How are you?". This does not require a serious answer. A typical rejoinder is "Fine! How are you? Pleased to meet you!"
> These phrases are meaningless. They're called 'phatic communication', meaning we have to say _something!_


I don't think I've ever said "How do you do?" to anyone in my life!   I'd be amazed if anyone still uses it.

"How are you (doing)" is used as a typically standard greeting round where I am: people don't normally expect more of an answer than something like "Fine, thanks... And you?".


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## Thomas Tompion

DonnyB said:


> I don't think I've ever said "How do you do?" to anyone in my life!  I'd be amazed if anyone still uses it.


Then you'd be amazed if you spent a little time with a few genteel Southern Brexiteers.


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## velisarius

What does Brexit have to do with it? Do you mean to imply that Remainers are somewhat uncouth, or that Brexiteers cling to old-fashioned linguistic habits?


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## Thomas Tompion

velisarius said:


> What does Brexit have to do with it? Do you mean to imply that Remainers are somewhat uncouth, or that Brexiteers cling to old-fashioned linguistic habits?


In my part of Southern England the current Brexiteers are often old-fashioned Tory voters.  I was trying, probably foolishly, to isolate a socio-economic group.

The fact is that 'How do you do' is the standard greeting among the British upper-middle classes when they are introduced to someone.  It's not a question, as has been explained.


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## sdgraham

See also howdy 
(A beloved term of the cowboy western genre.)


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