“How Are You?” Is NOT a Real Question?!

English Makes No Sense · Aug 17, 2026 · 22m

Have you ever wondered why Americans ask “How are you?” and then seem to walk away before you can actually tell them how you are? 😂

Welcome to English Makes No Sense, where we explain the real American English that textbooks don't always teach you.

In this episode, you'll learn what Americans REALLY mean when they say:

🇺🇸 How are you?

🇺🇸 How are you doing?

🇺🇸 How's it going?

🇺🇸 What's up?

You'll discover when these expressions are simply casual greetings—and when someone is actually asking how you're doing.

We'll also talk about natural American responses like:

“I'm good!”

“Pretty good!”

“Not…