How are you?
Nov 24th 2003, 12:47 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 76
How are you?
Can anyone tell me what the correct (?) response is to
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
Nov 24th 2003, 12:51 am
#2
I like kittens.
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: In my own little world
Posts: 1,457
Re: How are you?
Originally posted by topcat
Can anyone tell me what the correct (?) response is to
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
Can anyone tell me what the correct (?) response is to
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
People who answer 'How are you' with 'not bad' usually get a response from me along the lines of 'Well, that's just one step above chin-quivering misery! Cheer up!'
Nov 24th 2003, 12:53 am
#3
Not here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,621
Re: How are you?
Originally posted by topcat
Can anyone tell me what the correct (?) response is to
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
Can anyone tell me what the correct (?) response is to
"Hello, how are you?"
In France it's easy and the conversation goes along the lines:
Bonjour, ca va?
ca va et vous?
ca va ...
and then you get on with it. But here
if I answer back "fantastic (well we have just won the cup!), how are you? " it just doesn't seem to work.
Puzzled,
TC
"How, ya goin"
"How, ya goin"
Note the lack of question marks...these are rote responses, not an invitation for conversation.
Nov 24th 2003, 1:10 am
#4
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Try "good, thanks" - can't remember where I picked it up from, I think it was what my mates in Tassie always said.
Seems to go down alright anyway.
Seems to go down alright anyway.
Nov 24th 2003, 1:45 am
#5
Karma Comedian
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 3,506
I go with "good, thanks" as standard response - try it out, or even "yeah, good thanks"
Nov 24th 2003, 1:51 am
#6
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Originally posted by jayr
I go with "good, thanks" as standard response - try it out, or even "yeah, good thanks"
I go with "good, thanks" as standard response - try it out, or even "yeah, good thanks"
Nov 24th 2003, 1:51 am
#7
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
Ditto
Good thanks seems to be the way to go... Feels a bit weird to begin with.
Good thanks seems to be the way to go... Feels a bit weird to begin with.
Nov 24th 2003, 1:58 am
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 76
Originally posted by DianeOZ
Ditto
Good thanks seems to be the way to go... Feels a bit weird to begin with.
Ditto
Good thanks seems to be the way to go... Feels a bit weird to begin with.
The same question is always asked in the states, but somehow it is much less irritating here.
TC
Nov 24th 2003, 2:04 am
#9
Karma Comedian
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 3,506
Originally posted by MrsDagboy
A man of many words I see Jayr!
A man of many words I see Jayr!
I found that "I'm very well thank you, how are you today?" wasn't the expected response to the Coles checkout assistant pretty early on
Nov 24th 2003, 2:07 am
#10
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Originally posted by jayr
I found that "I'm very well thank you, how are you today?" wasn't the expected response to the Coles checkout assistant pretty early on
I found that "I'm very well thank you, how are you today?" wasn't the expected response to the Coles checkout assistant pretty early on
.
Nov 24th 2003, 2:11 am
#11
Karma Comedian
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 3,506
Originally posted by MrsDagboy
And a fast learner too.
And a fast learner too
.
The one I still struggle with how to respond to is when the pizza delivery guy asks "So how's your evening so far?" - I suppose "yeah, good thanks" would still work and I never want to ask the question back " Good thanks, how's yours, delivered many pizzas??"
Nov 24th 2003, 2:14 am
#12
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Originally posted by jayr
The one I still struggle with how to respond to is when the pizza delivery guy asks "So how's your evening so far?" - I suppose "yeah, good thanks" would still work and I never want to ask the question back " Good thanks, how's yours, delivered many pizzas??"
The one I still struggle with how to respond to is when the pizza delivery guy asks "So how's your evening so far?" - I suppose "yeah, good thanks" would still work and I never want to ask the question back " Good thanks, how's yours, delivered many pizzas??"
.
Nov 24th 2003, 2:15 am
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
I'm stumped when I get asked that question at 8.30am in Coles on a Saturday morning. Usually "OK so far but it's still early" (POM alert - doom & gloom)
Di
Di
Nov 24th 2003, 2:18 am
#14
Karma Comedian
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 3,506
Originally posted by DianeOZ
I'm stumped when I get asked that question at 8.30am in Coles on a Saturday morning. Usually "OK so far but it's still early" (POM alert - doom & gloom)
Di
I'm stumped when I get asked that question at 8.30am in Coles on a Saturday morning. Usually "OK so far but it's still early" (POM alert - doom & gloom)
Di
On a similar vein to above you could try "Good thanks, how's yours? Checked many things out?"
Nov 24th 2003, 2:20 am
#15
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
Re: How are you?
Originally posted by Florida_03
It goes like this...
"How, ya goin"
"How, ya goin"
Note the lack of question marks...these are rote responses, not an invitation for conversation.
It goes like this...
"How, ya goin"
"How, ya goin"
Note the lack of question marks...these are rote responses, not an invitation for conversation.
There is no standard reply but you could say
"bonza mate ha bat yself"