How to Say "Hello, How Are You?" in England: A Practical Guide

English greetings vary by region, class, familiarity, and time of day. Here are the most common forms you'll hear across England.

Standard & Polite

• "Hello, how are you?" / "Hi, how are you?" – Universal, safe.
• "Good morning / afternoon / evening, how are you?" – Slightly more formal; time-specific.

Casual & Friendly

• "Hi, how's it going?" / "How's things?" – Very common among peers.
• "Alright?" / "Alright mate?" – Informal, mainly male, North/Midlands/London. Not a literal question; expected reply: "Alright" or "Yeah, good."
• "How are you getting on?" – Friendly, slightly old-fashioned.

Regional Flavors

• North/East Midlands: "Eh up," "Now then," "Ow do?" (how do you do).
• London/Estuary: "Alright?", "Wotcher," "Hiya."
• West Country: "Alright me lover?" (affectionate, unisex).

Typical Responses

• "I'm fine, thanks. And you?"
• "Not bad, yourself?"
• "Can't complain." (classic understatement)
• "Yeah, good." (casual)

Golden rule: Mirror the other person's formality. When in doubt, "Hello, how are you?" always works.