Answers to "How are you?"

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Hi. Can we answer the question "How are you?" like these? Thank you in advance for your help.

1. I'm happy. I just bought a new bike and I'm excited about it.

2. I'm angry. My brother broke my favorite toy.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

anonymous
Hi. Can we answer the question "How are you?" like these? Thank you in advance for your help.
1. I'm happy. I just bought a new bike and I'm excited about it.
2. I'm angry. My brother broke my favorite toy.

Those answers are not typical within the circle of people I know.

'How are you?' is regarded by most people as a formulaic greeting rather than as a sincere question asking for information. That being the case, the response is also usually formulaic: Fine. / OK. / Very well. / I can't complain. / Could be better; could be worse!

It is only later in a conversation where we tell others about our recent experiences.

Also, unrelated to your central question, with regard to sentence 2, note that any child who is still young enough to have a favorite toy would probably not express himself or herself with the vocabulary and style you have used in your example, which is closer to how an adult would speak.

CJ

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