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Inggris Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

How are you?

If I am actually not well or not fine when I am asked "How are you?", can I just simply reply "I am not well or I am not fine?

Is it rude?
  

Top answer

Tell the truth if the person asking has an actual interest in how you feel. Otherwise lie.

— Deadrat

  • Tell the truth if the person asking has an actual interest in how you feel.
  • Otherwise lie.
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4 Answers
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Tell the truth if the person asking has an actual interest in how you feel. Otherwise lie.
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Thanks for your reply.

I am not going to lie. I just want to find out whether replying "I am not well / I am not fine" is a proper or polite way.
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You could say "I'm not well", but "I'm not fine" is not standard in English.
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You're not actually lying. "How are you?" is a cultural artifact. In incidental social encounters between strangers, it's not an actual question about the state of your life. It merely means "Greetings!" It wouldn't be considered especially rude for you to report on the state of your health in response; it would just be considered odd, as though you'd responded "My grandfather was a tailor."
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