How are you? vs How have you been?

Hi everyone,

How have you been?

Most of my students are more familar with being asked "how are you?". To which, they quickly reply, "I am fine, thanks, and you?". However, when I ask, "how have you been?", some students get confused and think of the 'correct' answer, sometimes they are not sure if they have heard me right.

Both of these greetings are very common in English, so it is important to understand and remember.

What is the difference between "how are you" and "how have you been"?

"How are you" is present tense, how you are at this moment NOW. You can say, "I am fine, thanks. I am doing okay, thanks". It is always polite to ask the speaker how he is doing, so you follow with "and you?"

"How have you been" is present perfect tense, the time frame is from the last time the speaker talked to you until now. For example, you took my lesson last Tuesday, and today is Tuesday and you are taking my lesson now. Therefore, "how have you been" means how you were last week, from the last time we talked, up to this moment, over the last 7 days.

So, how should you reply? Below are some common responses.

1. I have been great, how about you / how have you been?
2. I have been busy, studying / working a lot recently. How about you / how have you been?

If you have been sick, you can mention that.

3. I have been sick for a few days, but I am feeling better now. How about you / how have you been?

If you went on a trip, you can also mention that.

4. Oh, I went skiing over the holidays...

What you shouldn't say is telling the speaker every single thing that happened since then, because "how have you been" is not the same as "what have you been doing".

Example of what not to say:

Last Monday, I was sick and was off work. Tuesday, I worked overtime because I had to catch up with work. And Wednesday, I had a fight with my husband. Thursday, everything was fine....

I am looking forward to talking with you on Cafetalk ^_^

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