Which phrase sounds more professional?īoth phrases are appropriate for work correspondence, but stick to “How are you?” in more formal settings. When you write an email or other text greetings, the stakes change a bit.
A rather flat “How are you doing?” can become outright flirtatious when spoken, “How are you doing?” (especially if you drop the “are” and affect your best Joey Tribianni accent.) Which is more professional: “How are you?” or “How are you doing?” “How are you?” might come across as a one-size-fits-all greeting, but “How are you?” would have a more personal or sincere tone, or even one of concern. When spoken, both phrases convey unique meanings depending on which word is accented. cricketswool on English Language & Usage Stack Exchange “How are you doing: is the new baby still keeping you up all night?” The latter is more common when there is some expectation that the subject might not be doing well.įor example: “Hey, haven’t seen you in ages! How are you?” versus. “How are you?” is a bland greeting for someone you haven’t seen for a while, while “How are you doing?”. In my experience as a native speaker in the Middle Atlantic region. Take this example from a forum discussion on the topic: In an audible conversation, the perceived differences between the two phrases can vary regionally.
