7 Things Americans Don't Really Say & What You Should Say Instead

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ABOUT THE LESSON 📚
If you want to improve your fluency, then you need to learn to talk like a native English speaker. So let's go over some things that native speakers never say, even though you may learn this in the classroom. These are expressions you should avoid.

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[InteractiveEng]

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[deaeilla]

I’m a native English speaker… I think it’s polite to say thanks when someone asks how you’re doing. Also, in my experience, “how do you do, ” and “shall” are used in spoken English, usually when someone is playfully speaking in a fancy manner… that being said, you’re doing great things with this channel!

[jshiner]

Despite the heavy disagreement on the reply for 'How are you', I randomly stumbled on this, I'm a native English speaker I ended up watching the whole thing. You're doing amazing things! Thanks for helping people trying to assimilate into the language. You rock!

[enestekin]

I am an English Teacher from Turkey. Those kinds of greetings include "how are you?" and as a response " Fine Thanks and you? " are taught in our education system for the beginners of English Learners. This video SHALL be watched by English Teachers who want to teach different modals of Greetings.

Also, Shall is a nice modal which may be used by my British Speaker friends. It refers to many good things.

[Quokka]

I'm Italian and adore your language since I was young. It always surprises me to see how many native English speakers feel involved in English lessons, also in other channels.
Amazing and I wonder why.

[carlak]

I was shocked to hear this because, as a native speaker, I ALWAYS thank someone for asking how I am and, in return, I ALWAYS ask the other person how he or she is doing. "And you?" or "How about you?" Because that is the polite thing to do. It's not just a formality. I truly AM interested in how the other person is doing and I AM grateful that he or she cared enough or was polite enough to ask how I am.

[Carolyngenea]

I have lived all over the U.S. It is VERY NORMAL to answer the question, "How are you?" with "Fine, thanks, and you?"

[amyrupert-spigelmyer]

I enjoyed this lesson. I think that some phrases are still used- but it all depends on what area of the United States you live in, and what your parents model. Growing up in my Texas home, it was rude to not say "I'm fine with out saying thanks for asking, how about you?" We were also taught to answer the phone" To whom would you like to speak?" So I am showing this to my SL Spanish Learners- with the understanding that either way is acceptable. Thank you for sharing this.

[ahmetturker]

Most of us who learned English from the Oxford books in home countries then come in live in US, experienced all of this... YEs, yes, and YES... Although I did hear "it's cats and dogs out there" I think most common description of the hard rain is "Its' pouring!" my NewYorker wife often says it. great videos...

[AaronGallant]

I am American and I agree with these explanations. The words "shall" and "whom" for Americans feel very formal. I usually hear "shall" when pretending to be someone from royalty or someone from England in a silly manner and is usually spoken with an exaggerated English accent. One idiom I would like to share that is very common and probably confusing for someone learning English is "I'm down." This phrase is used as a confirmation. "Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" "Yeah, I'm down!"

[plantagenant]

English speaker here. When asked "how are you?", my reply is more often than not "fine, thanks".
There are a lot of English lessons on Youtube that increasingly use a colloquial informal English which might be correct in in context but is NOT always appropriate.

[eduardoperezturner]

I find that saying "raining cats and dogs" always brings a smile plus it's like the "salt and pepper" to my conversation

[kulturfreund]

"To whom would you like to speak?" just sounds great.

[angus]

In Canada most people reply to “How are you?” with “I’m fine, thanks. How are you?”
It’s just seen more polite to thank someone for asking about you and to respond by asking about them.
But be cautious about asking older people how they are. You may get a very long and detailed answer.😄
Canadians also respond with “You’re welcome” instead of “Uh huh” when someone says “Thank you”.

[rinnyj]

We absolutely do thank people for asking us about our feelings. The examples you used were casual and tbh even then thank you comes out of my mouth automatically.

[monvee]

As a healthcare professional it’s rude to ask a patient “how’s it going” because it sounds very impersonal . I always say “how do you do” because it imparts formality and a little respect to the one you’re talking to.

[AirForceChmtrails]

THE AMAZING THING IS THAT LANGUAGES ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. WITHIN A HUNDRED YEARS OR SO, WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND WRITE TODAY MAY BE INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS 17TH 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY ENGLISH WHICH I'VE SEEN AS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY ENGLISH. AS A DILETTANTE OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH POETRY, I FIND SOME OF WHAT I READ ESPECIALLY OF PREVIOUS CENTURIES TO BE INCOMPREHENSIBLE. I'M ALWAYS DOING RESEARCH ON WHAT I'M READING WITH A CONCORDANCE IN THE DICTIONARY.

[MoonDancerArt]

As an english speaker, I can confirm that while it is weird to thank persons after they ask you "How are you?", it is very polite and is often encouraged.


My response is usually, "I'm fine, thanks." (informal - to a friend of similar age)
"I'm doing very well, thank you." (formal - to senior)
"I'm good." (informal - to younger)

[justarandomgirllol]

• 0:38 “How do you do” (alternative : 1:07)
• 2:30 “I'm fine . Thank you . And you ? ” (alternative : 3:14)
• 3:34 “Shall” (alternative : 4:12)
• 4:21 “Whom” (alternative : 5:10)
• 5:35 “I am going to” “I do not like”
• 6:49 “How's the weather?” (alternative : 8:04)
• 8:26 "Raining cats and dogs” (alternative: 9:24)

[gernblan]

I ALWAYS say thank you or thanks when someone asks how we are it’s a polite response! A LOT of people do!!