- An informal way of asking How are you? or How are things progressing?.
- Often used as a casual greeting.
Explanation
Origin
- A colloquial variation of How is it going?.
- Likely emerged in the mid-20th century in American English as a more relaxed alternative to How are you?.
- The it vaguely refers to life, work, or the general situation.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- How's tricks? (Older slang)
- What's happening? / What's happenin'?
- Howzit? (South African/Hawaiian/NZ slang contraction)
- How's she cuttin'? (Irish/Rural slang)
Milder/Standard:
- How are you?
- How are things going?
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Ideal for colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and casual service encounters.
- Might be slightly too informal for very formal situations or initial meetings with high-ranking individuals.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Similar to How are you?, non-native speakers might feel obligated to give a detailed, literal answer about how it (life/work) is going. Reassure them that a short, conventional answer is usually expected.
Examples
- Hey Mark, how's it going?
- How's it going with the project? (More specific)
Dialogue
Maria: Hey Carlos, how's it going?
Carlos: Pretty good, Maria. Just heading to lunch. You?
Maria: Can't complain! Enjoy your lunch!
Carlos: Thanks, you too!
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Finished the first draft! Now for editing... How's it going for all the other writers out there? #amwriting
- Casual Email: Hey team, How's it going this week? Just wanted to share a quick update...
- Instagram comment on a friend's post: Looks fun! How's it going?
Response Patterns
- Good, you?
- It's going well, thanks.
- Pretty good.
- Not bad.
- Alright.
- Same old, same old.
- Similar to How are you?, brief answers are common unless context suggests more detail.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After asking How's it going?:
- Listen to the reply.
- Respond to the reciprocal question (Going well, thanks!).
- Transition to another topic or the reason for the interaction.
After responding (Good, you?):
- Listen to their answer.
- Continue the conversation.
Conversation Starter
- Yes.
- A very common and friendly way to start a casual conversation.
Intonation
- Casual, friendly tone.
- Rising intonation at the end. How's it GO-ing?
- Stress often falls on GO-ing.
Generation Differences
- Widely used, particularly common among people under 60.
Regional Variations
- Very common in North America and Australia/NZ.
- Also used in the UK, but Alright? is often preferred in very casual settings.