Is it true that "how do you do?" means how are you in Canada?

I don't think that is unique to Canada. It might be more common there, but it seems about the same in other majority-English speaking countries too. I think it is similar to "How are you going?" or "What's up?" in that \~literally it is asking about your current status, but you can treat it as just a greeting.

"How do you do." should be answered with "How do you do." anywhere in the English-speaking world, but it's so old-fashioned that maybe people aren't expecting it (or even aware of it, for younger people?) so they might just default to "Fine, thanks." In 2025, "How do you do." is basically a classroom fossil.

*How do you do?* is very antiquated and is not in common everyday use in Canada (except perhaps among elderly folks of British origin)

It's not unique to Canada, It's in the text books, but I never actually ever hear anyone saying it that way. Most people would rather say something like "How ya doin'?" or "How's it goin'?"

Worth noting that “Howdy” is short for this, although not actually common in Canada

I think is more commonly used in UK. It's an unique way of "how's goin?"

That's what it literally means. It's common not to answer, but that's still the meaning.

The phrase "How do you do?" is literally just "How are you doing?" conjugated differently. That's what it means everywhere.

How do you do has the same meaning as how are you doing. It was more popular in the 20th century, but has fallen out of common use though most people will be familiar with it. There's a meme that says "How do you do fellow kids" that is showing an old guy trying to fit in with kids, and the fact he's using an old fashioned greeting is part of the humor.

It used to be common here in the US, but not so much anymore. Some other poster mentioned “How you going?” which I’ve only heard in Australia but I love.

"How do you do?" only means 'hi' in Britain, really. It's not actually asking 'how are you', it's a bit more broad than that. Here in Britain if you actually wanted to ask how someone was you'd say, "Hi, how are you?" and you would likely stress the 'are' in the sentence to show your sincerity in the question. "How do you do" is commonly followed by your name, as in "How do you do? I'm joinedunderduress," and your response would be "how do you do? I'm Aivlis48," or "nice to meet you, I'm Aivlis48". It's not a common greeting outside of formal settings - e.g. if you are having a business meeting with new clients or coworkers - or meeting older cohorts like Boomers or early Gen Xers.

"How do you do?" only means 'hi' in Britain, really. It's not actually asking 'how are you', it's a bit more broad than that. Here in Britain if you actually wanted to ask how someone was you'd say, "Hi, how are you?" and you would likely stress the 'are' in the sentence to show your sincerity in the question. "How do you do" is commonly followed by your name, as in "How do you do? I'm joinedunderduress," and your response would be "how do you do? I'm Aivlis48," or "nice to meet you, I'm Aivlis48". It's not a common greeting outside of formal settings - e.g. if you are having a business meeting with new clients or coworkers - or meeting older cohorts like Boomers or early Gen Xers.

They carry the same meaning but "how do you do." Is more formal. I would only use it when meeting people for the first time or in a formal setting, basically anytime you want to make a smaller effort to convey respect.

It means that everywhere

How ya Doin.. (In joeys voice!!LOL)

A Newf should chime in... I think they have a cool way of greetings..

Informally "Howdo" in Scotland. "How do you do?" is archaic. Nobody uses it unless they're over 97.

Everyone else has answered, so I'll post this: [How'r now? Good'n you? Not so bad.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZAz_MROU2I) (Don't mind me, I'm just a degen from up country.)

I don't think anyone expects an actual answer to "How do you do?" It's a very formal way to greet someone you just met in my experience.


It's what it literally means, but it's not really used like that. "How do you do" and its derivative "Howdy" are not meant to be answered, they're a greeting, but not necessarily a question, it's similar to "What's up" or "sup" in common parlance. "Hi, how are you?" or something similar would suit the purpose of a greeting with an attached question better. I've never heard it used in Canada, though, it's more common down here, but it's getting to be archaic.

As a Canadian: no, we don’t say that any more than anyone else does, and it has the same meaning here that it would anywhere in the English-speaking world. It’s a very old-fashioned neutral greeting, and the correct response is any other greeting, normally “How do you do” right back, or something like, “lovely to meet/see you.” I agree with everyone who has said that it is SO old fashioned and so little used that if you said it to someone, they would probably misunderstand and incorrectly respond *as if* you’d asked, “how are you doing?” But that’s because they would be so confused that you’d said it at all. It MIGHT be slightly more common as a greeting in the UK, but again, the correct response is to treat it as a greeting, not a question about your welfare.

It just sounds like you live in the year 1900, it has nothing to do with Canada specifically

It means how are you in every English speaking country but it’s not something people say anymore

No, “how do you do” is an old-fashioned way of introducing yourself to a person you are meeting for the first time. It’s an old-timey equivalent of “nice to meet you,” and the correct response to “how do you do” is saying “how do you do” back. You don’t answer the literal question.