How About You vs. What About You — What's the Difference?

“How about you” and “What about you” are English phrases often used interchangeably, but they tend to have slight differences in their applications. “How about you” typically seeks to understand another person’s choice, preference, or opinion in a given context, highlighting the person’s subjective inclination or viewpoint. It often invites a response that reflects one’s preference or opinion. In contrast, “What about you” is more about inquiring into someone’s situation, condition, or experiences, possibly seeking information or details about the other person’s circumstances or feelings, and it invites a response that conveys specific information or experiences.

In everyday conversation, “How about you” can imply a request for the other person’s stance or perspective on a discussed topic, reflecting their feelings or judgments. For instance, in discussing movie preferences, it asks for the other person’s favorite. Conversely, “What about you” delves into understanding the experiences or states the other person has had, possibly in relation to a shared topic, asking for more factual or experiential responses. It could ask for experiences the other person had with the movies discussed.

Even though these distinctions exist, in colloquial English, these phrases are often used interchangeably due to their close contextual meanings. The conversational context and the preceding dialogue usually shape the intended meaning of both “How about you” and “What about you”. They both serve as conversational tools to involve the other person in the discussion, reflecting social etiquette by showing interest in the other person’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences.

The nuanced difference in use between “How about you” and “What about you” does not typically hinder communication, as the intention behind both is usually to extend the conversation to include the other person’s input or experiences. While “How about you” leans more towards seeking subjective opinions or preferences, and “What about you” leans more towards seeking objective information or experiences, the interpretative flexibility of these phrases allows them to be functional in a variety of conversational contexts.