Stop Saying "I'm Fine, Thank You, And You?" (Why You Sound Like a Robot) > Blog

If you walked into a classroom in Brazil, Japan, or Germany, you would hear the exact same chant:

• Teacher: "How are you?"

• Student: "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

It is the most famous phrase in the English language. It is grammatically perfect. And it instantly marks you as a foreigner.

Native speakers almost never speak like this. It sounds robotic, scripted, and cold. It kills the conversation before it even starts.

Here are 3 common "Textbook Phrases" that make you sound unnatural, and the "Real Alternatives" used by global speakers today.

1. The Robot Greeting

• Textbook: "How are you?" → "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

• Why it's bad: It feels like a rehearsed script. It stops the other person from saying anything real.

• Real English:

  • "Not bad. You?" (Casual)

  • "I'm good, thanks! How have you been?" (Friendly)

  • "Can't complain." (Very natural)

2. The Formal Farewell

• Textbook: "Goodbye."

• Why it's bad: "Goodbye" sounds very final and serious. It sounds like you might never see the person again. It can feel cold in a casual setting.

• Real English:

  • "See ya!"

  • "Take care!"

  • "Talk to you later."

3. The "I Understand" Robot

• Textbook: "I understand."

• Why it's bad: While correct, repeating "I understand" makes you sound like a subordinate receiving orders, or a machine processing data. It lacks emotion.

• Real English:

  • "Got it." (Quick and sharp)

  • "Makes sense." (Logical agreement)

  • "I see what you mean." (Empathetic agreement)

✨ Vocabulary Notes

• Scripted (adjective): Planned or written down beforehand; not natural or spontaneous.

• Subordinate (noun): A person under the authority or control of another within an organization.

• Empathetic (adjective): Showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Conclusion

Language textbooks are written to teach you grammar, not connection. They teach you how to be "correct," but often fail to teach you how to be "human."

To sound like a global citizen, you need to break free from these rigid scripts. Don't just memorize lines from a book. Listen to how people actually talk to each other.

Are you tired of sounding like a textbook? Stop practicing with robots. Start talking to real people who use real English. At Langclub, we don't do scripts. We do conversation.

▶ [Ditch the script and speak for real at Langclub]