"You alright?" Errrr...

I can't seem to reply with the Alright without feeling like it just sounds wrong and odd with my accent. I go with 'Yup, you?' often people are a bit surprised that there is an option for them to reply- most do reply back though with a yes

Hehehehe! I had this same problem... for a while everyone looked at me funny when I responded, but now I've settled into a 'yeah, you?' 'alright, you?' 'good, you?' response that works well.

However, as a dramatist, writer, soon to be teacher, I feel like I have to be especially immersed in Britishness. So I've picked up on 'luv' and 'cheers' and 'hiya' really well, and let my accent mix, but no matter how many times I practice (oh yes, I practice! ) saying 'you alright?' I just can't get it right. I'm just not brave enough to try it out

I'm loving reading these old threads like this.  About 20 years ago, I lived in Ireland for a while (as a young American student type) and the first time I walked in a shop and someone said "Are you all right?" I thought Oh my gosh. What's wrong with my expression? Do I look lost, sad, lonely--or sick?  Why are they asking if I'm all right??

 

It took me several days before I realized this was how they were saying hello or asking me what I'd like to buy.  In fact, I got a job in a retail store soon afterward and my boss told me up front to NOT say the American "May I help you?" which he said would be rude (not sure if this was accurate, he was a bit of a doofus).  I think I settled on a "Hi, how're you?" or "Let me know if you need some help" or something.

After a lot of strange looks because of my American accent, I finally perfected "Are you all right?" in an Irish accent, and it all worked out.

This phrase caught me off guard too. When my BF and I first started talking he would ask if I was alright. I think the first few times I responded with something like "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Or would ask if it seemed like I was upset about something. Around the time I figured out that it was just a standard greeting is when he figured out not to ask that unless he thought something was wrong.lol

At work this week, someone seemed down or like something was wrong. I asked him "are you alright?" and he just answered yeah...later I realised he probably thought I was just saying hello like a Brit, but failing as it came out like a genuine question (which it was!).

Thank you! I'm so glad I wasn't the only one!

I tend to say, " Yeah, great, You?" Which seems to confuse some of the locals who didn't really want to start a conversation. :-)

This confuses me too!  Well, now I know what they mean so I just say, 'yeah, you?'

But the first time I heard it I was all surprised and shocked and like, 'yeah, yes, I'm fine!!!'   I thought they thought I looked sick or something!  (or poorly, a word I hate!)

lmao it actually wasn't even until very recently that I found out "y'alright" was basically "hey hows it going". EVERYTIME I'd get on skype with the boy, he'd say that after I said Hi and I'd think to myself "hmmm maybe I don't sound happy enough so he thinks there's something wrong???" and I'd respond with "YEAH! of course! things are fine! how about you?" and he'd carry on normal. Never once thinking maybe they use that phrase different. When I found out, I laughed pretty hard and explained to him. Bless him, he never once tried to correct me or act like he was confused with the way in which i responded.

I have to admit I'm still a little confused. If someone passes me in the street and says it to me, am I supposed to say something back?  Or can I just say hi?    What's the passing in the street answer?  And by street, of course, I mean pavement!

Of course you can just say hi!
It's just another way of saying hi... like hello, good morning, how's it goin?, hiya, hey...

My stock response is either 'alright' (no question mark) or 'good, how about you?'