When to use "what about you?" and when to use "how about you?" ?
When somebody says:
-- Hi there, HOW are you?
I say:
-- Hi, i'm fine, thanks, HOW about you?
Is it the same if I say: "what about you?" in that situation?

Question

When to use "what about you?" and when to use "how about you?" ?
When somebody says:
-- Hi there, HOW are you?
I say:
-- Hi, i'm fine, thanks, HOW about you?
Is it the same if I say: "what about you?" in that situation?

Answer

In this situation the phrases seem to be equal.

I would guess that whether one uses 'how' or 'what' would be based on colloquial speech.

Gramatically, I prefer "How are you?"

However, on a scale of most formal to least formal I would rank it this way:
"I'm fine, how are you?" most formal
"I'm fine, how about you? less formal
"I'm fine, what about you?" least formal

No pierdas la oportunidad de aprender un idioma desde la comodidad de tu casa. ¡Explora nuestra selección de profesores de idiomas con experiencia e inscríbete ya en tu primera clase!