The short answer
“Are you well?” is a direct translation of the Bengali greeting “bhalo achho?” — used as the default greeting for everyone, from close family to strangers. The phrase itself is not wrong; in fact it is standard, even formal, English. The confusion is register: native speakers save “are you well?” for careful or formal occasions, not for greeting a friend on the street.
Casual Bengali English vs. Casual Native English
Bengali English
Hey Rahul, are you well? Long time no see!
Native English
Hey Rahul, how's it going? Long time no see!
Bengali English
Are you well, Ma?
Native English
How are you doing, Mom? / You okay, Mom?
Bengali English
Are you well? What happened to your leg?
Native English
You okay? What happened to your leg?
Bengali English
Good morning, Mr. Sharma. Are you well?
Native English
Good morning, Mr. Sharma. Are you well? ✓ (correct as-is — this is a genuinely formal context)
Notice the last row: in a genuinely formal context, “are you well?” needs no fix at all — it is the register mismatch in casual speech that causes the confusion, not the grammar.
Why Do People Say It?
In Bengali, “bhalo achho?” (or the more formal “bhalo achhen?”) is the single, all-purpose greeting — asked of a sibling, a parent, a colleague, or a stranger, with no separate casual version the way English has “what’s up?” alongside “how do you do?”. When Bengali English speakers translate it, “are you well?” carries over the literal words but not the flexibility — so it sounds formal and slightly stiff in English even though it was completely ordinary in the original Bengali.
A non-Bengali listener, especially one greeted this way in a casual setting, often notices the mismatch without being able to say exactly why it sounds unusual.
IELTS / spoken English tip
In the IELTS Speaking test and everyday casual conversation, greet people with “How are you?”, “How's it going?”, or “What's up?”. Keep “Are you well?” for genuinely formal situations — greeting an examiner formally, an elder at a ceremony, or in formal written correspondence — where it is completely natural and correct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'are you well' grammatically wrong?+
No — it is completely correct English, and even a favoured phrase among formal or 'posh' British speakers. The confusion is not grammar but register: Bengali English speakers use 'are you well?' as the default greeting for absolutely everyone, casual or formal, while native speakers reserve it mostly for careful, formal, or old-fashioned speech.
Why do Bengalis say 'are you well' instead of 'how are you'?+
It is a direct translation of the Bengali greeting 'bhalo achho?' (literally 'are you well?'), which is the standard, all-purpose greeting in Bengali used for everyone regardless of formality — family, friends, and strangers alike. Speakers carry the exact English translation into every context, including ones where English speakers would use something far more casual.
What should I say instead of 'are you well' in casual English?+
In casual conversation, use 'How's it going?', 'What's up?', 'You good?', or simply 'How are you?'. Save 'Are you well?' for genuinely formal situations — greeting a senior, an interviewer, or in formal written correspondence — where it is fully natural and correct.
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