In English, “how’d” is used to ask for someone’s opinion or to inquire about something. For example, you might say to a friend, “How’d you like the new restaurant?” or “Hey, how’d you make that cake look so professional?” In most cases, people understand how you want to use the word “how’d.” However, there are times when people don’t know what you mean when you use this word. Here are three examples:
1. How did I get this stain on my shirt?
2. How did the bank get into such financial trouble?
3. How’d you like the movie?
In all three of these examples, the speaker is asking for someone else’s opinion on something. In example 1, they want to know how they got this stain on their shirt, and in example 3 they want to know how people, in general, liked the movie. In example 2, the speaker wants to know how the bank got into financial trouble and in example 1 they want to know what people think about their restaurant.
The Origins of the Word “How’d”
The word “how’d” is a contraction of the words “how do you do” and it is used informally to ask how someone is doing. It first appeared in the early 1800s and was primarily used in the Southern United States.
What Does “How’d” Mean in Context?
The phrase “how’d” is a colloquialism that is used in conversations and forums. The meaning of the phrase is ambiguous, but typically it is used as a form of inquiry. For example, someone might say to another person, “How’d you do that?” or “How’d you know that?”
The Use of “How’d” in Speech
How’d you like them apples? – This question is used to inquire how someone is doing.
Conclusion
When we use the word “how” in a sentence, it typically means to explain how something happened. For example, when you ask someone how their day was and they say, “It was good, how’d yours go?” they are asking you to explain your own day. In this sense, the word “how” functions as a relative pronoun: it modifies the verb (went) rather than the subject (me).
