How to Respond to “Howdy” [11 Best Replies]

“Howdy” might not be the most common greeting when compared to “hi” or “hey,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to use. This article will look into how to reply to “howdy” and give you a selection of fun or flirty responses to use with people.

The preferred replies are “hey there,” “hello,” and “hi.” These work really well as they are general responses that can also have a bit of flair to them. If you want to spice up your reply, it’s worth adding a little bit of extra detail after your greeting message.

Hey There

“Hey there” is one of the most versatile responses you can use. It’s informal and formal, meaning that it works in many cases (though it’s unlikely that someone would use “howdy” in a formal situation).

You will find that “hey there” works well regardless of where you’re using it. You could reply with it in a text to a friend or in a flirty reply to a tinder date.

Either way, “hey there” is a trusty greeting. You can’t go wrong when throwing “hey there” into your messages.

• Howdy!
• Hey there! How are you doing?

• Howdy.
• Hey there. It’s nice to hear from you after all this time.

• Howdy.
• Hey there. I hope you’re doing well.

Hello

“Hello” is always going to be a good reply when someone says “howdy” to you.” Since “howdy” and “hello” are synonymous, it makes sense that “hello” would do the trick if you’re looking for a simple response.

Of course, there’s always the issue that “hello” is a bit too formal. Most people avoid using it in text messages because it sounds like they aren’t interested in a conversation.

While “hello” works well in formal English, it definitely comes across as more robotic informally. It seems like you’re forcing yourself to say “hello,” which is never the right idea.

• Howdy.
• Hello there. I was wondering when you might message me.

• Howdy!
• Hello! Are you okay?

• Howdy!
• Hello, mate! It’s been such a long time!

Hi

“Hi” is a good choice when replying to “howdy” because of the synonymous meanings. Just like “hello,” “hi” is synonymous with “howdy.” You can use it to show that you’re happy to see someone or you’re greeting them for the first time.

Unlike “hello,” “hi” is a more informal choice. It’s still not that common in text messages because of how popular “hey” has become. If you’re looking to be a bit more flirty, “hey” might be a better choice.

If you’re just being friendly or welcoming, “hi” works well. That’s why it’s one of the better choices available. You don’t have to worry about looking too deeply into how “hi” might be perceived.

• Howdy.
• Hi! I’m so pleased that you’ve finally decided to message me.

• Howdy!
• Hi, there. How are you holding up? I hear things have been tough.

• Howdy!
• Hi. Are you doing okay?

How Are You?

You don’t always have to use a greeting to reply to “howdy.” You can say, “how are you?” if you want to get straight into a conversation with the person. This is effective if you’re interested in getting to know someone on a more personal level.

While “how are you?” is a simple question, it can be a flirty response to “howdy.” It really depends on how you use it.

Of course, this could be said about anything. Most greetings and questions are “flirty” if you’re willing to say them in certain tones. You can also use “how are you?” in a more friendly way with no romantic undertones.

• Howdy.
• How are you? I haven’t spoken to you in such a long time.

• Howdy!
• How are you doing? I feel like it’s been so long. We need to catch up.

• Howdy!
• How are you? I can’t wait to see each other again soon.

What’s Up?

“What’s up?” is another great question rather than a greeting. You can use this as a reply when you’re trying to be flirty or friendly. It’s an informal synonym for “how are you?”

“What’s up?” asks someone what they’ve been up to or how they are feeling right now. It’s another good choice if you’re looking to start a personal conversation with someone.

• Howdy.
• What’s up? I hope we’re still on for our date later today.

• Howdy!
• What’s up? I’m really looking forward to seeing you later.

• Howdy!
• What’s up? Are you holding up okay after what happened?

How You Doin’?

“How you doin’?” is a great flirty response to “howdy.” It works really well because it plays into the vibes that someone is giving you when they use “howdy” to set up a conversation.

“How you doin’?” is a common pick-up line in certain states. For example, it’s very common in New York, and the “g” is dropped at the end of “doing” to reflect the accent that most New Yorkers have when saying it.

It also comes from the sitcom Friends, in which Joey used to say, “how you doin’?” whenever he was trying to flirt with someone he found attractive.

• Howdy.
• How you doin’? It’s been so long since you messaged. I’m already smiling.

• Howdy!
• How you doin’? I’ve missed you, and I hope you’ve missed me too.

• Howdy!
• How you doin’? You’re such an attractive girl. I hope you know that.

What’s Cooking?

“What’s cooking?” is a funny response to “howdy.” You can use it to show that you’re interested in learning more about someone. It’s not as personal as something like “how are you,” but it’s funny, which makes it acceptable.

The full phrase is, “what’s cooking, good looking?” It’s a flirty reply that works well as an introduction. Feel free to try it the next time you get a tinder match to see if it works out.

• Howdy.
• What’s cooking? You seem like you’re in a better mood today.

• Howdy!
• What’s cookin’, good lookin’? I feel like we haven’t had a proper chance to chat.

• Howdy!
• What’s cooking? I’m wondering whether you’d like to meet up later.

Well, Howdy, Partner

If you’re looking for a funny response to “howdy,” this is the one. “Well, howdy, partner” plays into the southern or cowboy vibe that “howdy” tends to have today. It works well if you’re trying to be fun with the person you’re texting or speaking to.

“Partner” is commonly used after “howdy” to play into the cowboy trope. It shows that you’ve watched a few western movies, and you’re copying the mannerisms and words of the actors playing cowboys to match their energy.

• Howdy.
• Well, howdy, partner. It’s been ages since you popped up.

• Howdy!
• Well, howdy, partner. Would you like to role-play as cowboys?

• Howdy!
• Well, howdy, partner! I hope you’re having a lovely morning.

Good Morning!

“Good morning!” works well as a response to someone saying, “howdy.” You can also change the time of day to represent when you are sending the message (i.e. “good evening” or “good night”).

It’s quite common to hear “good morning” used as a greeting. That’s why it’s a good response when replying to “howdy.”

It isn’t flirty in any way, but it’s definitely friendly enough. If you follow it up with something else, it could be a good conversation starter.

• Howdy.
• Good morning! I’m so glad you decided to message me. I’ve been thinking about you.

• Howdy!
• Good afternoon! Are you holding up okay? I know you must be missing me badly.

• Howdy!
• Good evening, love! I’m so happy to hear from you again! Are you okay?

Greetings!

“Greetings!” is a fun reply you can use to match “howdy.” “Howdy” is an uncommon but unique greeting message. The same goes for “greetings.” It’s rare that anyone actually says “greetings” today, but it’s fun when they do.

Both “howdy” and “greetings” are old-fashioned introduction messages. It’s not common to see them today, but people like to use them in jest. That’s why it could be good to use “greetings” to reply since both forms of “hello” are fun.

• Howdy.
• Greetings! It’s been such a long time! What have you been up to?

• Howdy.
• Greetings and salutations to you! I’m so glad you popped up in my messages again.

• Howdy!
• Greetings! I have missed you so much. I hope you’ve missed me too.

It’s Nice To Speak To You!

“It’s nice to speak to you” is the final way we want to discuss replying to “howdy.” This time, it’s not a greeting or a question. It’s simply a statement that shows you’re happy to be speaking to someone.

This phrase works best when you’re happy that someone messaged you. If you’ve been waiting to hear from them, you can use a phrase like this to show them that you’re excited to talk.

• Howdy.
• It’s nice to speak to you again! I’m so glad you came back to speak with me.

• Howdy!
• It’s nice to speak to you! I hope you’ve been well since our last conversation.

• Howdy!
• It’s nice to speak to you! I want to hear all about the things you’ve gotten up to.