How About vs. What About: Key Differences Explained
“How about” suggests a proposal or invitation; “what about” raises a concern or exception. Both are correct, but they answer different mental questions: “Shall we?” versus “But have you considered…?”
People swap them because both sit at the start of questions and feel interchangeable in chat. Yet your friend’s “How about sushi?” plans dinner, while “What about my nut allergy?” brakes the plan—same table, opposite forces.
Key Differences
Use “how about” to pitch: “How about 3 p.m.?” Use “what about” to flag omissions: “What about the budget?” Tone shifts from open suggestion to cautious objection, and listeners instantly sense the switch.
Which One Should You Choose?
Ask yourself: are you adding an option or surfacing a problem? If you’re brainstorming dates, say “how.” If you’re spotlighting a risk, say “what.” The choice steers the room before anyone speaks.
Examples and Daily Life
“How about Netflix tonight?” invites a roommate. “What about your exam tomorrow?” counters. One schedules joy, the other reminds of duty. Master both and you control the emotional steering wheel of any conversation.
Can I start a sentence with either phrase?
Absolutely—both open natural questions and are native in speech and writing.
Is “how about you” interchangeable with “what about you”?
Not quite. “How about you?” seeks a matching suggestion; “what about you?” points to a missing detail in the other person’s stance.