How's life? means “How are things?” or “How are you doing?”. It's a friendly greeting when you meet someone you know, especially if you haven't seen each other for a while. Nobody expects a long story: people answer briefly and ask back.
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How's life?; How's life treating you?; reply: Not bad / Pretty good / Can't complain, thanks. And you?
- Hey, Tom! Long time no see. How's life?
- — How's life in Berlin? — Pretty good, but I miss the sea.
- — How's life treating you? — Can't complain, thanks. I'm busy with the new job.
What changed
First version— How's life? — Normal, thanks. And you?
Revision— How's life? — Not bad, thanks. And you?
Normal can seem like a natural answer. But normal means “ordinary, as expected”, and people don't use it to reply to a greeting. For a neutral “I'm OK”, say Not bad, Fine or Okay.
How are you? works with almost anyone, including a colleague or a stranger. How's life? sounds warmer and more informal; people ask it of those they've known for a while. A similar friendly version: How's life treating you? — Can't complain!
Your turn
— Hi, Mia! How's life? — ___, thanks. I've just started a new course.
Show the answer
Pretty good — Mia is replying to a friendly greeting and sharing good news, so Pretty good fits. Native speakers don't answer How's life? with Normal.
Write a short dialogue with an old acquaintance you bump into. Ask How's life? and give an answer with one piece of news.
— Hi, Dan! How's life? — Not bad, thanks. I've moved to a flat near the river.
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