What Does HRU Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More

Co-authored by Cher Gopman and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: March 17, 2022

Has someone asked “HRU?” and you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out what they meant? With all the shorthand slang people send, it can be tricky knowing exactly what the person was trying to say. Luckily, HRU is easy to decipher and it’s the start to some great convos. Keep reading to find out what HRU really means across any platform as well as how you can use and reply to it.

Section 1 of 5:

What does HRU mean in texting?

In a text, HRU means “how are you?" Whoever messaged you just wants to know how you feel and is saving time by shortening the words. You might see HRU written in all-caps with a question mark, or it can be casually written as “hru”—it just depends on how the person prefers to write it.^{[1]
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American Bar Association
Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
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- HAU and HAY mean the same thing as HRU, though they're less commonly used.

Section 2 of 5:

What does HRU mean on Snapchat?

On Snapchat, HRU also stands for "how are you?" The person who snapped you wants to catch up and see how you're doing. They may send it in a Snapchat message or add it as a caption to a pic they're sending.

Section 3 of 5:

How to Use HRU

1
Send HRU to check in with your friends. It’s always nice to stay in touch and ask your friends what’s up so you stay involved in their lives.^{[2]
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- “Hi Sam! HRU?”
- “OMG I haven’t seen you in ages! HRU??”
- “Hey Joey! I’ve missed you!! HRU?”
2
Start a casual conversation with your crush with HRU. A crush or casual partner will appreciate that you’re reaching out and staying in touch with them. Send an emoji with your message to make it feel a little more flirty.
- “Hey you 😊 HRU today?”
- “Hi babe, HRU at work today? 🙂”
- “HRU cutie? 😘”
3
Use HRU if you know someone isn't feeling well. It’s nice to reach out when your friends are sick or upset so they know someone cares about how they’re doing. Send them a quick message asking how they’re feeling. Wish them a speedy recovery too so they can feel better.
- “I heard you got the flu a few days ago. HRU?”
- “OMG I’m so sorry to hear about the accident! HRU feeling?”
- “I missed you at school today. HRU? Hope you’re feeling better!”

Section 4 of 5:

How to Respond to HRU

1
Let the person know how you’re doing and feeling. Give them a brief update on how you are to keep the conversation going.
- Them: “Hey HRU?”
  You: “I’m doing good! Thanks for asking!”
- Them: “Hey hon, HRU?”
  You: “Better now that you’ve snapped me 🙂”
- Them: “You were sick this weekend, right? HRU now?”
  You: “Ugh, it was a bummer but I’m feeling so much better.”
2
Ask how the person is doing in return. If you want to get the other person talking, be sure to turn the question back around on them. You can ask using HRU or you can spell it out.^{[3]
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- Them: “Hey, HRU?”
  You: “I’m fantastic! HRU?”
- Them: “HRU doing today?”
  You: “It’s been tough, but I’m managing. How are you doing?”
- Them: “Hi sweetie 😘 HRU?”
  You: “Just missing you a lot 🥺 HRU?”
3
Snap a pic of what you’re doing. You could take a selfie and make a face to show the person what mood you’re in, or show off what’s going on around you. Answer their question with a short caption or follow-up text.
- Send a pic of you lazing on the beach and say, “I’m sooo relaxed rn!”
- Share a picture of you at work with the caption, “Wish I was home, but I’m okay. HRU?”
- Take a selfie with a big smile and say, “I’m so excited for tonight! How about you?”

Section 5 of 5:

Alternatives to HRU

1
HYD or HUD (How’re you doing). Either HYD or HUD make a great option when you’re responding to someone else asking how you are since it turns the question back onto them.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
American Bar Association
Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
Go to source}
- Them: “Hey HRU?”
  You: “I’m good! HYD?”
  Them: “I’m good too!”
2
HIG (How’s it going). Use HIG to ask if someone is doing alright whether you’re starting the conversation or writing a reply. The person may answer about how they feel about a task they’re doing or just mention how they’re feeling at the moment.
- You: “Hi hi! HIG at work?”
  Them: “It’s going pretty well! HIG for you?”
- You: “Hey there, HIG?”
  Them: “Eh just alright. HRU?”
3
HYB (How’ve you been). Ask HYB if you’re catching up with someone that you haven’t chatted with in a while. They’ll want to catch you up on what they’ve been up to and how they’re feeling.
- You: “Long time no see! HYB?”
  Them: “Hey! It’s been crazy, but I’m managing haha! HYB?”
4
HDYD (How do you do). Try saying HDYD if you want to sound a little quirky and old-fashioned. The person you’re sending it to will probably smile or giggle when they read it since it’s not as common as a phrase anymore.
- You: “Well hello there. HDYD?”
  Them: “Haha I’m doing pretty good. HDYD?”