What does 'alright' mean when British people say it as a greeting?

What it means: In British English, "alright?" said with a slight upward inflection is a greeting, not a genuine question about your wellbeing. It means "hello" or "how are you?" — but doesn't expect a real answer.

What to say back: "Yeah, alright" or just "alright?" back. Responding with a detailed account of how you actually are would be unusual and slightly awkward.

The subtlety: It's more common in working-class British speech and regional dialects. In London especially, "alright?" is the standard casual greeting between people who know each other.

Register: Informal. Used between friends, acquaintances, and colleagues you know well. Americans find it confusing because it sounds like a question.

Tags: British English, greetings, informal, social English