Greetings & Introductions

Knowing how to greet people is one of the most important skills in any language. In this lesson, you will learn the most common English greetings and when to use each one.

Informal Greetings (Friends, Family, Classmates)

These greetings are for people you know well or casual situations:

• Hi! -- The most common, everyday greeting. Works almost everywhere.
• Hey! -- Very casual. Use with friends.
• Hello! -- Slightly more neutral than "hi." Works in any situation.
• What's up? -- Very casual. It means "How are you?" but people usually just answer "Not much" or "Hey!"
• How's it going? -- Casual way to ask how someone is doing.

Example conversation:

Anna: Hey, Maria! How's it going? Maria: Hi, Anna! I'm good, thanks. How about you? Anna: Pretty good, thanks!

Formal Greetings (Work, Business, Strangers)

Use these in professional or polite situations:

• Good morning -- Use before 12:00 PM (noon).
• Good afternoon -- Use from 12:00 PM to about 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
• Good evening -- Use after 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
• How do you do? -- Very formal. The traditional reply is also "How do you do?"
• It's a pleasure to meet you. -- When meeting someone for the first time.

Important: "Good night" is NOT a greeting. It is only used when saying goodbye at the end of the evening or before going to sleep.

Asking "How Are You?"

There are many ways to ask this question, from formal to casual:

Answering "How Are You?"

Tip: In English-speaking cultures, "How are you?" is often just a polite greeting, not a real question. The expected answer is usually something short and positive like "Good, thanks! And you?"

Saying Goodbye

Informal:

• Bye! / Bye bye!
• See you! / See you later!
• Talk to you later!
• Take care!
• Catch you later!

Formal:

• Goodbye.
• Have a good day / evening.
• It was nice meeting you.
• I look forward to seeing you again.

Useful Phrases for First Meetings

When you meet someone for the first time, use these phrases:

• Nice to meet you. -- The most common phrase when meeting someone new.
• It's lovely to meet you. -- A warm, friendly version.
• I've heard a lot about you. -- When a mutual friend has told you about this person.

The response is usually: "Nice to meet you too!"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using "Good night" as a greeting. It is only for saying goodbye at night.

• Wrong: "Good night, everyone!" (when arriving at a party)
• Correct: "Good evening, everyone!"

Mistake 2: Answering "How are you?" with too much detail in casual situations.

• Awkward: "Well, I didn't sleep well, and my back hurts, and..."
• Better: "I'm good, thanks! And you?"

Mistake 3: Forgetting to ask "And you?" back. When someone asks "How are you?", always reply AND ask them back:

• "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

Practice Dialogues

Dialogue 1 -- At a coffee shop (informal):

You: Hi! How are you? Barista: Hey! I'm good. What can I get you? You: A coffee, please. Thanks! Barista: Here you go. Have a great day! You: Thanks, you too! Bye!

Dialogue 2 -- At a job interview (formal):

You: Good morning. I'm here for the 10 o'clock interview. Receptionist: Good morning. Please have a seat. Mr. Smith will be with you shortly. Mr. Smith: Hello, you must be Maria. I'm John Smith. It's a pleasure to meet you. You: It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Smith. Thank you for this opportunity.

Key Takeaways

• Match your greeting to the situation: casual for friends, formal for work and strangers.
• "How are you?" is often a greeting, not a real question. Keep your answer short.
• Always say "And you?" after answering "How are you?"
• "Good night" is for goodbye, not for saying hello.
• Practice these greetings every day -- even in front of a mirror!