Greetings and Introductions

Why Are Greetings Important?

Greetings are the first thing you say when you meet someone. Using the right greeting helps you make a good first impression and start a conversation confidently. In English, the greeting you choose depends on the situation — is it formal or informal? Is it morning or evening?

Common Greetings

Informal Greetings (Friends, Family, Classmates)

• Hi! — The most common informal greeting.
• Hey! — Very casual, used with friends.
• Hello! — Works in both formal and informal situations.
• What's up? — Very casual. Common answer: "Not much."
• How's it going? — Casual. Answer: "Good, thanks!" or "Not bad."

Formal Greetings (Work, Business, Strangers)

• Good morning. (before 12:00 PM)
• Good afternoon. (12:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
• Good evening. (after 6:00 PM)
• How do you do? — Very formal, used when meeting someone for the first time.
• It's a pleasure to meet you. — Polite and professional.

Note: "Good night" is NOT a greeting. It means "goodbye" and we only say it before going to sleep.

How to Introduce Yourself

Basic Introduction

Follow this simple pattern:

1. Greeting: Hello! / Hi!
2. Your name: My name is Maria. / I'm Maria.
3. Where you're from: I'm from Brazil. / I come from Brazil.
4. What you do: I'm a student. / I work as a nurse.

Example:

"Hi! My name is Maria. I'm from Brazil, and I'm a student. I'm studying English."

Introducing Someone Else

• "This is my friend, Carlos."
• "I'd like you to meet my colleague, Sarah."
• "Have you met Tom? He's my brother."

Useful Phrases for Conversations

Asking About Someone

• What's your name? — My name is Anna. / I'm Anna.
• Where are you from? — I'm from Japan.
• What do you do? — I'm a teacher. / I work in a hospital.
• How old are you? — I'm 28 years old.
• Do you speak English? — Yes, a little. / I'm learning.

Responding to Greetings

Example Conversations

Informal

Tom: Hey! I'm Tom. What's your name? Lisa: Hi Tom! I'm Lisa. Nice to meet you! Tom: Nice to meet you too! Where are you from? Lisa: I'm from Italy. And you? Tom: I'm from Canada. How's your English? Lisa: It's okay. I'm still learning!

Formal

Mr. Smith: Good morning. I'm Mr. Smith from ABC Company. Ms. Chen: Good morning, Mr. Smith. I'm Ms. Chen. It's a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Smith: The pleasure is mine. How are you today? Ms. Chen: I'm very well, thank you. And you?

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using "Good night" as a greeting

• Wrong: Good night! How are you? (at 8 PM)
• Correct: Good evening! How are you?

Mistake 2: Not responding to "How are you?" Many learners forget that "How are you?" needs an answer AND a return question.

• Correct: "I'm fine, thanks. And you?"

Mistake 3: Mixing up "meet" and "know"

• First time meeting: "Nice to meet you."
• You already know them: "Good to see you again."

Mistake 4: Being too formal or too informal

• To your boss: Don't say "Hey, what's up?" Say "Good morning."
• To a friend: Don't say "How do you do?" Say "Hey! How's it going?"

Practice Tips

1. Practice in the mirror: Stand in front of a mirror and introduce yourself. Say your name, where you are from, and what you do.
2. Role-play with a friend: Take turns being formal and informal. Practice both situations.
3. Watch how native speakers greet each other in movies and TV shows. Notice the difference between friends and business situations.
4. Learn the responses too: Don't just learn the greetings — learn how to respond. Conversations need two people!