English Greetings

Greetings are essential phrases used to start conversations and acknowledge others in English-speaking cultures. Understanding different types of greetings and when to use them is crucial for effective communication.

Formal Greetings

Time-Based Formal Greetings

  • Good morning: Used from sunrise until noon
    • Example: “Good morning, Professor Smith.”
    • Appropriate in: Business meetings, formal occasions, speaking with authority figures
  • Good afternoon: Used from noon until around 5:00 PM
    • Example: “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.”
    • Common in: Professional settings, customer service, formal events
  • Good evening: Used from around 5:00 PM until bedtime
    • Example: “Good evening, Mr. Johnson.”
    • Suitable for: Formal dinner parties, evening events, business functions

Other Formal Greetings

  • How do you do?: A very formal greeting, typically used when meeting someone for the first time
    • Traditional response: “How do you do?”
    • Usage: Formal introductions, particularly in British English
  • Pleased to meet you: Used when being introduced to someone
    • Example: “I’m pleased to meet you, Dr. Williams.”
    • Often paired with: A handshake in professional settings

Informal Greetings

Casual Time-Based Greetings

  • Morning!: A shortened version of “Good morning”
    • Usage: Among friends, colleagues, or in relaxed environments
    • Example: “Morning, Sarah! How’s your day starting?”
  • Afternoon!: Casual version of “Good Afternoon”
    • Context: Informal settings, between friends
    • Example: “Good afternoon Megan!”
  • Evening!: Casual version of “Good evening”
    • Context: Informal settings, between friends
    • Example: “Evening, everyone! Ready for movie night?”

Common Casual Greetings

  • Hi/Hello: Universal casual greetings
    • Usage: Suitable for most informal situations
    • Example: “Hi, Tom! Haven’t seen you in ages!”
  • Hey: Very casual greeting
    • Best used with: Friends, peers, family members
    • Example: “Hey! What’s up?”
  • What’s up?/What’s new?: Informal greetings that also ask about someone’s life
    • Common responses: “Not much,” “Just the usual,” “Everything’s good”
    • Example: “Hey Mark, what’s up?”

Follow-up Questions and Responses

Common Follow-up Questions

  • How are you?: Standard follow-up to any greeting
    • Formal response: “I’m very well, thank you. And you?”
    • Casual response: “Good, thanks! And you?”
  • How’s it going?: Informal version of “How are you?”
    • Typical responses: “Pretty good,” “Not bad,” “Can’t complain”
    • Example: “Hey Sam, how’s it going?”
  • How have you been?: Used when reconnecting after some time
    • Appropriate response: Brief update about your recent life
    • Example: “Hi Janet! How have you been since the conference?”

Cultural Notes and Etiquette

Physical Greetings

  • Handshakes: Common in formal and business settings
    • When to use: First meetings, business contexts, formal occasions
    • Note: Firm but not too tight, maintain eye contact
  • Waves: Casual greeting from a distance
    • Appropriate for: Informal situations, greeting groups
    • Example: Seeing a friend across the street

Digital Greetings

  • Email greetings: Usually more formal
    • Professional: “Dear Mr./Ms. [Last name]”
    • Semi-formal: “Hello [First name]”
    • Casual: “Hi [First name]”
  • Text/Message greetings: Usually very informal
    • Common options: “Hey,” “Hi,” or just the person’s name
    • Example: “Hey! Are we still on for lunch?”

Practice Exercises

Situation Matching

Match the appropriate greeting to each situation:

  1. Meeting your new boss
  2. Texting your best friend
  3. Entering a job interview
  4. Seeing a classmate at lunch
  5. Writing to a professor

Dialogue Practice

Create short dialogues using these greetings in different contexts:

  • Formal business meeting
  • Casual coffee shop encounter
  • Family gathering
  • Professional email
  • Social media message

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Using “Good night” as a greeting (it’s only used when parting)
  2. Being too informal in professional settings
  3. Forgetting to match greeting formality with the situation
  4. Using “How do you do?” as a genuine question rather than a greeting

Tips for Success

  1. Always consider your relationship with the person
  2. Pay attention to the time of day for time-based greetings
  3. Match your tone and body language to the greeting
  4. When in doubt, err on the side of being more formal
  5. Observe how native speakers greet each other in different contexts