Cheers to English language- this is very simple theme, when it is studied in class at school, but rather tricky when it comes to communicating with foreigners, especially abroad, where you often have to say hello to strangers.
Many people have doubts about how to correctly answer questions inseparable with greetings like “How are you?”, “How are you doing?”, “What’s up?” It turns out that, for example, the Americans, when asked "How are you doing?" they can briefly say how they are doing (“Good!”), or they can answer with the same question. So what's right?
Greetings in English and questions like "How are you?"
This is correct and so, and so, depending on the situation.
Greetings in English usually have two parts:
- The greeting itself, for example: Hello.
- A question like “How are you?” For example: How are you?
In most cases, a question like "How are you?" - this is just a formula of politeness, a formal answer is expected from you, not detailed. It all depends on the context though. If you greet a colleague who passes by with a sheaf of papers and a puzzled expression on his face, then he certainly does not expect news from you, and if in a relaxed atmosphere with a friend who has not been seen for a couple of months, then you can chat.
In addition, it often happens that the question "How are you?" - it does not a question, but a greeting, and in return you just need to say hello. This is the case when the phrase “How are doing” is answered “How are you doing” (in this case, the phrase usually sounds like a statement, not a question).
Here are the options for greetings.
- Hello- neutral “hello” or “hello”. It is appropriate in any situation, so you can say hello to a friend, boss, doctor, president. Also “hello” is “hello” in.
- Hi- a friendlier option, “hello”. So you can say hello to friends, relatives, strangers, but not suitable for a strict formal setting.
- Hey- a completely informal "hello", something like our "great!" Note that hey can be an attention-getting shout or a greeting.
-
Time of day greetings... A neutral way of greeting, so you can say both to a colleague and a friend, and in an official setting.
- Good morning- good morning.
- Good afternoon- good day.
- Good evening- good evening.
- note that Good night- this is not a night greeting, but a wish of good night.
Now take the "Hi" greeting and add the "How are you?"
Hi! How are you? - "How are you?"
A universal question that suits any setting, formal or informal. Answering this question, it is customary to add “thank you” or “thanks” (this is not always done) before or after the answer and then also ask how the interlocutor is doing:
- Very well, thank you. How are you? Is a very formal way to answer this question.
- I'm fine, thank you! How are you?
- Not bad, and you?
- Good! Thanks! And you? (The answer "good" is not quite grammatically correct here, but so they say).
- Thanks, I'm ok. And you?
- Great! Thanks! How are you?
Hi! How is it going? / How are you doing? - "How are you?", "How are you?"
Answering this question, you do not need to dwell on the fact that it contains a verb in, and try to answer necessarily also with a verb in this form. You can answer in exactly the same way as to the question “How are you?”:
- Thanks, good. And you?
- Fine, how are you?
- etc.
Hi! What's up? - "What's new?"
A very popular greeting option, especially among young people. How to answer “What’s up?”. If this is a question, you can do this:
- Nothing much.
- Not too much.
- Nothing new.
- Nothing.
- Same old.
- Same old, same old.
All of this means about the same thing: nothing special.
But in most cases, “What’s up?” Is not a question to be answered, but just a greeting.
When you don't have to say how you are doing
All of the above questions can not be used as questions to be answered, but simply as greetings. This is especially true for “What’s up”. Most of the time, when they say “Hey, what’s up?” - this is not a question, but just a greeting, as if you were simply told “Hey” or “Hi”.
The dialog might look like this:
Colleagues walk past each other in the corridor, both in a hurry.
- Hey, what’s up.
- What’s up / Hi / How are you doing.
And they fled.
Another variant.
You have entered the store. The seller, pushing the cart with the goods in front of him, waved his hand and, smiling, greeted:
- Hi, how are you doing,- and drove on without waiting for an answer.
- How are you doing,- you answered and went about your business.
Here's how you can tell a question from a greeting:
- The person who greeted him walked by somewhere, greeted just for the sake of decency and walked on without waiting for an answer.
- An unintelligible “How you doin” shouted at you, with a wave of greeting.
- Intonation as in an affirmative sentence, not an interrogative one. In the examples, I deliberately did not put question marks at the end of the sentences.
All over the world people greet each other. Friends, colleagues, relatives and neighbors say: "Hello!" or "Hello!" The translation into English of this word is quite simple, but this is only at first glance.
Down with stereotypes!
After all, we do not always greet each other in the same way, it all depends on the situation and on the person we met. The British are no exception. And if the knowledge of some people is limited to only one banal phrase, then this is only the fault of the school curriculum, which provides only a formal version of the greeting, and not a natural one. This is the same as an Englishman coming up to you, a Russian, and saying instead of "Hello, how are you?" the phrase "Bread and salt for you!". It's hard to even think about how to respond to such a greeting. Let's look at the options that are relevant today.
Standard greetings
Now we will consider several options for how to say "Hello!" In English. However, remember that you must say this with a smile, which is a kind of rule of good manners for the British when communicating.
- Hello! or Hi! This is the most versatile and most popular option, familiar to everyone. So they say "Hello!" in English to friends or well-known people. If you are not a fan of this foreign language, then this knowledge of greeting will be quite enough. However, we are not like that, so we move on.
- Good morning (afternoon, evening), which means "Good morning (afternoon, evening)!". This is an equally widespread version of how one can say “Hello!” In English, but already more full-fledged and formal. This phrase will sound even more interesting if the following nuances are observed: morning is a word that should be used before noon, afternoon - until 18.00, evening - until midnight. However, if you need to greet someone, for example, at a party at one o'clock in the morning, then the last word will also come in handy.
- There are also phrases: How are you? and almost the same: How are you doing? They are quite formal, suitable for greeting strangers or strangers.
More common phrases
If you want to be known as an educated person who knows what to say in English "Hello!" sound right in every situation, then move on.
Variants suitable for a very close environment
As a rule, most people need a spoken foreign language, so it is not particularly important in this case how "Hello!" Is spelled in English. The main thing is to know when and where to use this or that oral form. Let's go further.
First meeting
Now you know how to say "Hello!" In English, and you can safely use one or another option depending on the situation. However, that's not all! How not to get confused and say hello correctly when you are introduced to someone for the first time? For this case, we recommend using the phrases below:
- good to meet (see) you;
- nice to meet (see) you;
- I am pleased to meet (see) you;
- it is a pleasure to meet (see) you.
Thus, you will let the interlocutor know that you are pleased to meet him. Phrases, as they say, are dry and formal, but they will come in handy in any case.
Unexpected meeting
Imagine the situation. You are walking down the street, thinking about something, and suddenly you meet the person whom you have not only not seen for a long time, but have never thought of ever meeting just like that. How to say Hello! In English in this case?
- Oh my dear God, It is you! We pronounce this phrase something like this: "Lord, is it really you?"
- Aahh, where have you been? Translated as "Where have you been?"
- Wow, it is so good that I see (meet) you again! - "Wow, how good it is to see you (meet) again!"
And if you have no time?
Sometimes it happens. After all, you still need to say hello, but you also want to beautifully get away from a possible subsequent conversation, and so do it so that you don't offend the person either. What can you say in such a situation?
- Hi, sorry, unfortunately I can not stop. It means "Sorry, I can't talk right now."
- Hi there, I have no time now, but here is my phone number, give me a call. "Hi, I have no time at all right now, but here's my number, call me back."
- Hi, I want to talk, but unfortunately I have to dash. “Hi, I would love to chat, but I have to run.”
Informal greetings
Can you walk up to your friend and say, "Hello old man!"? Of course yes. And do not think that the prim English are incapable of such a thing. Arm yourself with the following phrases and use them to greet close friends.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at how you can say hello in English with friends, colleagues, as well as how to do it correctly and culturally. You can safely replace many words in the above phrases with synonyms, it will not be worse, especially if the phrase was already informal. For additional practice, we advise you to watch films in English, where you will hear all this more than once and understand where and how to use greetings.
Sometimes I really want to ask some English teachers: "How long will we traumatize the psyche of foreigners by learning the phrase" How do you do? " instead of greeting in natural English, and even demanding a similar response from an English-speaking person? " After all, this is tantamount to when an Englishman comes up to us on the street and diligently greets us in Russian: "Bread and salt!" And you, accordingly, will have to answer "salt-bread".
In general, down with outdated versions of greetings and goodbyes. We will learn only phrases that are relevant today. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the options for answering the question "how are you?" in English. It is difficult to imagine a dialogue consisting only of "hello-bye", you cannot do without a short (or not so) story about your affairs.
GREETINGS IN ENGLISH
It is advisable to accompany all these greetings in English with a Hollywood smile - as is customary for them, even if you don't want to sparkle with snow-white teeth now.
Standard
Hello- hello (generally a universal option). And one could not even sweat further, but the position of being in love with English obliges to know more.
Hi- hello (the word is no less popular than the previous one).
Good morning / afternoon / evening- good morning / afternoon / evening. A more interesting option and quite versatile, if only some nuances are taken into account: morning is until noon, afternoon is until 6 pm, evening is conventionally until midnight, but if you have to say hello at a party, no one will be offended by such a greeting even at 2 o'clock nights.
More "colloquial" phrases
Hi there!- hey, hello to you there (in general, quite a slang version. You can risk your life and turn to a certain company that decided to gather under your window with songs and strong drinks).
Hello there!- hey, you there - hello! (a slightly more ennobled expression, if I may say so. But in general, the meaning is almost the same as in the previous address).
Hey, how are you doing?- Hello how are you? (a favorite expression on Vkontakte - annoying many, but English-speaking comrades really like it, because it sounds less formal than the usual hi and even makes it possible to show your interest)
What's up?- what's new / how are you (an option that is more acceptable when surrounded by close people / friends - it is not very recommended to greet strangers like that)
How’s it going?- how are you / how is life (another version, and also for people who are quite familiar with each other)
Wow, it's good to see you!- oh, cool, glad to see you! (instead of good, you can substitute almost anything to express your emotions - it will turn out unobtrusive and interesting)
Howdyfriend - how are you friend? (purely American feature)
Heydude,What ‘sup? - Hey dude, how are you?
HeyBro,What 'sup? - Hi, bratello, how are you?
Hey man! How's your hummer hanging? - Translation only for "18 and over". In general, this is a good slang for the closest acquaintances of men.
No one can forbid you to come up with your own options for greetings with friends: nicknames, jokes, and words that only you understand can be used. For those who are not fond of reinventing the wheel, we suggest that you study a selection of common informal greetings in English.
For fans of florid expressions
Hi there, hey how are you doing? Hey, you, hello, how's it going?
Hello,howhaveyoubeen? Hello, how did you live?
It "s good to see you, how" s life been treating you? Glad to see you, how young life is?
For those who are the first time
More precisely, how to greet the person whom you have just been introduced to inadvertently.
Good to meet you / It "s nice to meet you Nice to meet you
I "m pleased to meet you / It "s a pleasure to meet you Nice to meet you
Surprises from
You walked along the street, and suddenly - bam! - unexpectedly met a person whom they had not seen for a hundred years, had not heard and did not even think that they would ever see again.
Oh my God, it "s you! Oh God, it's you!
Aahh,wherehaveyoubeen? Ahh, where did you disappear (then you can add your curse word)
Mygoodness,longtimenospeak (see) Oh gods, we haven't seen each other for so long!
Wow, it "s so good to see you again Wow, it's great to see you again ...
Is it really you? When did we last meet? Wow, as I live and breathe, it "s my best friend from school Is this really you? When was the last time we met? Whoa, how much I live and breathe, you are mine best friend from school!
You have no time
Well, anything can happen. We greeted and ran further. And then they otmazyvalis beautifully.
Hi, sorry I can "t stop. Hello sorry i can't stop
Oh hi there, look I "m a bit pushed for time, here" s my phone number give me a call sometime
Oh, hello there to you. Listen, I'm a little late already, here's my phone number, call me sometime
Hello there, look I "m on my way to work maybe catch up with you again soon. Oh, hello to you. Listen, I'm running to work. Maybe we'll meet again soon.
Hey I would love to stop and chat but I really have to dash. Hi, I'd love to stop and chat, but I really need to run.
For travelers in Foggy Albion
Everyone knows how the British love to talk about the weather. That would also pass for a very kind greeting.
Hello, isn "t it a lovely day? Hello, great day, isn't it?
Hello, what about this terrible weather? Hello, how do you like today's awful weather?
Hello, did you hear the storm last night? Hello, did you hear a thunderstorm last night?
For those who like to chat
If you are already at least nodding familiar with the person, then you can keep the conversation going by slightly enriching the greeting with a question:
Hello, how "s the family? Hello, how is your family doing?
Hello, how "s your wife doing? Hello, how are you?
Hello, how are the kids? Hello, how are the kids?
What "s new?- What's new? (although this phrase, according to by and large, often pronounced more out of politeness than out of a desire to find out what is really new with you)
FAREWELL IN ENGLISH
You can, of course, leave in English. And you can leave as a human being. Moreover, as Stirlitz said, only the last words will be remembered.
By the way, the expression "leave in English" is as far-fetched as "roller coaster". Most probably know that all over the world this attraction is called "roller coasters", and only we persistently repeat: "No, American".
Initially, one could leave without goodbye only in French. And this concerned the French prisoners of war, who, at their own discretion, simply took and left the location of the unit. The British, being great lovers of jokes, laughed at such impudence and said: "They left in French." This happened back in the 18th century during the Seven Years War. The French turned out to be touchy and did not find anything better than substituting another word for the teaser: “filer à l’anglaise” - that is, to leave in English. It's funny, but it was the last word that the cow ate that took root in the Russian language.
But in reality, the British, of course, say goodbye. And very sophisticated.
Standard
Good-bye- goodbye (where can we go without this expression)
Bye-bye- bye-bye (which is quite logical)
Bye for now- well, bye
Ennobled version of goodbye
In order not to be completely banal, you can safely use the times of the day (see the nuances by the hour in the greetings). By the way, this is a real find for Russian speakers as well. It is very unusual and pleasant to hear such parting words from employees of different companies with whom you communicate by phone. In particular, this is the second time I have called the company of a well-known Internet provider and in parting the operators kindly say “have a good evening” or “ have a good day"Instead of" goodbye "- completely different sensations from the conversation:
Have a nice day / evening! - Have a nice day / evening
Haveagoodnight! /Goodnight- Good night (and by replacing the word "good" with other versions, you can make a goodbye for adults)
If you want to meet again
Then we use seeyou(see you / see you) naked or in variations:
Seeyousoon... See you soon / see you again
Seeyoulater. See you soon / see you later
Seeyouthen... Come on, see you
See you in a bit. See you soon
Seeyouaround. See you soon
See you again... See you
See you tomorrow... Till tomorrow
Seeyoutonight... Until the evening
Seeya... See you (informal option)
Solong. See you
Later... See you later
Catchyoulater. We'll meet a little later / See you
I hope to see you soon... I hope we will meet soon
Ihopewe ’llmeetagain... Hope to see you again
Till you meet again... Until next time
Drop in again some time... See you sometime
Hold the fort down, will ya? Hold your tail with a pistol! (literally - hold the fortress)
Wishes for the track
For the anxious / attentive / polite.
Takecare!- Take care
Goodluck!- Good luck
Allthebest! - All the best
Haveagoodtrip- Have a good trip
Write to us- Write to us
Call me- Call me
I'm sorry to see you go - Wish you were leaving
I’ve enjoyed seeing you - I was glad to see you
Come back soon - Come back soon
Remember me to your wife / brother ... Hello to wife / brother ...
My regards to the family- hello family
Semi-formal / semi-formal
Here we add everything that does not fit into any framework.
Farewell- goodbye
Adieu- bye (adyu) - slang word
Ciao - ciao (like ours - borrowed from the Italians)
Cheerio- Cheers / all the best (purely British feature)
I must go / I must be going- I have to go
Cheers,mate- bye, friend (British favorite)
Toodles- while
Ta-ta- for now (as a rule, it is accepted by girlfriends)
I'd better be going- perhaps I have to go
Let ’ssleeponit- the morning of the evening is wiser (and if the exact translation, then "you need to sleep with this" - that is, think it over)
See ya later! Alligator / In a while crocodile - there is no Russian analogue for these rhymes. We can assume that this is something like "bye, old man"
Nightie-night - Spocky Pocky
Good Night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite -
Good night, sleep tight and let the bugs not devour you.
See Ya !! wouldn’t wanna be ya! -
I would hate to see you again (kind of joking)
The end result should be a fairly comprehensive list. But if there is anything else in the example - let's not get greedy and share.
specially for
In our culture, how we greet a person depends on who they are. We don’t say “Hello!” To our boss, but “Hello!” To a close friend. Likewise in English speaking countries... Common word hello Is not the only way to say hello. Let's get to know the rest as soon as possible.
Formal greetings in English
Let's start with the most popular formal English greetings. These are the words and phrases with which you can greet colleagues at work, business partners, officials, etc.
1. Hello! - Hello!
A universal option. Suitable for greeting strangers in an informal setting.
- Hello, Mr. Simpson! It's good to see you. - Hello Mr. Simpson! Glad to see you.
- Oh, hello Mr. Robertson! It's nice to see you too. - Hello, Mr. Robertson! Me too.
Word hello can also be used to grab the attention of someone who said the wrong thing or made a mistake. For this, it stands out in intonation.
Oliver asked the girl if she "d just come and she responded," Hello, I "ve been here for an hour". - Oliver asked the girl if she had just come, and she replied: "Actually, I've been here for an hour."
2. Good morning / afternoon / evening. - Good morning / afternoon / evening.
Obviously, all of these phrases are used depending on the time of day.
Good morning everyone, and welcome to Boston! - Good morning everyone, and welcome to Boston!
3. It's nice to meet you. / Pleased to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
This option is the best way to greet a person at the first meeting.
- It's nice to meet you, Mr. Green. I’ve heard a lot about you. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Green. I've heard a lot about you.
- It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Olsen. “Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Olsen.
At the first meeting in high society, the well-known formal British version is used “ How do you do? " (Hello). Otherwise, this expression will be inappropriate, as it is considered obsolete.
- Mr. Miller, may I introduce you to my friend Albert Bailey? "Mr. Miller, may I introduce you to my friend Albert Bailey?"
- How do you do, Mr. Bailey? - Hello Mr. Bailey.
- How do you do. - Hello.
4. It's nice (lovely, great) to see you again. - Nice to see you again.
I am glad to see you. - Glad to see you.
These phrases are usually greeted by people with whom you were introduced to each other.
- This is my friend Scarlett. You’ve met her here a previous time. - This is my friend Scarlett. You met her here last time.
- It's good to see you again, Scarlett. - Nice to see you again, Scarlett.
5. How are you doing today? - How are you?
This question can accompany a greeting in a formal setting.
- Mrs. Robinson, let me introduce you my business partner Mr. Brown. “Mrs. Robinson, let me introduce you to my business partner, Mr. Brown.
- It's nice to meet you, Mr. Brown. How are you doing today? “Nice to meet you, Mr. Brown. How are you doing?
6. How have you been? - How are you?
This question is asked in order to find out what has happened with a person with whom you have not seen for a long time. When answering, you need to tell a little about your life recently.
- How have you been? - How are you?
- Pretty good. Work "s been busy. I" ve been working non-stop lately. - Pretty good. A lot of work. I've been working nonstop lately.
Informal greetings in English
Now let's look at the options that you can use to greet friends, good acquaintances, relatives, etc.
1. Hello there! - Hey!
A popular option for greeting people you know in an informal setting.
- Hello there! What a nice day today. - Hey! What a good day today.
- Oh hey! It seems like the spring has finally come. - Hey! It seems that spring has finally come.
2. How "ve you been? - How are you?
An abbreviated version of the formal expression “ How have you been? " used to find out how a person you haven't seen for a long time is doing.
- Hey, bro! - Hello my friend!
- Oh hey! How’ve you been? - Oh, hi! How are you?
3. Hi! / Hey! - Hey!
A universal greeting, appeared around the 15th century.
- Hi, Lewis. How are you? - Hi Lewis. How are you?
- Oh hi, Ben. - Oh hello Ben.
4. How are you? / Are you all right? / Are you okay? - How are you?
In no case should you give a detailed answer to these questions, and even more so you shouldn't start talking about your problems. Better answer like this: Very well, thank you. And you? (Very good, thanks. And you?) Or I'm fine, thank you. What about you? (I'm fine, thanks. How are you?).
- Hey, Jason! How are you? - Hi Jason! How are you?
- Hey, Addie! Very well, and you? - Hi Eddie! Very good, and you?
5. What's up? / What's cracking? - How are you?
This is a very informal greeting. You can only greet your peers and those who are younger than you. 99% of the English-speaking population responds with a word nothing(nothing). However, if a person has thrown the phrase “ What's up”Just passing by, you do not need to answer.
- What's up, Craig? - How are you, Craig?
- Nothing. - Never mind.
6. How’s it going? / How are you getting on? - How are you?
Suitable for greeting in almost any informal situation. You can answer as follows: Good(Okay) or I'm doing well(I'm alright).
- Hi, George. How’s it going? - Hi, George. How are you?
- Hi, Michael. Good. - Hi Michael. Good.
7. How's everything? / How are things? / How's life? - What's up?
This is how you can greet those you already know. The answers could be “ Good”(Good) or“ Not bad" (Not bad). If the situation permits, you can strike up a small talk and exchange the latest news.
- How's life, Jane? - How are you, Jane?
- Not bad, Chris, and you? - Not bad, Chris, and you?
- Well, I went to Fiji a week ago. - I flew to Fiji a week ago.
- Oh really? Cool! - Truth? Great!
8. What's new? / What's good? / What's happening? / What’s going on? - What's new?
In terms of value, this option is very close to the previous one. When answering, you can briefly talk about something new and interesting from your life, or you can limit yourself to words nothing(nothing) or not much(nothing special).
- Hey, Anna! What's up? - Hello Anna! What's new?
- Not much ... What about you? - Nothing special ... What about you?
- Oh, I'm just back from London. - Oh, I just got back from London.
9. It’s been ages (since I’ve seen you). / It’s been a while. - Long time no see.
Good to see you. / Long time no see. - Glad to see you.
You can use these expressions to greet co-workers, friends, or family members you haven't seen in a long time.
- Good to see you, Steve! It’s been a while. - Nice to see you, Steve! Long time no see.
- Same here, Alex. How’ve you been? - Me too, Alex! How are you?
10. Hey! There she is! - Finally! There you are!
This is how you can greet a person if you have been waiting for him and are very happy to see him. When pronouncing a phrase, the word should be highlighted in intonation there.
- Hey! There she is! My lovely niece. Haven’t seen you in weeks. - And here you are! My favorite niece. Haven't seen you for weeks.
- Hey, aunt Alice! - Hi Aunt Alice!
11. Hiya! - Hey!
This greeting was formed by merging two words. hi and you in the north of England. Used to greet only people you know well. American version of the phrase - heya.
- Hiya, Pete, how "re you doing? - Hi Pete, how are you?
- Hi, Jessie! I'm great! - Hi Jesse! I'm fine!
12. Alright? - How are you? / Hey.
So in Britain, those who see each other regularly, under the same circumstances, greet each other. For example, at school or at work. More often than not, the answer is not expected.
Mark (has just come to work and sees Karen), "Alrigh '?" - Mark (just came to work and sees Karen): "Hi."
Karen, "Alrigh". - Karen: "Hi."
13. How Do? - How are you?
This greeting is also popular in England, in the north of the country. It can be used in a store, bar or any other place where you come for a specific purpose.
Sam (entering the shop), “How do?” - Sam (walks into the store): "How are you?"
A shop-assistant, “Aye not so bad. What can I get for you? " - Seller: “Not bad. How can I help?"
14. Yo! - Hey!
This is a very familiar greeting. Has entered common vocabulary from hip-hop culture. Now it is used only between close friends, most often in a comic form.
- Yo, Josh! How are things? - Hi Josh! How are you?
- Yo, dude! - Hi dude!
And here are a few phrases that will come to your aid if suddenly you unexpectedly met someone from your acquaintances, and there is absolutely no way to stop to chat.
Oh, hi there! Sorry, I "m a bit pushed for time. - Oh, hello! Sorry, I'm a little late.
Hello there! Look, I "m on my way to work. Maybe catch up with you again soon. - Hi! Listen, I'm running to work. Maybe we'll meet again soon.
Hey! I would love to stop and chat, but I really have to dash. - Hey! I'd love to stop and chat, but I really have to run.
English greetings during the holidays
During the holidays in the English-speaking world, the usual greetings are replaced by congratulatory ones. Here is some of them:
Merry Christmas! - Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year! - Happy New Year!
Happy Thanksgiving! - Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Easter! - Christ is risen! / Happy Easter!
You can reply to each such congratulation with the phrase “ Thank you! You too" (Thanks. You too).
Now you have met the most popular greetings in the English language. Next, we suggest watching a video from a resident of Great Britain, Anna. In it, Anna, a professional actress, will demonstrate the correct pronunciation of the greeting phrases.
This concludes our acquaintance with the most popular English greetings ends. We hope that the appropriate use of each of the options presented in the article will make your English speech more natural and relaxed.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
In learning any language, the most important thing is to master the spoken language. This is necessary in order to be able to start any conversation in a foreign language, as well as not to get confused in various conversational situations. And here English polite phrases and words will help us. After all, our treatment of the interlocutor should be kind in order to make a favorable impression on him. Expressing courtesy and respect in English
Expressing courtesy, courtesy and respect in English is very important. Certain phrases will help us start a conversation, say hello, express refusal or consent, regret or joy, ask for help, apologize, say goodbye, wish good luck in English.
Polite greetings and goodbyes
Expressions of courtesy in English, like in any other language, are usually used when meeting and saying goodbye, when starting telephone conversation and at its end. It is necessary to be careful and distinguish between communication with a peer and a person older than you, with a friend and with a stranger, since you cannot say to an elderly person “ Hey! Hi, Hello!", but " Hello! How do you do, Good day!". Also, when we say goodbye to an elderly person, we do not say “ Bye, bye. Bye", but " Goodbye. Good bye».
So, here are the basic expressions for polite greetings and goodbyes in English. These expressions will help you say hello, start a conversation, and at the end of it, say goodbye to your interlocutor:
- Good morning! - Good morning!
- Good day / evening! - Good afternoon / evening!
- Nice to meet you! - Glad to meet you
- Hello! Hi! - Hey!
- How are you today? - How are you today? How are you doing?
- Glad to see you! - Glad to see you (you)!
- Welcome! - Welcome!
- Good bye! - Bye!
- Good night! - Goodnight!
- Have a nice day! - I wish you have a good day!
- See you! - See you!
- See you soon! - See you soon!
- See you later! - See you later!
- Bye-bye! - Bye!
Expressions that will help when acquaintance
These English courtesy phrases are meant to help you introduce yourself, give your name, introduce your friend, colleague, etc.
- What is your name? - What is your name? My name is ... - My name is ...
- Nice to meet you! - Glad to see you!
- Nice to meet you, too. - I'm glad to see you too
- Let me introduce my friend, my colleague ... - Let me introduce my friend, colleague ...
- This is my friend ... - This is my friend ...
How to politely thank and respond to gratitude?
Gratitude is also an expression of respect in any language of the world. As you can see, these expressions of courtesy express gratitude, as well as what to answer if you are thanked:
- Thank you! - Thanks. Thank you
- Thank you very much! - Many thanks
- Thank you ever so much! - Thank you very much
- Thanks a lot! - Many thanks
- Be welcome. - Please. Please contact again
- You are welcome. - Please
- It's my pleasure. - With pleasure
- Not at all. - It's my pleasure.
Here you should pay attention to the word " Please". This word in English is not an answer to gratitude, although it is translated as "Please". It is used when you want to make a request.
For example:
- Please, help me! - Please help me!
- Please, give me your pencil. - Please give me your pencil.
How to ask for forgiveness in English?
These expressions of courtesy can help you apologize and apologize or express regret in a given situation:
- Pardon! - I'm sorry, I'm sorry
- Sorry! - Sorry
- I am sorry! - I'm sorry.
But the expression “ Sorry!" and " Excuse me!". The phrase "Excuse me!" used when you want to ask about something, clarify something, etc.
For example:
- Sorry, I can't come to you. - Excuse me, I can come to you.
- Excuse me, where is the post office. - Excuse me, where is the post office?
English speech constructs for courtesy If you need to ask or ask for help
- Can I ask you? - May I ask you?
- Could you help me? - Could you please help me?
- May I ask you for a help? - May I ask you for help?
- Can I help you? - Can I help you?
- Could you do me a favor? - Would you do me a favor?
- Please! - Please!
- What can I do for you? - What can I do for you?
What's happened?!
Courtesies to help us ask a question about what happened. They reflect our emotions of surprise, bewilderment, surprise about the situation that has happened:
- What’s the matter? - What's happened?
- What’s up / going on? - What's the matter / What's going on?
- What’s the trouble / happening? - What's the problem / What's going on?
Polite phrases of comfort and encouragement
Such phrases and speech constructions are useful for expressing politeness, if you want to cheer someone up, reassure, calm down, etc.
- Don’t take it to heart. - Take it easy
- Take it easy - Don't worry, take it easy
- Never mind - Do not worry
- Forget it - Forget it, don't pay attention.
Good wishes phrases
Such expressions of courtesy serve to wish you a good day, a pleasant stay, a good weekend, etc. And you can also compliment your interlocutor for one reason or another:
- Have a nice day! - Have a nice day!
- Have a good vacation! - Have a good vacation (holidays) to you!
- Have a nice holiday! - Happy holiday!
- Good luck! - Good luck!
- I wish you a good week! - I wish you a good week!
- You are very beautiful today! - You are very beautiful today!
- You look great! - You look wonderful!
- This dress fits you very well! - This dress suits you very much!
There are still a lot of similar polite phrases in the English language. We have covered the most basic and most versatile designs that are used everywhere. It is very important to pronounce these phrases kindly, with a smile, and an affable voice. And then the interlocutor will definitely respond to your request or question. We wish you good luck!