Greetings are some of the first conversation words English learners practice. You’ll use them when talking to friends, your boss, servers in a restaurant, or just passing people on the street. But should you use the same greeting for all of these people? While the word Hello is good for all situations in English conversations, there are other options you can use to show a deeper understanding of the language.
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How do I say Hello in English?
The word Hello (heh-LOW) is one of the most important words when you’re learning how to speak English. It’s the most common spoken greeting in English, and it’s an acceptable way to greet new people, good friends, and authority figures. Hello comes from the word hallo, which was an older way to greet people and isn’t used anymore.
If you’re using Hello to begin a conversation, you can add a question or additional greeting afterward, such as:
- Hello. What is your name?
- Hello. My name is Isabella.
- Hello, Sarah. How are you?
- Hello. I need a map, please.
- Hello. How can I help you?
- Hello! It’s nice to see you!
English speakers also use the greeting Hello when they answer the phone. In this case, they say Hello? with the tone of a question.
- Hello?
- Hello. Can I speak with Laura?
More formal ways to say ‘Hello’ in English
The English language uses many greetings for different situations, including more formal and respectful greetings. Use these English greetings to say “Hello” in polite ways to people you don’t know or people in professional situations, such as to your boss or teacher. If an English speaker uses one of these greetings, you can say it back to them.
Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening
There are several ways to greet others based on the time of day in English.
- Good morning : Use when you’re greeting someone early in the day, usually before 12:00 p.m (noon).
- Good afternoon : This is a proper greeting when you’re seeing someone around lunch time, or between noon and sunset.
- Good evening: Use this after the sun sets, or when it’s time to eat dinner.
Here’s what these look like in conversation:
- Good morning, how are you?
- I am well. How are you?
- Good afternoon. My name is David Brown. What is your name?
- My name is Cassandra Jimenez.
- Good evening. We would like a table for four, please.
- We will have your table ready very soon.
In more informal situations, these greetings might be shortened to Morning, Afternoon, and Evening, dropping the word Good.
But what about Good night (gud NITE)? Unlike the other greetings, this phrase is a way to say “Goodbye” in English in the evening hours.
How are you?
How are you? is another respectful way to greet English speakers. It asks a person how they are feeling or how their day is going as a way of saying “Hello.” This phrase often comes after Hello or another greeting, and it invites your conversation partner to tell them how you’re feeling.
If someone asks How are you?, you can respond with these common phrases:
- How are you?
- I’m well, thanks for asking.
- How are you, Mr. Jones?
- I’m fine, how are you?
Pleased to meet you
Another formal way to greet someone you’ve never met before is Pleased to meet you (pleezd too MEET yoo). This is also a common greeting to make while you’re shaking hands with a person. You may also hear the phrase Nice to meet you (nise too MEET yoo), which means the same thing but is a little less formal.
When someone greets you with Pleased to meet you or Nice to meet you, there are a few ways to respond. You can say “Nice to meet you, too,” or simply “You, too.”
Welcome
Welcome (WELL-cuhm) is an English greeting for times when a person is arriving somewhere. You may hear Welcome when you enter someone’s home or place of business, or similar phrases:
- Welcome! It’s good to see you!
- Thank you. It’s good to see you too.
- Welcome to our house!
- Thank you for inviting me to your lovely home.
- Welcome aboard!
- Thanks! I’m happy to be here.
The phrase Welcome aboard is an English idiom that references greeting someone when they step onto a ship, but you can use it when a person joins a team or group.
Informal ways to say ‘Hello’ in English
Saying “hello” in different languages often depends on how formal or informal the situation is. In English, there’s a little less formality. These phrases are good ways to say “Hello” to friends and family, or when you’re using informal communication methods (such as texting). Learn how to say “Hello” in English with greetings that are casual but still polite.
| Informal Greeting | Pronunciation | Example |
| Hi | hai | Hi. What is your name? |
| Hey | hay | Hey! How are you? |
| Hey there | HAY thehr | Hey there! I missed you! |
| What’s up | wahts UHP | What’s up, Teri? |
| Long time, no see | lahng tihm noh SEE | Hey man! Long time, no see! |
English slang for Hello
So how do you say “Hello” in English when you’re in very casual or friendly situations? English has several slang phrases and greetings for times when you’re talking to friends who use American slang. Use them when you’re sure that your conversation partners also speak in slang, but not with your boss or older people.
| Informal Greeting | Pronunciation | Example |
| Howdy | HAU-dee | Howdy! |
| Sup | suhp | Sup bro? |
| What’s good | wahts GUD | What’s good, fam? |
| Yo | yoh | Yo! How are you? |
Howdy is an old-fashioned cowboy greeting, but you will still hear it in Western and Southern states, especially in Texas, people may use Howdy as a friendly greeting that means the same thing as Hi. Only respond with Howdy if someone says it to you first.
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