Spoken English Greeting (Hello)

Greeting

---

There are different ways to greet people:

Greeting means welcoming someone with particular words or a particular action.
When meeting people formally for the first time, we greet by shaking hands and saying "How do you do?" or "Pleased to meet you."
"How do you do?" isn't really a question, it just means "Hello".
When young people meet informally they sometimes greet and say "Give me five!" and slap their hands together (high five).
Generally we do not greet by shaking hands with people we know well. We greet by just saying 'hi' or 'hello'
Here are some expressions you can use to greet people.

Greeting

• Hi, hello.
• Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
• How are you?
• How are you doing?
• How do you do?

Responding to greeting

• Hi, hello.
• Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening.
• I'm fine thank you (thanks)/Okey! Thank you (thanks)/Can't complain/Not bad.
• How about you?/And you?
• How do you do?

Things to remember about greeting:

When you greet someone and say:

"How do you do?"

this isn't really a question, it just means "Hello"

Saying Goodbye

---

Parting phrases

There are different expressions or phrases to say goodbye. These parting phrases depend on situations and the people involved, their social status and personal relationship.

Leaving and saying goodbye

• All right, everyone, it's time to head off.
• Anyway, guys I'm going to make a move.
• Ok, everyone, it's time to leave you.
• See you later / tomorrow / soon.
• Talk to you later!

If you want to say goodbye in a hurry

• I'm so sorry, I've got to rush off / run / hurry!
• I'm afraid I'm going to have to rush off / run / hurry!

Saying goodbye politely after meeting someone

• Nice to see you.
• It's been lovely to see you.
• It was great to see you.
• Good to see you.
• Have a lovely / nice evening.
• Have a good day.

Saying goodbye to your hosts

• Thanks very much for dinner/ lunch - it was lovely!
• Thank you very much for having me.

Other ways to say goodbye

• Take care
• Bye!
• Bye Bye!
• Later man / bro!
• Have a good one!
• It's time to be going!
• So Long!

Slang Goodbyes

• Catch you later
• Peace! / Peace out
• I'm out!
• Smell you later

Final goodbye

• Farewell (when you intend never to see your interlocutor again)