English Greetings: 30 Essential Words and Phrases for Beginners

The first ten seconds of a conversation often decide how the next ten minutes feel. A warm “Good morning!” to a new colleague or a relaxed “Hey, how’s it going?” to a classmate shows you are friendly before you have said anything else.

English greetings can look simple, but small details matter. Some phrases suit a job interview, and others only suit close friends. A few sound like questions but are not, and one common phrase is a goodbye even though many learners use it as a hello.

This guide gives you 30 English greetings, sorted by purpose, with notes on tone, sample replies, short dialogues, and practice exercises with answers.

Formal and Informal Greetings: What’s the Difference?

Before the list, it helps to understand one idea: register, which means how formal or casual your language sounds. English speakers adjust their greetings depending on who they are talking to, where they are, and how well they know the person.

Formal greetings

Use these with people you do not know, with someone senior to you, in business emails, or in official settings such as interviews and meetings.

Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening
Pleased to meet you
It’s a pleasure to meet you
How do you do?

Informal greetings

Use these with friends, family, classmates, and people your own age in relaxed settings.

Hey
What’s up?
How’s it going?
Long time no see

The neutral middle

Many phrases work almost anywhere. “Hello,” “Hi,” “Nice to meet you,” and “How are you?” are safe choices if you are unsure. When in doubt, start with one of these and follow the other person’s lead. If they say “Hey!”, you can relax your tone too.

10 Basic English Greetings for Saying Hello

These are the basic English greetings you will hear and use every day. They are the simplest ways to say hello in English, so start here.

#	Greeting	Tone	Notes
1	Hello	Neutral	Works in almost every situation, including phone calls
2	Hi	Neutral to casual	A very common everyday greeting
3	Hey	Casual	Friendly, best with people you know
4	Good morning	Neutral to formal	Used until around noon
5	Good afternoon	Neutral to formal	From noon until early evening
6	Good evening	Neutral to formal	Used after about 5 or 6 p.m.
7	Hi there	Friendly	Warm, often used with someone you do not know yet
8	Hello, everyone	Neutral	For greeting a group or class
9	Howdy	Very casual, regional	Associated with the southern and western United States
10	Greetings	Formal, a little old-fashioned	More common in writing or humor than in speech

A few practical notes:

Good night is not on this list on purpose. English speakers say it when they are leaving or going to bed, so it works as a goodbye, not a hello.
The cut-off times for morning, afternoon, and evening are flexible. People do not check the clock, so use what feels natural.
“Morning!” on its own is a common casual shortcut, and you will hear it often at work.

10 English Greeting Phrases for Asking How Someone Is

In English, a greeting often has two parts: the hello and a quick check-in. This is where beginners get confused, because many of these phrases are questions on the surface but work more like a friendly noise. In casual conversation, people often give a brief answer to “How are you?” The best response depends on the situation and how well you know the person.

#	Phrase	Tone	Typical reply
11	How are you?	Neutral	“I’m good, thanks. How about you?”
12	How are you doing?	Neutral	“Doing well, thank you.”
13	How’s it going?	Casual	“Pretty good. You?”
14	What’s up?	Very casual	“Not much. You?”
15	How have you been?	Neutral	“I’ve been well, thanks. It’s been a while!”
16	How are things?	Neutral	“Things are good, thanks.”
17	What’s new?	Casual	“Not a lot, really. What about you?”
18	How’s your day going?	Neutral	“Pretty busy, but good.”
19	How’s everything?	Casual	“Everything’s fine, thanks.”
20	How do you do?	Very formal	“How do you do?”

How to answer “How are you?”

A good reply does three things: answers briefly, says thanks, and returns the question. For example:

“I’m doing well, thank you. And you?”

Common alternatives include “I’m good,” “Not bad,” “Can’t complain,” and “Pretty good.” With a close friend or family member, you can answer more honestly, for example, “Honestly, it’s been a tough week.” In a quick greeting with a stranger or coworker, a short answer is usually enough.

A note on “How do you do?”

“How do you do?” is a traditional, formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. It is not a real question about your health, so the polite reply is to repeat it: “How do you do?” It is not the usual choice in most modern everyday conversations, where “Nice to meet you” is far more common. For pronunciation, say it as how duh yoo DOO.

A note on “What’s up?”

“What’s up?” is a greeting, not a request for news. A reply like “Not much” or “Hey, what’s up?” is perfectly normal. Answering with a long explanation can feel a little unexpected, though a friend might happily tell you what is going on.

10 More Common English Greetings for Meeting and Reuniting

The last ten phrases cover introductions, reunions, welcomes, and written messages. These are common English greetings you will meet in real life, and they often follow a hello.

#	Phrase	When to use it
21	Nice to meet you	The standard phrase when you meet someone for the first time
22	Pleased to meet you	Slightly more formal than “Nice to meet you”
23	It’s a pleasure to meet you	Formal and warm, good for interviews or business
24	Good to see you	Meeting someone you already know
25	Nice to see you again	A second or later meeting
26	Long time no see	Casual, after a long gap
27	Welcome	Greeting someone arriving at a place or event
28	Welcome back	Someone returning, such as after a trip or absence
29	Morning!	A quick, casual version of “Good morning”
30	I hope you’re well	Common opening line in emails and messages

Introductions in practice

“Nice to meet you” is for first meetings. If you have already met, switch to “Good to see you” or “Nice to see you again.” A typical first meeting might sound like this:

Anna: Hi, I’m Anna.

Omar: Hi Anna, I’m Omar. Nice to meet you.

Anna: Nice to meet you too.

Adding “too” is a natural way to return the phrase. Saying “You too” is also common. After the greeting, the next step is usually to introduce yourself in English.

Greetings in writing

In emails, English speakers often start with “Hello,” “Hi,” or “Dear” plus a name, followed by a line like “I hope you’re well.” “Dear Mr. Smith” is formal. “Hi Sarah” is common between colleagues who know each other. “Hey” is usually kept for messages to friends. Pairing greetings with polite expressions in English, such as “please” and “thank you,” makes your writing sound even more natural.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make with English Greetings

Even simple phrases can trip people up. These are the most frequent issues.

Using “Good night” as a hello. It means goodbye, either when leaving in the evening or before sleep. Use “Good evening” to greet someone at night.

Answering “How are you?” with a long story. In a quick greeting, a brief answer is usually enough: “Fine, thanks. And you?” Save longer answers for people who are really asking.

Using very casual phrases in formal settings. “What’s up?” or “Yo” might feel too relaxed in an interview or when writing to a professor. Choose “Hello” or “Good morning” instead.

Being too formal with friends. Saying “How do you do?” to a classmate may sound stiff or even funny. “Hi, how’s it going?” is more natural.

Treating “How do you do?” like a real question. Respond with the same phrase instead of explaining how you are.

Forgetting to return the question. After someone asks how you are, adding “And you?” keeps the conversation balanced.

Which Greeting Should You Use? Real-Life Situations

Situation	Suitable greeting	Natural reply
Job interview	“Good morning. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”	“Good morning. Thank you for inviting me.”
Meeting a classmate for the first time	“Hi, I’m Lina. Nice to meet you.”	“Nice to meet you too. I’m Sam.”
Passing a coworker in the hallway	“Morning! How’s it going?”	“Good, thanks. You?”
Seeing an old friend after years	“Long time no see! How have you been?”	“I’ve been well. It’s so good to see you!”
Writing to a colleague	“Hi Sarah, I hope you’re well.”	“Hi Tom, thanks. I’m well. How about you?”
Welcoming a guest at your home	“Welcome! Come on in.”	“Thank you. It’s good to be here.”

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Three Short Dialogues to Read Aloud

Reading a dialogue out loud, once as each speaker, is one of the quickest ways to make these phrases feel natural.

Dialogue 1: A job interview (formal)

Interviewer: Good morning. Welcome.

Candidate: Good morning. Thank you for inviting me.

Interviewer: It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Candidate: It’s a pleasure to meet you too.

Dialogue 2: Two friends (informal)

Maya: Hey, Chris! Long time no see!

Chris: Maya! How have you been?

Maya: Pretty good. What’s new with you?

Chris: Not much. Just busy with work. It’s great to see you!

Dialogue 3: A new coworker (neutral)

Daniel: Hi, you must be Priya. I’m Daniel.

Priya: Hi Daniel. Nice to meet you.

Daniel: Welcome to the team. How’s your first day going?

Priya: So far, so good, thanks.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the best greeting.

1. You meet your new manager for the first time at 9 a.m.

a) What’s up? b) Good morning. It’s a pleasure to meet you. c) Yo!

2. You see a friend you haven’t met in three years.

a) Greetings. b) How do you do? c) Long time no see!

3. You arrive at a dinner party at 8 p.m.

a) Good night. b) Good morning. c) Good evening.

4. You begin an email to a colleague you know well.

a) Hi Sarah, I hope you’re well. b) Good night, Sarah. c) Howdy, Sarah.

Exercise 2: Match each greeting with a natural reply.

Greeting	Reply options
1. How are you?	A. Nice to meet you too.
2. What’s up?	B. How do you do?
3. Nice to meet you.	C. I’m good, thanks. And you?
4. How do you do?	D. Not much. You?

Exercise 3: Complete the dialogue.

A: ______ , Tom! (casual hello)

B: Hey! ______ ? (ask how things are going)

A: Pretty good. ______ ? (return the question)

Answers

Exercise 1: 1-b, 2-c, 3-c, 4-a. (“Good night” is a goodbye, so it is wrong in 3-a and 4-b.)
Exercise 2: 1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B.
Exercise 3 (several answers work): “Hi / Hey”, “How’s it going? / How are you?”, “And you? / How about you?”

How to Practice English Greetings

Reading phrases is a start, but greetings stick when you say them out loud. A few simple approaches help:

Match the situation. Pick three greetings, one for a friend, one for a coworker, and one for a stranger. Say each one aloud in a short imaginary conversation.
Practice both sides. Write out a short dialogue where you greet someone and then reply as the other person.
Notice real use. Watch for greetings in films, videos, or podcasts. Pay attention to who says what, and how the other person responds.
Record yourself. Listening back helps you hear your rhythm and stress, especially on longer phrases like “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Start small. Do not try to memorize all 30 at once. Learn five or six, use them for a few days, then add more.

Conclusion

English greetings are small, but they open every conversation. Learning the difference between formal and informal greetings gives you a reliable foundation: “Hello” and “Nice to meet you” for neutral situations, “Good morning” and “It’s a pleasure to meet you” for formal ones, and “Hey” or “What’s up?” for friends.

With these 30 phrases, plus a feel for how to reply, you can greet people confidently at school, at work, while traveling, or online. Once you are comfortable with hellos, it helps to learn the other side of the conversation, including English goodbye phrases. From there, you can move on to basic English conversation phrases for small talk. Pick a few greetings, use them aloud, and let the rest come with practice.

FAQ

What is the most common greeting in English?

“Hello” and “Hi” are both very common. “Hi” is a popular choice in everyday conversation, while “Hello” works in a wide range of situations, including phone calls and more formal settings.

What is the difference between “Hello” and “Hi”?

Both are neutral and widely understood. “Hi” is shorter and a bit more casual, while “Hello” sounds slightly more polished. In most situations, you can use either.

Is it rude to say “Hey” to someone?

Not rude, but casual. It is fine with friends, classmates, and peers. In formal situations or with someone senior, “Hello” or “Good morning” is a safer choice.

Can I say “Good night” as a greeting?

No. “Good night” is used when saying goodbye in the evening or before going to bed. To greet someone in the evening, use “Good evening.”

How should I respond to “How are you?”

It depends on the situation. In a quick, casual greeting, a short reply such as “I’m good, thanks. How about you?” is natural. With close friends, you can be more detailed and honest.

Sources

The following resources can help readers verify English word meanings, usage, and common greetings.

Cambridge Dictionary — English definitions, pronunciation, and usage examples.
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — Definitions, pronunciation, and examples for English learners.
British Council LearnEnglish — English-learning resources and practical language activities.

English Greetings: 30 Essential Words and Phrases for Beginners