Are you looking for different ways to greet people aside from the typical “hi” and “hello”? Each country or culture has its own way of greeting others, and these greetings are a part of every conversation. Think of how you usually greet people in your native country. Just as there are different ways to greet others in your native language, there are different conventions to follow in English.
Why it’s important to learn about proper greetings
Salutations like “hello” (heh-loh) and “hi” (hai) are the first greeting that most people learn to say when studying English. These greetings are said strongly and clearly, and are the first sign of being welcoming and seeking to gain someone’s attention.
Greetings are a natural conversation starter and also demonstrate to others that you are being polite. “Hello” and “hi” are simple greetings you can utilise, but did you know there are so many other interesting ways you can greet someone that you can add to your vocabulary bank? Here we provide a list of greetings you can use with confidence - whether it’s to greet a client (formal), a work friend (informal) or a close friend (slang or informal language)..
Formal greetings
Formal types of greeting are used when greeting people in a professional setting. These are best for when communicating with your boss, clients, and business partners as this sets a professional tone to the conversation.
| How do you do? | This is usually used in formal situations. |
| It’s a pleasure to meet you. / It’s nice to meet you | This is used when you are meeting someone for the first time. |
| Hello everyone | This is used as a greeting when no response is needed, such as starting a meeting or sending out an email. |
| Hello, how are you doing? | This can be used as a greeting when you know someone in either a formal or regular situation, such as work. . |
Aside from the above, greetings can also vary depending on the time of the day. Salutations such as “good morning” and “good afternoon” can also be used to greet someone in a formal way. “Good evening” is another way of saying goodbye and generally not used as a greeting.
Informal or Casual greetings
Informal/casual greetings are used among friends, family members, or with someone of your age. It can also be used when greeting a colleague you know well or someone that you might meet on the street.
| Hello! / Hi! | This is the most common informal English greeting used worldwide with “hi” being more informal. |
| It’s good to see you | This is used when you haven’t seen someone in a while. |
| How’s it going? / How are you? | This sounds more like “how ya going?” and “how are ya?” These are commonly used when catching up with someone. It can also be used to greet a co-worker or when checking up on someone halfway through the day. |
Slang greetings
Slang greetings are even more casual than informal ones. They are usually used by a specific group of people, social circles and such.
Since Aussies have a laid back attitude, this is usually reflected in the language they speak. There are a lot of shortenings, odd phrases, and completely different words which might come as a surprise to you. Here are some.
| G’day / G’day mate | A well-known and a common way to say ‘hello’ for Aussies |
| Howdy | This is a shortened version of “how are you doing?” which can also be used in greeting someone |
| You right? | This is a casual way of saying “Can I help you?” or asking if someone is okay |
Improve your English
Have you been living in Australia and find the local Aussie language a bit confusing? Do you find that sometimes you can’t understand what your Aussie friends are saying? Or, maybe you’re needing some help with developing your formal vocabulary so that you can sound more professional in the workplace? If you need to kickstart your learning, then hiring an experienced English tutor is a good first step!
Here at ESL Tutoring Services we specialise in teaching Business, Academic and General English, and IELTS/PTE preparation. We are passionate about helping our clients to improve their English. We see first-hand the improvements that are made and the huge difference it makes in our client’s lives – from obtaining the desired visa to obtaining the ideal job. Not to mention the great boost in confidence!
Learn more about what we can offer by clicking here or give us a hello and email us at info@esltutoringservices.com. You may also call 1300 137 18
