Formal and Informal Greetings in English: Every nation or culture has its unique greetings, which are a part of every discussion. Consider how you greet newcomers in your home country. There are many traditions to follow in English, just as there are different ways to say “hello” in your original language. It’s crucial to understand the most popular greetings and responses in English and use them correctly and confidently.
You’re probably already familiar with a few different ways to say “hello” in English, but you are yet to know and be surprised about how many types of greetings exist in a single language – far too numerous to mention here.
A well-chosen “hello” sets the tone for every discussion, whether you’re speaking with a close friend or a complete stranger, and hence here in this article, you will get to see such examples of greetings along with their meanings that will help you to choose the appropriate greeting for a formal or casual setting.
- What are Greetings?
- What are Formal Greetings?
- Examples of Formal Greetings
- What are Informal Greetings?
- Examples of Informal Greetings
- The Takeaway from the Article
What are Greetings?
Greeting is a kind of communication in which people make their presence known to one another to demonstrate interest and imply a type of connection or social status between individuals or groups of people who come into touch with one another.
Simply said, a greeting is a means of expressing hello to someone. This may be practised in various ways in the English language. Some greetings may be used in official contexts, as well as greetings that can be used in a more casual, friendly environment. It is crucial to be able to pick a suitable welcome for any circ*mstance.
What are Formal Greetings?
In more formal contexts, especially when respect and civility are required, some greetings are suitable. Business meetings, formal school, job presentations, and meeting a friend’s parents are examples of these situations.
When doing business at restaurants and stores, you may receive similar welcomes. If you’re ever in question about whether to give a formal or casual greeting, it’s usually best to go with the formal to avoid offending someone.
Examples of Formal Greetings
Formal settings and official situations demand greetings in a formal manner unless the other person greets in a casual way. Some of the most famous greetings for formal occasions are listed below.
- Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, or Good day – These formal greetings are commonly used in a formal atmosphere and are used as a replacement for the word “hello.” Before 12 p.m., you should say ‘good morning,’ after 12 p.m., you should say ‘good afternoon,’ and after 6 p.m., you should say ‘good evening.’ The phrase “good day” can be used at any time throughout the morning or afternoon.
- How are you doing? – Although this is an ancient greeting, it is still commonly used in formal circ*mstances. When you ask this question, you’re likely to get a response like “quite good, thank you.”
- How have you been? Or How have you been doing lately? – Only those who have met before can ask this greeting question to each other. When someone asks, “How have you been?” they want to know if you’ve been doing fine since the last time you saw or met each other.
- It’s nice meeting you or Pleased to meet you – When meeting someone for the first time, this is a common greeting. It is most commonly used in formal settings, although it may also be used in a less formal setting for a first encounter. Remember to use these pleasantries only when meeting someone for the first time. “It’s wonderful to see you again,” you might remark the next time you see the individual to convey that you remember him or her.
- How are you doing? – This is a polite method of inquiring how someone is doing, and it’s frequently used with words like ‘hello’ or ‘good morning or afternoon or evening,’ etc.
What are Informal Greetings?
When it comes to informal greetings, you can use them while conversing with a neighbour or chit-chatting with co-workers during a coffee break. These greetings can be used in various informal contexts, such as when meeting friends and family or someone you encounter on the street.
Although some of these statements appear to be queries or questions, the greeting is not necessarily expected to be responded by the greeted. In reality, as perplexing as it may seem, a question is occasionally answered with a question. These greetings can also be used in combination, as seen in the examples below.
![Formal and Informal Greetings in English (1) Formal and Informal Greetings in English (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Examples of Informal Greetings
Below are some informal greetings that you may use with English-speaking friends, relatives, or anybody else with whom you’re familiar.
- Hi! – This is another term for ‘hello’ and is arguably the most widely used greeting in English. In everyday life, you’ll hear this greeting rather frequently.
- Hiya – This is a variation of the above-mentioned ‘hi,’ and is often used in the United Kingdom.
- Hey (there!) – A different take on the word “hello.” This is a cheerful and optimistic welcome.
- Morning! – This is a more informal or casual way of greeting “Good morning” to someone you see frequently or on a regular basis.
- How are things (with you)? Or How’s everything? Or How is life? – Instead of the more formal query, “How are you?”, often this less strict expression is used.
- How’s your day? or How’s your day going? – These phrases simply mean “how are you?” not only now but throughout the day. These greetings are used later in the day and with someone you meet frequently.
- What’s new? Or How’s it going? Or What’s going on? – This is an informal manner of asking someone how they are, and it is frequently substituted for “hello.”
- How are you? – This is another method of inquiring how someone is doing, and it is often used in English.
- What’s up? Or ‘Sup? – It is a slang phrase that means ‘what’s up?’ and is more prevalent in the United States. Many individuals use the phrase “what’s up,” however it is frequently reduced as “sup.
- It’s great to see you again, or Long time, no see, or It’s been a while – When you run into someone you haven’t seen in a long time and meet them unexpectedly, you say this greeting.
- Nice to see you or Good to see you – These informal greetings are used when you haven’t seen friends, co-workers, or family members in a long time.
- Yo – This is another informal or casual greeting that is more popular in the United States, and it simply means ‘hello, what’s up?’
- Howdy! – This is a very casual shorthand of “how do you do?” that is widespread in portions of Canada and the United States’ southern regions. Keep in mind that saying “howdy” outside of these areas will make you sound like a cowboy, which may make the other person chuckle.
- Alright! – This is a fairly frequent greeting in the United Kingdom that is used to say hello to someone.
- Are you OK? Or You alright? Or Alright, mate? – In Britain, this informal style of saying “hello” and “how are you?” is prevalent. “Yeah, fine,” or just “alright,” is an acceptable response for these greetings.
- Alright, mate? or Alright? – This is a frequent slang technique of greeting a buddy in a relaxed manner. It’s a condensed form of “Are you okay?” “Not bad, mate, you?” is an appropriate and pleasant response as well.
- G’day! – It’s a contraction of “Good day.” This informal greeting is an abbreviation for “good day” in Australia. Keep in mind that “ya” is frequently used instead of “you” in Australian greetings. “How are ya?” means “how are you?” and “how are ya going?” means “how’s it going?” “How are you doing?” or “How are you doing?”
![Formal and Informal Greetings in English (2) Formal and Informal Greetings in English (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
The Takeaway from the Article
The phrases are simple to learn; the difficult part is knowing how to utilise them correctly. When you meet someone new, get together with your friends, or go shopping, try to use a different greeting each time. The type of greeting you choose will depend on whether the circ*mstance is formal or casual. There are so many to pick from that you can actually personalise and spice up your greetings. In no time, you’ll be a pro at English greetings!
FAQs
Informal Greetings
- Hi!
- Hey, Heya or Hey there!
- Morning! A more casual way of saying “Good morning.”
- How are things?
- What's new?
- It's good to see you. As you may have assumed, this one is used when you haven't seen someone in a while.
- G'day! This is short for “Good day,” typically used in Australia.
- Howdy!
What is formal greetings in English? ›
Opening Greetings
Greeting | Usage (Oral / Written) | Language Register |
---|
Dear Sir / Madam | Written only | Very formal |
Dear Mr. X / Mrs. X / Miss X / Ms. X | Written only | Very formal |
Pleased to meet you / It's a pleasure to meet you | Oral | Formal |
How do you do? | Oral | Formal |
14 more rows
What is formal greeting and give example? ›
Examples of Greetings When Speaking to Others
Occasion | Examples of Formal Greetings |
---|
Speaking by phone or in person | Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. Good morning, Mr. Perez. Good afternoon, ma'am. Good evening, sir. Hello, Dr. Liu. Hello, ma'am. |
2 more rows29 Dec 2021
What are three informal greetings? ›
Good morning, Good afternoon, or Good evening
You can also use “afternoon” or “evening” as informal greetings, but these are less commonly used.
What are the two types of greeting? ›
Greetings are used to say hello in English. It's common to use different greetings depending on whether you greet a friend, family or a business associate. When you meet friends, use informal greetings. If it's really important, use formal greetings.
What are the types of greeting? ›
Let's go over 10 different ways that we can say hello or greet someone in English.
- Hello. ...
- Hi. ...
- Hey. ...
- Good morning. / Good afternoon. / Good evening. ...
- Note: We use "good night" to say goodbye, but we can never use "good night" to say hello. ...
- It's nice to meet you. ...
- It's a pleasure to meet you. ...
- It's good to see you again.
Is Hi a formal greeting? ›
For informal and personal messages you can use either Hi + name or Hello + name, as shown below. Hi is more personal and less formal.
Is hello informal or formal? ›
Hello is a greeting in the English language. It is common between two people in a non-formal (informal) setting, but can also be used in a formal setting.
How do you say hello in formal? ›
There are many other options, but here are six of the most common formal ways to say “hello”:
- “Hello!”
- “Good morning.”
- “Good afternoon.”
- “Good evening.”
- “It's nice to meet you.”
- “It's a pleasure to meet you.” (These last two only work when you are meeting someone for the first time.)
- 7. “ Hi!” ( ...
- 8. “ Morning!” (
What is formal and informal introduction? ›
As in any language, formal English is used in more serious situations, such as job interviews or writing emails to a professional contact. You also use it when you're speaking to someone you don't know very well. Informal English is used in more casual and relaxed situations.
"How do you do" is a formal greeting used in the same way as "It's a pleasure to meet you" or "Pleased to meet you." In a casual situation it would be better to say "It's nice to meet you" or just "Hello." I hope this helps.
How many types of greetings explain with example? ›
Examples are "Good day" in English, "Drud" in Persian, "Sat Shri Akaal" in Punjabi, "As-salamu alaykum" in Arabic, "Aloha" in Hawaiian, "Shalom" in Hebrew, "Namaste" in Hindi, "Ayubowan" in Sri Lanka "Sawatdi" in Thai and "Ciao" in Italian. The bow and handshake are also used for both greeting and leave-taking.
Which one of the following is informal greeting *? ›
The word ''hey'' in English is a very common informal greeting to use with friends and people you know very well.
What is an example of an informal greeting Mcq? ›
What is an example of an informal greeting? Hello, how are you? Hey, what's up? Good morning.
How do you greet a conversation in English? ›
Formal ways to greet someone include: Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you. Good morning/afternoon/evening.
...
Some informal greetings:
- Hi.
- Hello.
- Hey.
- Yo!
- What's up? – this is an informal way to say: how are you?
How do you start a formal greeting? ›
Here are some formal email greeting examples:
- "Dear Sir or Madam"
- "To [insert title]"
- "To Whom It May Concern"
- "Dear Mr./Ms."
- "Dear [first name]"
- "Hi, [first name]"
- "Hello or Hello, [name]"
- "Greetings"
What are simple greetings? ›
- Hello / Hi / Hey. As you almost certainly know already, “Hello” and “Hi” are the most popular greetings for informal situations. ...
- Morning / Afternoon / Evening. ...
- How are you doing? / How's it going? ...
- Nice to see you / It's great to see you / Good to see you. ...
- Long-time no see / It's been a while.
What is the most formal greeting in a letter? ›
Formal salutations
The most formal salutation is Mr., Ms. and Mrs., followed by the last name of the person you refer to. This salutation is appropriate only if you're certain of the pronouns that the person you're writing to uses.
Whats the difference between formal and informal? ›
Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like graduate school assignments. Formal language does not use colloquialisms, contractions or first-person pronouns such as “I” or “We.” Informal language is more casual and spontaneous.
Can I say good morning after 12pm? ›
These greetings are time-agnostic and can be used at any time of the day. (Yes, we generally say Bonsoir in the evening when in France.) Saying "Good morning" in the afternoon does not somehow feel right to me.
There are many other options, but here are six of the most common formal ways to say “hello”:
- “Hello!”
- “Good morning.”
- “Good afternoon.”
- “Good evening.”
- “It's nice to meet you.”
- “It's a pleasure to meet you.” (These last two only work when you are meeting someone for the first time.)
- 7. “ Hi!” ( ...
- 8. “ Morning!” (
How do you greet someone professionally? ›
How do you greet someone professionally?
- "Dear Sir/Madam"
- "To [title/designation]"
- "To whom it may concern"
- "Dear Mr/Ms"
- "Dear [first name]"
- "Hi, [first name]"
- "Hello/Hello, [name]"
- "Greetings"
Is Hi more formal than hey? ›
Hey is a term that is casual and laid back. Hi is a word used to greet people of all ages. It is considered more formal than Hey though somewhat less formal than Hello.
What are 50 ways to say hello? ›
Here are 50 ways to say hello and bid someone a good day so pick a way and start saying hello today.
- Hello.
- Hello Beautiful.
- Hey Friend.
- Hey Boo.
- Hey Sunshine.
- Hey Sweetart.
- Hey Girl Hey.
- Hey Luv.
How do you say hello smartly? ›
Hi & Hello! Learn 12 Classy Ways To Greet People. Useful ... - YouTube
Is Hola formal? ›
If you'd like to say “Hello, how are you?” in Spanish, you can use “*Hola, ¿cómo estás?” (informal/singular). If you are greeting someone in a more formal setting, you'll want to use “Hola, ¿cómo está?” (formal/singular). If you are talking to multiple people, you'd say “Hola, ¿cómo están?* ” (informal/plural).
How can I introduce myself in English informal? ›
How to introduce yourself in casual situations
- Morning! I don't think we've met before, I'm Aryan.
- Hey there! I'm Surya. I'm new—I just moved to the building a couple of days ago. ...
- Hi Amy. I heard it's your first day so I thought I could reach out and introduce myself.
How can I introduce myself in English in formal way? ›
You can use the below phrases to introduce yourself:
- I don't think we've met (before).
- I think we've already met.
- My name is ...
- I'm ...
- Nice to meet you; I'm ...
- Pleased to meet you; I'm ...
- Let me introduce myself; I'm ...
- I'd like to introduce myself; I'm ...
How can I introduce myself? ›
The secret is using a simple framework: Present, past, and future.
- Present. Start with a present-tense statement to introduce yourself: Hi, I'm Ashley and I'm a software engineer. ...
- Past. The second part of your introduction is past tense. ...
- Future. The third and last part in this framework is future-oriented.
What are examples of formal words? ›
Formal and Informal words in English
INFORMAL | FORMAL |
---|
need to | required |
plus/also | moreover/furthermore |
point out | indicate |
put in | insert |
77 more rows
Formal language is characterized by the use of standard English, more complex sentence structures, infrequent use of personal pronouns, and lack of colloquial or slang terms. Informal language allows the use of nonstandard English forms, colloquial vocabulary and typically shorter sentence structures.
What are informal words? ›
Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It is used when communicating with friends or family either in writing or in conversation. It is used when writing personal emails, text messages and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than formal language.
How do you respond to good morning in the formal greeting? ›
If you are on formal terms with the person then you wish them back with, “Good Morning to you too,” or “Morning.”
Which one of the following is informal greeting *? ›
The word ''hey'' in English is a very common informal greeting to use with friends and people you know very well.
What is an example of an informal greeting Mcq? ›
What is an example of an informal greeting? Hello, how are you? Hey, what's up? Good morning.
Is Hi formal or informal? ›
In general, keep in mind that “hi” is informal and you should use it only with people whom you already know, such as acquaintances, friends, and family. Do not say “hi” to someone you are meeting for the first time. When in doubt, say “hello.”
Is good day a formal greeting? ›
The following greetings aren't appropriate for formal letters or email messages: Good Day. Good Morning or Afternoon (you don't know when they'll receive the letter or email message) Hi.
Which of the following is a formal greeting? ›
Good morning/afternoon/evening/day – These formal greetings are used as a replacement for the word 'hello' and are often used in a formal setting depending on the time of day. Usually, before 12 pm, you say 'good morning,' after 12 pm you say 'good afternoon' and from around 6 pm you say 'good evening.
Can I say good morning after 12pm? ›
These greetings are time-agnostic and can be used at any time of the day. (Yes, we generally say Bonsoir in the evening when in France.) Saying "Good morning" in the afternoon does not somehow feel right to me.
How do you greet in English? ›
GREETINGS IN ENGLISH | Formal & informal | Learn with examples & quiz!
greet·ing. ˈgrē-tiŋ : an expression of pleasure on meeting or seeing someone. : an expression of good wishes.
How do we greet at night? ›
Use “Good Evening” to greet someone before midnight and “Good morning” after midnight. And remember, you should NOT use “Goodnight” to greet someone; instead, use it to bid them farewell.
What are 5 ways to say hello? ›
There are many other options, but here are six of the most common formal ways to say “hello”:
- “Hello!”
- “Good morning.”
- “Good afternoon.”
- “Good evening.”
- “It's nice to meet you.”
- “It's a pleasure to meet you.” (These last two only work when you are meeting someone for the first time.)
- 7. “ Hi!” ( ...
- 8. “ Morning!” (
Is hello a formal dear? ›
Dear is the formal opening. Hello is less formal, with Hi or Hey being the least formal. There is no emotional content to the formal opening 'Dear'. A formal closing would be Regards, or Sincerely (very formal).
Should I use dear or hello? ›
When in doubt, “Dear” is always safe, and it should be the default greeting for any first correspondence. For Ramsey, the most important point is to use some form of salutation. Otherwise, e-mail is too cold and impersonal.
How can I introduce myself in English chat? ›
Introduce Yourself in English in 30 Minutes - YouTube
What are some informal words? ›
Informal English: We use it with friends, children, and relatives.
...
Transitions – Informal & Formal.
Informal | Formal |
---|
Plus/Also | Moreover/ Furthermore |
But | However |
So | Therefore/Thus |
Also | In addition, Additionally |
32 more rows
What is the best way to greet someone? ›
The most respectful greetings are formal ones like "hello," or time-related greetings like "good morning" or "good evening." To make it even more respectful, add the listener's formal title afterwards, like "hello, Mr. or Mrs. ______," or even "hello, sir or ma'am."