Greetings for formal emails | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

FAQs

Greetings for formal emails | Britannica Dictionary? ›

Hi and Hello should not be used in formal email messages. In formal emails, it is best to begin with Dear + title (e.g., Mr., Ms., Professor, Dr.) + last name + comma, as in the examples below: Dear Ms.

Beginning emails with “Dear [Name],” is best for formal emails and emails for contacting someone in a position of respect or authority. Using “Dear” as a direct address is common when sending cover letters and resumes to hiring managers and recruiters.

How do you start a professional email greeting? You should start a professional email with a greeting and the name and title of the recipient (e.g., “Dear Mr. Walken”). Then, you should include an introductory line like I hope this email finds you well, followed by the body of the email.

"Hello, my name is [name] and I am writing to you about [matter]." "I would like to introduce myself." "I got your email from [name]." "My name is [name] and I am reaching out about [matter]."

Use a Formal Salutation

While those informal greetings are fine for casual emails to friends or even for more formal emails you might send to groups of people, in a professional letter you'll need to use a personal salutation with either a first and/or last name ("Dear Mr. Doe") or a job title ("Dear Hiring Manager").

What are the 3 greetings? ›

1. Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening. These are formal ways of saying “hello”, which change depending on the time of day. Keep in mind that “good night” is only used to say “goodbye,” so if you meet someone late in the day, remember to greet them with “good evening,” rather than “good night.”

It's a pleasure to meet you. Hello. It's (very) nice to meet you (too). Pleased / Glad / Good to meet you.

Sample 1: Informal Email Writing Format

I was glad to see your name on the merit list. All your hard work was definitely not in vain. I bet everyone at home is so proud of you. You have truly made the family proud, and I am happy that you would get to take up the course in architecture that you were dreaming of.

We mainly use 'hello' when we want to greet someone in a formal context. 'Hi', on the other hand, is mainly used to greet our friends, families, and close relatives.

The most formal salutation is Dear, [title], then the last name. If you're unsure of the person's pronouns, it's a good idea to use Dear [First and last name] or Dear [First name].

And please note that “Hi there!” is strictly for informal emails.

Greet the attendees and open the meeting

In English, use the more formal “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” rather than “hello” and remember to thank all the attendees for coming. Then, if you're leading the meeting, you'll need to announce that the meeting is starting.