Greeting people in English is more than just saying “Hello.” Native speakers use a variety of expressions depending on the situation—formal, informal, or casual. Here’s a practical guide with examples you can use every day.

Basic Greetings

• Hello!
• Hi!
• Good morning.
• Good afternoon.
• Good evening.

Informal and Everyday Greetings

• Hey!
• What’s up?
• How’s it going?
• How are you doing?
• Yo!

Formal Greetings

• How do you do?
• It’s nice to meet you.
• Pleased to meet you.
• Good to see you.
• How have you been?

Special Occasion Greetings

• Happy birthday!
• Congratulations!
• Happy holidays!
• Welcome!

Practical Tip

After greeting someone, it’s common to add a short follow-up question to keep the conversation flowing:

• How about you?
• What about you?

This makes your interaction sound more natural and polite.