A smile is a great way of starting a conversation. Yet the next part is much more challenging, and the communication that follows depends on the situation.
How to sayhello casually
Several different informal greetings can be used for casual situations in the United States which allow you to be creative and try out new phrases. Here are a few tips on how to greet someone casually in the United States.
1. ‘Good morning’
slightly on the formal side.
2. ‘Mornin’ / Morning’
a more casual version of “good morning”.
3. ‘Hey’
one of the most common greetings in the US that can also be used in the plural, as in: “Hey guys” and “Hey ya’ll” (ya’ll is used in many of the southern US states as a plural “you all” form).
4. ‘Hi/Hi there’
very common phrases used in all situations
5. ‘How’s it goin’ / going?’
a question inquiring about how the other person is doing. Listen for a positive or negative response indicating how their day has been.
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6. ‘How are you? / How are you doing? / How are ya?’ –
these phrases show that you are interested in the person. Most Americans generally always respond positively with “good”.
7. ‘Yo/What’s up?’
usually used by younger people.
8. ‘What’s going on?’
ask this question when you want to inquire about the status of a situation.
9. ‘Good afternoon / Good evening’
more formal but always well respected and implies a very polite greeting.
And these are your tips for today. Now, you just need to practice your English to write like a native speaker. See you!
Image:Odd.note
FAQs
"Hi" is the American equivalent of the British "Hello", therefore it`s formal and in America it`s used when you greet strangers and in formal situations. Now, it may be just a bit less formal than "Hello" but that depends from person to person.
How do you say hello casually? ›
Casual Ways To Say “Hello”
- Hey. Hey is a direct synonym of hello, except much more casual. ...
- What's up? What's up is the casual equivalent to how are you, in the sense that people usually aren't expecting a long response when used as a greeting. ...
- What's new? ...
- Long time no see. ...
- How's everything?
How to Say Hello in 10 Different Languages
- Hola in Spanish. One of the most common answers to how to say hello in different languages is the Spanish word “Hola” (oh-la). ...
- Konnichi Wa in Japanese. ...
- Guten Tag in German. ...
- As-salam (ala-kyum) in Arabic. ...
- Namaste in Hindi. ...
- Ciao in Italian. ...
- Bonjour in French. ...
- Salve in Latin.
"Hi" is the American equivalent of the British "Hello", therefore it`s formal and in America it`s used when you greet strangers and in formal situations. Now, it may be just a bit less formal than "Hello" but that depends from person to person.
How to say hello in a cool way? ›
A simple wave or a smile is still considered a greeting if you're more of an introvert. For extroverts, good greetings for people are "Hi, how are you?" or "Hello, what's good?" or even a simple, friendly "hi" is a great greeting. Saying "Hola" or "Bonjour" is also a good way of saying hello or greeting someone.
How do Americans say hello? ›
Most greetings involve one of these greeting words: hey, hi, morning, and so on, and often a question. The appropriate way to respond is to answer the question, and to ask the same question yourself. For example: >> Hey, how are you? >> Good, how are you?
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!” (
How To Say Hello In 50 Languages
- France: bonjour | bon-jhor.
- Spain: hola | o-la.
- Germany: guten-Tag| gotten tag.
- Italy: ciao | chow.
- Portugal: olá | oh-lah.
- India/Nepal: namaste | na-mus-thei.
- Albania: tungjatjeta | toon-hah-tyeh-tah.
- Thailand: sá-wat-dee | sà-wat-dee.
To help you along, here is how to say “hello” in 18 different languages.
- French: “Bonjour”
- Spanish: “Hola”
- German: “Hallo” or “Guten Tag”
- Italian: “Ciao”
- Portuguese: “Olá”
- Hindi: “Namaste”
- Icelandic: “Halló”
- Danish: “Hej”
- Most people shake hands firmly and briefly when they meet for the first time or in a formal situation.
- When people are good friends or family, they will sometimes hug each other to say hello, goodbye or thank you.
Bye! – By far and away the most common way to say goodbye is simply to shorten the word goodbye.
Why do Americans say hey instead of hi? ›
Originally Answered: Why do some people say hey instead of hi? “Hey” is more informal. It's thrown around casually with close friends, family, someone you know, or as a flirt.
How to tell a girl hi? ›
A simple “Hello” or “Hey” is always a great place to start.
- If you're greeting a girl who is more like one of your guy friends, bump fists with her or give her a playful nudge.
- If you two are close enough give her a hug, as physical touch can strengthen relationships.
- Oi!
- Mate!
- Hey, what's up.
- Cheers.
- You right?
- How ya goin?
- How are ya?
- Howdy.
“Hey you”
This is one of those cute ways to say hi in a text message that is seriously so simple, but it never fails. When someone who likes you gets this text, instead of just “hi,” they feel like you're thinking about them. Just the simple use of the word 'you' makes you feel more seen and attracted.
How do you say hello informally? ›
Informal Greetings
- Hi! Simple and straightforward, “hi” is often used as a quick greeting in English amongst friends, coworkers, and even family.
- Hey, Heya or Hey there! ...
- Morning! ...
- How are things? ...
- What's new? ...
- It's good to see you. ...
- G'day! ...
- Howdy!
When you catch their eye, just smile lightly and/or say "hi." Most people seem to prefer a simple smile. Sometimes a nod also helps. We don't recommend that you wave unless the person is sitting on their porch or gardening or something else far away. You'll look awkward and dorky.
Is hello a casual greeting? ›
Another universally acceptable salutation, “Hello (name)” is considered slightly more formal than “Hi” and can be used either with a first name or Mr./Ms. + last name.
How do you casually say hi to a girl? ›
A simple “Hello” or “Hey” is always a great place to start.
- If you're greeting a girl who is more like one of your guy friends, bump fists with her or give her a playful nudge.
- If you two are close enough give her a hug, as physical touch can strengthen relationships.
