- greetings
- nregards, kind/warm regards, respects, compliments, best wishes, good wishes, congratulations, respects, love, salutations, remembrances, salaams, salve
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This entry deals with ways of greeting someone when you meet them, and with ways of saying goodbye. For information on what to say when meeting someone for the first time, see entry at ↑ Introducing yourself and other people. For information on beginning and ending a telephone conversation, see entry at ↑ Telephoning.\◊ greetingsThe usual way of greeting someone is to say `Hello'. You can add `How are you?' or another comment or question.Hello there, Richard, how are you today?
\Hello, Luce. Had a good day?
Note that the greeting `How do you do?' is used only by people who are meeting each other for the first time. See entry at ↑ Introducing yourself and other people.\◊ informal greetingsA more informal way of greeting someone is to say `Hi' or `Hiya'.\`Hi,' said Brody. `Come in.'
`Hi' and `Hiya' are more common in American English than in British English.\You can use other informal expressions to greet friends when you meet them unexpectedly after not seeing them for a long time.Well, look who's here!
\Well, well, it is nice to see you again.
If you meet someone in a place where you did not expect to see them, you can say `Fancy seeing you here.'\◊ formal greetingsWhen you greet someone formally, the greeting you use depends on what time of day it is. You say `Good morning' until about one o'clock. `Good afternoon' is normal from about one o'clock until about six o'clock. After six o'clock you say `Good evening'.Good morning. I can give you three minutes. I have to go out.
\Good evening. I'd like a table for four, please.
These greetings are often used by people who are making formal telephone calls, or introducing a television programme or other event.`Good afternoon. William Foux and Company.' —-`Good afternoon. Could I speak to Mr Duff, please?'
\Good evening. I am Brian Smith and this is the second of a series of programmes about the University of Sussex.
You can make these expressions less formal by omitting `Good'.Morning, Alan.
\Afternoon, Jimmy.
◊ WARNINGYou only say `Goodnight' when you are leaving someone in the evening or going to bed. You do not use `Goodnight' to greet someone.\`Good day' is old-fashioned and rather formal in British English, although it is more common in American English and Australian English.\`Welcome' can be used on its own or in the ways shown below to greet someone who has just arrived. It is quite formal.Welcome to Peking.
Welcome home, Marsha.
\Welcome back.
◊ replying to a greetingThe usual way of replying to a greeting is to use the same word or expression.`Hello, Sydney.' —-`Hello, Yakov! It's good to see you.'
\`Good afternoon, Superintendent. Please sit down.' —-`Good afternoon, sir.'
If the other person has also asked you a question, you can just answer the question.`Hello, Barbara, did you have a good shopping trip?' —-`Yes, thanks.'
`Hello. May I help you?' —-`Yes, I'd like a table, please.'
\`Good morning. And how are you this fine day?' —-`Very well, thank you.'
Note that if someone says `How are you?' to you, you say something brief like `Fine, thanks', unless they are a close friend and you know they will be interested in details of your life and health. It is polite to add `How are you?' or `And you?'\◊ greetings on special daysThere are particular expressions which you use to give someone your good wishes on special occasions such as Christmas, Easter, or their birthday.\At Christmas, you say `Happy Christmas' or `Merry Christmas'. At New Year, you say `Happy New Year'. At Easter, you say `Happy Easter'. You reply by repeating the greeting, or saying something like `And a happy Christmas to you too' or `And you!'\If it is someone's birthday, you can say `Happy Birthday' to them, or `Many happy returns'. When someone says this to you, you reply by saying `Thank you'.\◊ goodbyesYou say `Goodbye' to someone when you or they are leaving.\`Goodbye, dear,' Miss Saunders said.
At night, you can say `Goodnight'.\`Well, I must be off.' —-`Goodnight, Moses dear.'
People also say `Goodnight' to people in the same house before they go to bed.\◊ WARNINGIn modern English, `Good morning', `Good afternoon', and `Good evening' are not used to say goodbye.\◊ informal goodbyes`Bye' is commonly used as an informal way of saying goodbye.\See you about seven. Bye.
`Bye-bye' is even more informal. It is used between close relatives and friends, and to children.\If you expect to meet the other person again soon, you can say things like `See you', `See you later', `See you soon', `See you around', or `I'll be seeing you.'See you later maybe.
Must go in now. See you tomorrow.
\See you in the morning, Quent.
Some people say `So long'.\`Well. So long.' He turned and walked back to the car.
You can say `Take care', `Take care of yourself', or `Look after yourself' when you are saying goodbye to a friend or relative.`Take care.' —-`Bye-bye.'
\`Look after yourself, Ginny dear.' —-`You, too, Mother.'
Many speakers of American English use the expression `Have a nice day' to say goodbye to people they do not know as friends. For example, employees in some shops and restaurants say it to customers.\`Have a nice day.' —-`Thank you.'
`Cheers' and `cheerio' are used by speakers of British English.See you at six, then. Cheers!
\I'll give Brigadier Sutherland your regards. Cheerio.
◊ formal goodbyesWhen you are saying goodbye to someone you do not know very well, you can use a more formal expression such as `I look forward to seeing you again soon' or `It was nice meeting you.'I look forward to seeing you in Washington. Goodbye.
It was nice meeting you, Dimitri. Hope you have a good trip back.
\It was nice seeing you again.
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interj— used to greet someone who has just arrivedGreetings! I'm glad you were able to come.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
