ENGLISH GREETING

Different Ways to Greet Someone in English

General greetings (Formal) 

These greetings can be used in any formal situation, such as a business meeting or meeting someone’s parents, and they can also be used in informal situations as well.

• Hello
• How are you? or How’re you?
• How are you doing? or How ya doin’?

This is different than “What are you doing.” “How are you doing?” means “How are you?” whereas “What are you doing?” is asking what action you are currently doing.

• How is everything?
• How’s everything going?
•  

General greetings (Informal)

These greetings can be used in any informal situation.

• (Hey) What’s up (man/dude/bro/their name)?
• (Hey) Good to see you.
• (Hey) How are things (with you)?
• (Hey) How’s it going?

The pronunciation can be shortened to “goin’.” A typical response to this question is “It’s going good.”

• How’s life been treating you?
• What’s cracking?

The pronunciation is often shortened to “crackin’.” This is highly informal and should only be used with people around your age. It’s similar in use to “What’s up?”

• What’s good?
• What’s happening?

The pronunciation is often shortened to “happenin’.”

Greeting a person you haven’t seen for a long time (Formal)

• It has been a long time.
• It’s been too long.
• What have you been up to all these years?
• It’s always a pleasure to see you.

• How long has it been?
• What’s new?

Greeting a person you haven’t seen for a long time (Informal)

• Long time no see.

This is the most common.

• Where have you been hiding?

This is a playful way of greeting someone.

• It’s been ages (since I’ve seen you).
• How’ve you been?