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Beginner · First words: sounds, hello and you · topic 2 of 59 · 12 min

Hello and goodbye: greetings for every time

Explanation

A greeting is the first thing you say when you meet someone. Say "Good morning" before 12 noon, "Good afternoon" from 12 to about 5 pm, and "Good evening" after that. "Good night" means goodbye, not hello. अभिवादन (greeting) से बातचीत शुरू होती है।

A greeting (अभिवादन) is a short, friendly line that starts a conversation. In English the greeting changes with the time of day and with the person: a friend, a teacher, a customer or a boss.

TimeGreeting (hello)Goodbye
Morning (until 12 noon)Good morningHave a good day
Afternoon (12 to about 5 pm)Good afternoonHave a nice afternoon
Evening (after 5 pm)Good eveningGood night (when leaving at night)
Any time, with friendsHi / Hello / HeyBye / See you

Good morning!

Say it: gud MOR-ning

सुप्रभात / नमस्ते (सुबह)

Good afternoon!

Say it: gud aaf-ter-NOON

नमस्ते (दोपहर में)

Good evening!

Say it: gud EEV-ning

नमस्ते (शाम को)

Careful: "Good night" is only for goodbye, at night or before sleep. Do not say "Good night" when you arrive at a party at 8 pm; say "Good evening".

How are you?

Say it: how AAR yoo?

आप कैसे हैं?

I'm fine, thank you. And you?

Say it: aim FINE, THANK yoo. and YOO?

मैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद। और आप?

Always ask back with "And you?". It is polite.

I'm doing well, thanks.

Say it: aim DOO-ing WEL, thanks

मैं अच्छा हूँ, धन्यवाद।

A more natural answer than always "I am fine".

Nice to meet you.

Say it: nais to MEET yoo

आपसे मिलकर अच्छा लगा।

Say this only the first time you meet someone.

Long time no see!

Say it: long taim no SEE

बहुत दिनों बाद मिले!

Friendly and informal. Use it with friends, not in a formal meeting.

See you tomorrow.

Say it: SEE yoo to-MOR-oh

कल मिलते हैं।

Take care.

Say it: tayk KAIR

अपना ख़याल रखना।

Think of it like this: A greeting is like the "namaste" at the door. It costs nothing, but it opens the door to the whole conversation. A warm hello makes people want to listen to you.
Tip: Smile and say the person's name: "Good morning, Mrs Sharma." Names make a greeting warm.
Careful: Indian-English habit: answering "How are you?" with a long story about your health. In English small talk, a short answer is normal: "Fine, thanks. And you?"

Watch the lesson

Hello and goodbye: greetings for every time · 1/7

Greetings Hello and goodbye

Hello! Today you will learn how to say hello and goodbye in English, the right way for every time of day.

Prefer a video by a teacher? Find free videos on “english greetings for beginners in hindi good morning how are you” on YouTube ↗

In real life: Meeting a neighbour in the morning

Meena: Good morning, Mr Rao! Mr Rao: Good morning, Meena. How are you? Meena: I'm doing well, thank you. And you? Mr Rao: Very well, thanks. Going to the office? Meena: Yes, I'm a bit late today. See you in the evening! Mr Rao: Sure. Have a good day.

Practice (0/4 done)

Task 1 · Speak

Say this greeting aloud, with a smile.

Good morning! How are you? I'm doing well, thank you.

सुप्रभात! आप कैसे हैं? मैं अच्छा हूँ, धन्यवाद।

Press Speak, then say the sentence.
Task 2 · Listen and type

Listen and type what you hear.

Task 3 · Practice

Write a short four-line greeting for meeting your teacher at 10 am, and say it aloud.

Task 4 · Question

You arrive at a wedding at 8 pm. What do you say to the host?

Quick quiz

Question 1

1.It is 2 pm. Which greeting is right?

Question 2

2.Someone asks "How are you?". What is the best reply?

Question 3

3.When do you say "Nice to meet you"?

Question 4

4.What does "Take care" mean?

Pass the quiz (60% or more) or mark this topic as done when you are ready.

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