Questions tagged [greetings]

A greeting is a polite phrase of welcome or recognition given by someone upon meeting another, or when beginning a letter to another.

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Is it correct to say “Welcome to John” if you want to welcome somebody to John’s house? [migrated]

If you want to welcome somebody to John’s house, would you say: “Welcome to John” “Welcome to John’s” “Welcome to John’s house” For instance, which of the previous can be written on doormat? Thank ...
-2 votes
1 answer
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Exclamation point at greeting [closed]

Question: What is the context of the structure "Hi name!" ? Some time ago, I saw this, and after some research, I found out that this is grammatically valid Exclamation point in a greeting. ...
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1 answer
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What's a proper greeting to use when writing a formal e-mail to a university? [duplicate]

I think the preferred option is to use "Dear Professor XYZ", but what should one use when the identity of the recipient is unknown?
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When should the program greet with good evening and good night? [duplicate]

I want to create a program that will greet users with good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night. However, I am confused as to when the time should be used to greet with good evening ...
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1 answer
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What's the verb for the mere act of saying goodbye to someone? [duplicate]

In English there's a specific verb for "say hello", greet. What's the specific equivalent verb for "say goodbye"? Some of the alternatives listed here like see off and see out seem ...
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A first line of a business email when you don't know the name nor gender of a person you write to (and time-agnostic too) [duplicate]

"Greetings," and "hello there" are not businessy enough, are they? "Dear Sir or Madam," sounds a bit too pompous. "Good time of a day" sounds strange. Are there ...
5 votes
4 answers
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Using 'Signed' as a Closing

When writing letters, there are closings that people usually use like "sincerely" or "best" or "thanks", etc. I have sometimes heard people (when reading letters) say &...
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Good Friday as a greeting?

I have an interesting one which surprisingly I haven't found answer for on Google or here. You can say Good day when greeting someone. (I think) Can you also say Good Friday when it is obviously not ...
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"Good night", "sleep well", which one is more formal, which one is more intimate? [closed]

"Good night", "sleep well", which one is more formal, which one is more intimate?
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Thanking someone for their email [closed]

I run a business and answer several emails a day. I tend to interact with people in an informal way. On their first message, I always put "Thank you for messaging me" in the first line of a ...
-1 votes
2 answers
416 views

How to response "How are you doing"

I've been in the US for a while and been greeted by others how're you doing frequently. I always respond I'm fine or I'm great if he/she is a stranger or normal friend. But it's kind of embarrassing ...
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Comma or no comma after Mr. Thomas & do I need the word “message.” [closed]

Dr. Thomas I saw Dr. Smith and relied your hello message to him.
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How do you say hello to a couple (man and woman) formally?

How do you say hello to a couple (man and woman) formally? If it's a man, we say "hello sir", but how about a couple?
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How to respond "say hello to somebody"?

One of my previous professors emailed me and at the end he asked me to say hello to my mom. I am wondering how to reply him ? Is "Thank you, she say hi back to you" sounds correct?
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2 votes
3 answers
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How do people greet each other when in different time zones?

How do people greet each other when they are in different time zones? For example, suppose there is a phone call between two people: one is in Central European Time 1600 (say Germany, in the ...
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3 votes
1 answer
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Understanding the greeting 'Take Care'

I want to know if this english word 'Take Care' that we use in greetings have the same deep meaning or approach as our language is. In my language (Filipino), it was 'Ingat po kayo' which is, if ...
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Should the noun "community" be capitalised in the following example?

When posting questions on forums such as this one, I usually start with a simple greeting such as "Dear community" and I would like to ask whether "community" should be capitalised in this example. ...
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-2 votes
1 answer
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What to say when interviewer introduce himself and pauses a little? [closed]

I've had an interview on Skype that interviewer introduced himself and paused a little long after. It was weird that I didn't know what to say as he already knew me. So he explained about the company ...
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2 votes
1 answer
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How to greet two person in the beginning of a letter/email? [closed]

Dear Prof. Hartman, Dear Prof. Dore, Thank you very much for letting me know about the result of my application. or Dear Prof. Hartman and Prof. Dore, Thank you very much for ...
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15 votes
3 answers
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Derivation of a slang greeting in Yorkshire: "Aye up serry"

When I was young, in the West Riding of Yorkshire 1942 to 1960 you would greet an acquaintance thus: "Aye up serry". I believe older residents of the village of Kiveton Park still use the phrase, or ...
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Replying to an e-mail or letter where two people have the same name

I see varying answers over the web on this. Hello John and John, Hello John My last email I went with Hello John, It works as intended and seems like the best way to me.
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3 votes
1 answer
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Appropriate way to say "see you tomorrow" when meeting online

I'm talking with my clients on a daily basis, mostly via conference calls (only voice calls, without video). Is it OK to take leave of them by saying "see you tomorrow" at the end of the meeting, ...
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1 answer
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I hope you're feeling well [closed]

Are "I hope you're feeling well." suitable words for common greeting? I mean doesn't it sound odd if there have been no troubles with friend's health and I just want to know if everything is fine with ...
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1 answer
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How to greet someone when you meet them at night [duplicate]

Is there any formal salutation to greet someone when you meet them at night? A prefix such as 'Good' with morning, afternoon and evening works well but implies altogether a diferent meaning when used ...
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Good morning beautiful

For quite some time I have greeted foreign/english girlfriends with "good morning, beautiful" in the morning - I'm from Germany, so English is not my first language, hence the question: Today I ...
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6 votes
2 answers
132 views

In an English-speaking country, how would a household employee address their female employer? [closed]

Would it be Miss? Mistress? Madam? Or, should she be young (underage and/or unmarried): Young Miss? Young Mistress? Young Lady? Young Madam? EDIT (to clarify): How would a butler, chef, chauffeur, ...
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How to formally greet someone in an email that I am pleased to getting to know? [duplicate]

When you greet someone new for the first time, you can say: Hello John, it's nice to meet you! But what if you cannot greet somebody in person, when the first contact happens? For example, some ...
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1 vote
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Hi, Hello, Dear in answer to client’s Hi

We’re are a small atelier on Etsy and usually get questions from clients starting with Hi, Hi Roman (they sometimes see my name before composing a question) or Hey there. What would be the safest way ...
1 vote
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Why did the use of "hello" temporarily plummet in the United States?

According to Google Books Ngram View, the appearance of the word "Hello" in its U.S. corpus dropped by more than 50% from the early 1940s to the 1960s before returning to its earlier level in the ...
5 votes
3 answers
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E-mail greeting: "Dear Brice," vs "Brice," [closed]

I am somewhat sensitive to politeness and basic rules of courtesy, so (almost) all the e-mails that I write contain greetings and salutations, such as: Dear Jane, [...] Best, ...
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What do you say to your friends when you're about to sleep in the morning? What is the morning version of 'good night'?

'Good morning' is usually a salutation while 'good night' is said while parting for the night. My question is basically "What do you say to your friends when you're about to sleep in the morning? ...
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2 answers
225 views

Is it a normal wish? [closed]

How would someone summarize the phrase below if a departing employee receive this from boss: "Best wishes in your future pursuits"
6 votes
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"Have good weekends" vs "Have a good weekend"

As a co-worker walked past me and my team mates this afternoon, he said "Bye. Have good weekends" - by which he meant that he wished each of us to have a good weekend. Was this grammatically ...
1 vote
1 answer
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What is the correct way to write birth day greetings? [closed]

What is the correct way to write birthday greetings “Happy birth day” or we can write “Wish you a Happy Birth Anniversary” to living person?
1 vote
1 answer
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Greeting in the elevator; can I ask the neighbor where she was as a greeting?

Here in my country, we usually use the expression "where are you coming from?" as a greeting. (It literally means where you were before you got here). This is good manners to ask like this in our ...
1 vote
3 answers
21k views

How to reply properly to 'Thank you' [closed]

Consider following situation You are a polite person and you hold a door open for someone that comes immediately after you. He/she says: "Thank You!" What is the correct expression to reply to him/...
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2 answers
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Will usage of "Dear" while addressing in mail, sound informal? [closed]

I see many people using "Dear" while addressing people in email. But, I feel "Dear" is more intimate word in English and should be used with only relations. How does the word "Dear" is used at all ...
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2 votes
1 answer
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Talking over the phone for the first time [closed]

I will have an interview in English over the phone, and I am preparing for it. What I'm wondering is what will be the best way to greet the interviewer? "Hell, my name is ______. It is nice to talk to ...
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37 votes
22 answers
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Proper way to address a very small group that includes both sexes [closed]

What is the proper way to address a light email/message to a small group of 2-or-3 people, where the group includes both sexes? I normally just use the term "guys" as in "Hey guys" or "Good morning ...
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2 answers
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Is there a greeting used on war memorial/returned services days such as ANZAC Day or Veteran's Day?

Today is ANZAC day in New Zealand, which commemorates those who served and died in WWI and WWII. I'm wondering if there is a common greeting people use on such days, similar to how we have 'Merry ...
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How to answer the greeting "What's the story?"

I have a lot of Irish coworkers that often greet me by saying "What's the story?" What's a good way to answer to this greeting? Also, does this ever get used in the UK, US or Australia?
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A good response to holiday greeting from professor? [closed]

I have been discussing some research topics with my professor. He emailed me ending with "Wish you a happy holiday season". What response can I give (as a student) that reflects respect and that does ...
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4 answers
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Origin of "How are you?"

I'm currently researching different greetings for a linguistics project and I'm having trouble finding information as to the history of the phrase, "How are you," or those of equivalent structures. I ...
3 votes
2 answers
927 views

Addressing an unmarried woman, 1930s

How should a character address an unmarried woman in conversation in the 1930s: would they use Mrs., Miss, or Ms? Example: "Good evening, Ms. Smith."
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3 answers
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What's an appropriate response to a British person asking "You alright?"

I've heard this phrase from various British people: "You alright" (comes out as a slurred "y'rite") and I'm always a bit confused on how to respond. From context, it seems to have two meanings (...
0 votes
1 answer
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What is the use of word "Greetings!..." while sending an email? [closed]

I have seen many people who start writing their email like as follows.. Dear XXXX Greetings!!!. Thanks etc... I just want to know the meaning of the word greeting in this context....
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What's the formal way to say "get to know"? [closed]

For example in the sentence "Hereby I express my pleasure ... you on behalf of ABC Company."
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Exclamation point in a greeting [closed]

What is the accepted use of exclamation point in greeting on a letter or email, "Hi! Kim," or "Hi, Kim!"
5 votes
1 answer
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What is the meaning of hello? [closed]

Maybe you think this is a bad question but: My native language is Persian, in Persian when we see each other we say salam that is like hello in English. The actual meaning of salam is peace and ...
2 votes
4 answers
5k views

Feminine version of colloquial use 'hi man'

When a man greets another man, he often says 'hi man', 'thanks man', etc. I am wondering whether these expressions have feminine use. I never heard a woman greeting another woman with 'hi woman'. Any ...
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