American English: 9 ways of saying hello casually

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 say hello 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