Quiz – How to Greet Someone in English / 英語で人に挨拶する方法

Why Greetings Matter

A greeting is the very first thing another person hears from you — before your accent, your grammar, or your vocabulary, they hear whether you sound warm and confident. A good greeting opens the door to a conversation; a flat or robotic one can close it before it even starts.

Greetings in English follow a simple, flexible pattern rather than a strict script, which means once you learn the building blocks you can mix and match them naturally in almost any situation.

あいさつは、相手があなたから最初に受け取る印象です。文法や発音より先に、温かく自然に聞こえるかどうかが伝わります。英語のあいさつは厳格な型ではなく、柔軟な組み合わせで成り立っています。

When You Will Use This

You will greet someone in English constantly — these are the five most common situations:

1. Meeting someone for the first time A new classmate, coworker, or neighbor — first impressions start here.
   初めて会う人 — 第一印象はここから始まります。
2. Starting a work meeting or class A quick greeting sets a friendly, professional tone before business begins.
   会議や授業の前の短いあいさつが、その場の雰囲気を作ります。
3. Seeing a familiar person after a long time Reconnecting with a colleague, friend, or neighbor you have not seen recently.
   しばらく会っていない同僚や友人との再会。
4. Walking into a shop, café, or office Staff often greet you first — knowing how to reply keeps things smooth.
   店員に先にあいさつされたとき、自然に返せるようにします。
5. Starting a phone call or video conference A short greeting before the main topic keeps the call feeling natural.
   電話やビデオ会議の本題に入る前のひと言。

Why It Matters

A confident greeting does more than open a conversation — it sets the tone for everything that follows.

• It signals confidence, even if the rest of your English is still developing.
• It makes the other person feel welcome and willing to keep talking.
• It gives you a reliable, low-pressure way to start almost any interaction.

The Core Greeting Pattern

Nearly every English greeting follows the same 3-part blueprint. Once you know it, you can build a natural greeting on the spot.

1. Opening word → 1
2. Time greeting (optional) → 1
3. Follow-up phrase →

Example

ほとんどの英語のあいさつは「① 開始の言葉 → ② 時間帯のあいさつ（任意）→ ③ フォローアップフレーズ」の3つで成り立っています。

Adapting the Pattern

Adjust your opening word to match the situation: "Hey! How's it going?" works well with close colleagues or friends, while "Good afternoon. Nice to meet you." fits a formal setting like a job interview.

状況に応じて開始の言葉を調整しましょう。親しい同僚には「Hey! How's it going?」、面接などフォーマルな場面には「Good afternoon. Nice to meet you.」が適しています。

Vocabulary Bank

The words below are grouped by function — opening words, time-based greetings, follow-up phrases, and replies.

Opening Words

Time-based Greetings

Follow-up Phrases

Replies & Responses

Useful Phrases by Function

Starting the Conversation

Responding to a Greeting

Asking for Details

Ending Politely

Example Conversations

Meeting a New Person at a Café

Sarah shares a table with a stranger who is new to the area.

Greeting a Colleague on Monday Morning

David runs into a coworker at the start of the work week.

At a Neighborhood Community Event

You strike up a conversation with Mr. Tanaka at a local gathering.

Naturalness Tips

Use Natural Contractions & Modifiers

Sound Fluid and Warm

The Golden Rule: Answer + Reason/Detail + Return Question

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Practice Template

Worked Examples

Yuki (nervous student, first English class):
"Hi! I'm Yuki. Nice to meet you. I'm a little nervous today, thanks — this is my first English class. Is this seat taken?"

Kenji Nakamura (business meeting, in person):
"Good afternoon! I'm Kenji Nakamura from ABC Solutions. Nice to meet you. I'm doing well, thanks — the trip over was smooth. Shall we get started?"

Emi (at a party, having a good time):
"Hey! I'm Emi. How's it going? I'm having a great time today, thanks. How do you know the host?"