π Lesson 1.2: Greetings & Introductions
Now you know your letters. Let's use them with real people! In this lesson you learn how to greet someone, say your name, ask their name, and say a warm goodbye. These are the first words you say when you meet someone.
π What You'll Learn
After this lesson, you can:
- Greet people the right way for the time of day
- Introduce yourself with "I'mβ¦" and "My name isβ¦"
- Ask and answer "What's your name?"
- Use "Nice to meet you" and say goodbye politely
β±οΈ Estimated Time: ~45 minutes
π― Project: Introduce yourself to 3 people (or your voice recorder) β give your name, a greeting, say "nice to meet you," and a goodbye.
In This Lesson
π€ New Words in This Lesson
Here are some useful words from this lesson. Tap π to hear a word.
- greeting β a word like hello when you meet someone
- introduce β tell a person your name
- goodbye β what you say when you leave
- polite β kind and nice to people
- formal β careful words for work or new people
- informal β easy words for friends
- contraction β two words made short, like I am to I'm
Why Greetings Matter
Think about the last time you met someone new. First came a greeting. A "hello" and a name. This happens before work, before friendship, before any big talk. A greeting is the front door πͺ to every English conversation. Open that door well, and people feel welcome right away.
The good news? You only need a few short, friendly phrases. They almost never change. When you can say "Hello, I'mβ¦" and "Nice to meet you," you can start a real conversation anywhere in the world.
π§ Mindset
You may feel shy with new words and a stranger. That is very normal. But here is a secret: people almost always smile when you greet them, even in simple English. Your try is a gift. Nobody needs you to be perfect. They are just happy you tried. Say hello first, and worry later. Every "hello" makes the next one easier. π±
Greetings by Time of Day
Some greetings work at any time. Others change with the clock. Here is the full set, from morning to night.
| Greeting | When to use it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hello /hΙΛloΚ/ | Any time of day | Friendly and safe everywhere |
| Hi /haΙͺ/ | Any time of day | Informal β with friends & peers |
| Good morning | From waking up until about noon | Polite; good at work |
| Good afternoon | From about noon until ~6 p.m. | Polite; good at work |
| Good evening | From about 6 p.m. onward | Polite; used when you arrive |
| Good night | Late, when you leave or go to bed | This is a goodbye, not a hello! |
| Goodbye | Any time of day, when you leave | The all-purpose goodbye β like Good night, it's for leaving, not arriving |
β οΈ Watch Out: "Good night" is NOT a greeting
Many people think "Good night" matches "Good morning." It does not! When you arrive in the evening, say "Good evening." Use "Good night" when you leave at night or go to bed. It means goodbye. Say "Good night!" as you enter a party, and people feel confused. π
β Pro Tip
Not sure of the time or the place? Just say "Hello" or "Hi." They work morning, noon, and night. You can never get them wrong.
Introducing Yourself
After the greeting comes your name. English has two easy ways to say it. Both are correct. Pick the one you like.
π Two ways to say your name
My name is Ana. β a little more formal
I'm Ana. β a little more relaxed
Both mean the same thing. "I'm" is short for "I am." English speakers often make I am short: I'm.
The word I is a subject pronoun. You use it to talk about yourself. Put it with the word am: I amβ¦ β I'mβ¦ Do not worry about all of "to be" (am / is / are) now. It gets its own lesson soon. For now, just I + am.
Now, how do you ask someone else? Use this question:
What's is short for What is. So "What's your name?" = "What is your name?" The short form sounds more natural when you speak.
A: Hi! What's your name?
B: I'm Ana. What's your name?
A: My name is Ben.
Politeness & "How Are You?"
Right after names, English speakers say something warm. The most common phrase is "Nice to meet you." When someone says it to you, you reply "Nice to meet you, too."
π‘ The magic words: please, thank you, you're welcome
Say please when you ask for something. Say thank you when you get something. When someone thanks you, reply "You're welcome." (Note: you're is short for you are.) These three little phrases help you a lot in English. π
Asking how someone is
After "Nice to meet you," people often ask "How are you?" It is a friendly hello, not a deep question. The easy answers are short:
| Question | Common answers |
|---|---|
| How are you? | I'm fine, thanks. And you? |
| I'm good, thank you. | |
| I'm okay. And you? |
Notice the little phrase "And you?" It politely gives the question back. It is small, but it keeps the talk friendly and equal. π
Saying goodbye
Every hello needs a goodbye. Here are the friendly ways to leave:
Goodbye is the full, polite form. Bye is the short, friendly one. See you later and See you tomorrow promise to meet again. And remember β Good night is here too. It is the goodbye you use at night.
π Culture & Register Note: English has a formal style and an informal style.
Formal (with a boss, a teacher, a stranger, an older person): use "Good morning," a title + last name β Mr. Lee, Mrs. Diaz, Ms. Park β and often a handshake π€.
Informal (with friends and peers): use "Hi," and just the first name.
Tip: Ms. (say "miz") is the safe title for a woman. You do not need to know if she is married. When you are not sure, be a little more formal. It is always polite.
Two Dialogues
Now let's put it all together. Read both parts out loud. First go slowly. Then go a little faster. The first one is formal (two people meet at work). The second one is informal (two students meet at school).
π€ Dialogue 1 β Formal (a first meeting at work)
Ms. Park: Good morning. My name is Ms. Park.
Mr. Lee: Good morning, Ms. Park. I'm David Lee. Nice to meet you.
Ms. Park: Nice to meet you, too. How are you?
Mr. Lee: I'm fine, thank you. And you?
Ms. Park: I'm very well, thank you. Please, come in.
Mr. Lee: Thank you.
π Dialogue 2 β Informal (two students meet)
Maya: Hi! I'm Maya.
Sam: Hi Maya, I'm Sam. Nice to meet you!
Maya: Nice to meet you, too. How are you?
Sam: I'm good, thanks. And you?
Maya: I'm good! See you later, Sam.
Sam: Bye, Maya!
π‘ Notice the difference
Same steps, different words! Formal uses "Good morning," titles (Ms. Park, Mr. Lee), and "thank you." Informal uses "Hi," first names, and "thanks." Both are correct. Just match the style to the place.
Grammar: Contractions
You saw short forms like I'm and What's in this lesson. These are contractions. A contraction puts two words into one. An apostrophe (') takes the place of the missing letters. English speakers use them all the time, so learn them now.
| Long form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I am | I'm | I'm Ana. |
| What is | What's | What's your name? |
| is not | isn't | She isn't here. |
| you are | you're | You're welcome. |
β Pro Tip
The apostrophe sits where a letter is gone. In I'm, it takes the place of the a in "am." In isn't, it takes the place of the o in "not." You will see many more contractions later. The pattern stays the same.
Practice & Project
ποΈ Exercise 1: Match the greeting to the situation
Objective: Choose the right greeting for the time or situation.
Which greeting is best? Read each one and pick a greeting.
- You arrive at work at 9:00 a.m. β
- You meet a friend on the street at 2:00 p.m. β
- You arrive at a dinner at 7:00 p.m. β
- You are leaving a party at 11:00 p.m., going home to sleep β
- You're not sure of the time or how formal to be β
β Answer
1. Good morning Β· 2. Hi / Hello (informal, friend) Β· 3. Good evening (you're arriving) Β· 4. Good night (you're leaving at night) Β· 5. Hello / Hi (safe any time)
ποΈ Exercise 2: Complete the introduction
Objective: Fill each gap to finish a friendly first meeting.
A: Hi! your name?
B: Ana. What's your name?
A: My is Ben. Nice to meet you.
B: Nice to meet you, . How are you?
A: I'm fine, thanks. you?
B: I'm good! See you .
β Answer
1. What's Β· 2. I'm Β· 3. name Β· 4. too Β· 5. And Β· 6. later (or "tomorrow")
π― Your Project: Introduce Yourself
This is your speaking task. Do it out loud β to 3 people (a partner, classmates, family) or to your phone's voice recorder, three times.
Each time, say all four parts in order:
- (1 min) Greet the person (choose the right one for the time: Good morning / Hi / etc.).
- (1 min) Give your name: "I'm ___." or "My name is ___."
- (1 min) Say "Nice to meet you," and ask "What's your name?" or "How are you?"
- (1 min) Finish with a goodbye: "See you later!" / "Bye!" / "Good night!"
- (2 min) If you recorded yourself, listen back once. Did you say all four parts? Note anything tricky for your journal.
β Project Completion Checklist
- β I greeted with the correct time-of-day greeting
- β I said my name with "I'mβ¦" or "My name isβ¦"
- β I said "Nice to meet you"
- β I asked a question ("What's your name?" or "How are you?")
- β I said a polite goodbye
- β I did it 3 times (3 people or 3 recordings)
π― Quick Quiz
Question 1: You arrive at a party at 8:00 in the evening. What do you say?
Question 2: Which sentence is the contraction of "What is your name?"
Tips & Common Mistakes
β Do's
- Smile and look at the person when you greet. A friendly face works in every language.
- When you are not sure, be a little more formal. "Good morning" + a title is never wrong.
- Practice the whole set together: greet β name β "nice to meet you" β goodbye.
- Use "And you?" to give a question back politely.
β Common Mistakes
β οΈ Watch Out
- "Good night" as a hello: It's a goodbye. To greet in the evening, say "Good evening."
- Forgetting the apostrophe: It's I'm and What's, not "Im" or "Whats."
- "Nice to meet you" every time: Use it only the first time you meet someone. After that, just "Hi" or "Hello."
- Mixing up "you're" and "your": You're = "you are" (You're welcome). Your = belonging to you (your name).
π Learning Journal
Keep building your learning journal. Use a notebook or your phone. After every lesson, take five minutes. Write down:
- Key concepts you learned
- Things that clicked for you
- Questions or confusion points to revisit
- Ideas you want to try
- Your progress and feelings about learning English
βοΈ This lesson's prompt: Write a short greeting and introduction just for you. In English, write how you would meet a new classmate: your greeting, your name, "nice to meet you," and a goodbye. Then say it out loud. Which part felt easy? Which part felt hard? Write it down. Hard today becomes easy with practice.
π Lesson Summary
π Key Takeaways
- Hello and Hi work any time; use Good morning / afternoon / evening by the clock.
- Good night is a goodbye, not a greeting.
- Say your name with "I'mβ¦" or "My name isβ¦"; ask with "What's your name?"
- Be warm: "Nice to meet you" β "Nice to meet you, too," plus please, thank you, you're welcome.
- Contractions shorten words: I am β I'm, What is β What's, is not β isn't.
π What You've Accomplished
Now you can meet a stranger and start a real English conversation. You can greet them, say your name, ask their name, be polite, and say a warm goodbye. That is a big thing! These words open every door, in every English place on earth. Say them with pride. π
β Common Questions at This Stage
Is "I'm" less correct than "My name is"?
No β both are correct. "My name isβ¦" sounds a little more formal. "I'mβ¦" sounds a little more relaxed. Use the one that feels natural.
Do I really have to shake hands?
Not always. In many countries, people shake hands at formal or business meetings. But with friends, a smile and a "Hi" are enough. Watch the other person and do the same.
When someone asks "How are you?", do they want a long answer?
Usually not! It is a friendly hello. A short answer like "I'm fine, thanks. And you?" is just right. Save long stories for people you know well.
π Looking Ahead
In Lesson 1.3, you learn numbers and age. You learn to count, say how old you are, and ask "How old are you?" This goes well with introductions. Soon you can share your name and a whole first conversation.
β Before the Next Lesson
- Say the greeting set out loud once more: Hello, Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, Good night.
- Introduce yourself to at least one real person today.
- Write your Learning Journal entry for this lesson.
π Encouragement for the Journey
Every friend, every job, every adventure in English starts with a simple "hello." You just learned how to say it, and much more. Go say hello to the world. See you in Lesson 1.3! π