Hoofstuk 1. Hello there! Greetings and introductions in English GRATIS
Common greetings in English
In English, as in Afrikaans, there are formal and informal ways to greet someone. When you meet someone early in the morning, you say Good morning. Later in the day you use Good afternoon, and when the sun starts to set, you say Good evening. These greetings are used especially towards teachers, adults and people you do not know well. Among friends and classmates, Hello and Hi are the most common, informal greetings. You will also often hear: How are you?. The most common reply is I am fine, thank you. And you? — notice how the speaker always sends the question back to the other person; this is considered polite in English, just as in Afrikaans.
Introducing yourself
To introduce yourself in English, you usually use this pattern: Hello, my name is Thandi. What is your name? The other person can then reply: My name is Sipho. Nice to meet you. The words Nice to meet you are always used when you meet someone for the first time — it would be strange to say it to someone you see at school every day. If you want to introduce someone else, you say, for example: This is my friend, Lerato. or This is my brother, Kagiso. Notice that this is used when the person is close by, standing right next to you.
Polite expressions
Besides greetings, there are a number of short words and phrases that keep every English conversation polite and smooth. Please is used when you ask for something: Please pass the pen. Thank you is used when you receive something or are given a favour. If you accidentally bump into someone or want to interrupt them, you say Excuse me. If you have done something wrong and want to apologise, you say I am sorry. These small words are used constantly by English speakers, and it is important to learn them from the start, because they show respect towards the person you are speaking to.
A short conversation to practise
Let’s look at an example of a short, everyday conversation between two learners who meet at the school gate:
- Good morning! My name is Naledi. What is your name?
- Good morning, Naledi. My name is Tumi. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you too. How are you today?
- I am fine, thank you. And you?
- I am fine too. See you later!
Practise this kind of conversation aloud with a partner. Change the names and try to make up a new, short conversation of your own in which you greet, introduce yourself, and are polite. The more you practise aloud, the more natural these English phrases will feel to you when you really need to use them in a conversation.