Choose a greeting that fits the moment

Use the pattern in context

Hello works in many settings. Hi is often more informal; Good morning fits the morning. If you already know someone, Good to see you can acknowledge the connection. When interrupting a staff member or joining a service exchange, Excuse me can help gain attention before a request. Practise four situations: meeting a new colleague, greeting a friend, entering a morning appointment and asking a busy staff member a question.

Examples to compare

• New colleague: Hello, I’m Sam.
• Morning appointment: Good morning. I have a ten o’clock appointment.
• Getting attention: Excuse me. Could you help me?

Limits and useful distinctions

A greeting is not always an invitation to a long personal report. How are you? may be part of a brief social exchange, although a closer relationship can make a fuller answer appropriate. Good night normally closes an evening interaction rather than opening one. Context matters more than memorizing one phrase for everyone.

Check your understanding

Which usually opens an evening encounter: Good evening or Good night?

Try a new example with the same purpose. Check that your version keeps the intended meaning and grammatical pattern.