Published on June 13, 2025 by Kate Santoro, BS
There are many ways to say hello in English, with the most common greetings being “hello” and “hi.”
Good morning, Mr. Nguyen. How are you?
G’day! How you doing?
For more ways to say hello, try QuillBot’s free Paraphraser.
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Table of contents
- Different ways to say hello
- Frequently asked questions about ways to say hello
Different ways to say hello
Ways to say hello vary by context and country. When in doubt, use “hello,” which works across all contexts and locations.
Informal ways to say hello
These informal ways to say hello are suitable for using with people you know well, like family, friends, and close coworkers.
| Greeting | Example | Context |
| Hi | Hi Moira! What’s new? | Slightly informal but widely used |
| Hi there | Hi there, Mo! Glad to see you. | Casual |
| Hey | Hey James! How are you? | Casual |
| Hey you | Hey you! | Carries a playful tone |
| Heyo | Heyo! How you doing? | Very informal |
| Hiya | Hiya Monica! Ready to go? | Very informal |
| Mornin’! | Mornin’, Grandma! Do you want some coffee? | Use in the morning (can use “afternoon” or “evenin’” for other times of day) |
| What’s up? | What’s up, Shane? | Asks someone how they are |
| ‘Sup? | ‘Sup, Alex? | Asks someone how they are; very informal |
| What’s new? | What’s new, Marcos? | Asks someone how they are |
| How’s it going? | Hi Rachel. How’s it going? | Asks someone how they are |
| How you doing? | Hi Matt. How you doing? | Asks someone how they are |
| Long time no see | Long time no see! How are you? | Used with someone you have not seen in a long time |
| It’s been a while | It’s been a while! How’s everything? | Use with someone you have not seen in a long time |
| It’s been a minute | Hi Adriana! It’s been a minute! | Use with someone you have not seen in a long time; a playful way to say “it’s been a while” |
Formal ways to say hello
These formal ways to say hello are better for professional situations or with people you’re meeting for the first time.
| Greeting | Example | Context |
| Hello | Hello, John. | Standard greeting |
| Hi | Hi, Quentin. | Not as formal as “hello” but still acceptable |
| Good morning | Good morning, team. | Used in the morning (until 12 p.m.) |
| Good afternoon | Good afternoon! How may I help you? | Used in the afternoon (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.) |
| Good evening | Good evening, Mrs. Smith. | Used in the evening (after 6 p.m.); “good night” is not used as a greeting, but as a goodbye |
| How are you? | Hello, how are you? | |
| How do you do? | Hello, Gina. How do you do? | Very formal |
| Nice to meet you | Nice to meet you, Mr. Gomez. | Used when meeting someone for the first time |
| Pleased to meet you | Pleased to meet you, Madison. | Used when meeting someone for the first time |
| It’s a pleasure to meet you | Hello Ms. Scott, it’s a pleasure to meet you. | Used when meeting someone for the first time |
| How have you been? | Hi, Ryan. How have you been? | Polite way to ask someone how they are after not seeing them for some time |
Also, make sure to use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure your emails are free of any spelling or grammar errors.
How to say hi in English in different countries
Some ways to say hi in English are universal. Others vary depending on the country. For example, some phrases are more common in American English, whereas others are more common in Australian English.
| Greeting | Example | Country | Context |
| Howdy! | Howdy, Michael! | US | Primarily used in Southern and Western US |
| Yo! | Yo, Lia! How’re you? | US | Popularized by hip-hop and African American Vernacular English |
| You alright? | You alright, Holly? | UK | Common greeting that really means “hello” |
| Alright? | Alright, Ben? | UK | Same as “you alright?” |
| How’s things? | Hi Stephen! How’s things? | UK | Grammatically incorrect due to its informal use |
| Howya? | Howya, Aoife? | Ireland | Means “hello” |
| What’s the craic? | What’s the craic, Paddy? | Ireland | “Craic” (crack) is an Irish slang word with multiple meanings, including “good time” or “gossip.” |
| G’day! | G’day friends! | Australia New Zealand | Contraction of “good day” |
| Kia ora | Kia ora! How are you? | New Zealand | “Kia ora” (kee or-uh) is a Māori greeting that has entered everyday English. |
| Howzit? | Howzit, Johanna? | South Africa | Means “hello” or “how are you?” |
However, in English-speaking countries, you typically do not greet people this way. Hugs and kisses are reserved for people you know very well. Handshakes are appropriate, although they’re a bit formal. For an informal gesture, try a wave, a nod, or a smile.
If you want to learn about cultural norms when saying hello, ask QuillBot’s AI Chat.
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Frequently asked questions about ways to say hello
- What are some funny ways to say hello?
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Some funny ways to say hello are:
- Howdy doody!
- Ahoy-hoy!
- Hidey ho, neighborino!
- Greetings, Earthling.
- Yo, homeslice!
- What’s crackalackin’?
- What’s shakin’, bacon?
- What’s up, buttercup?
- Knock knock. Who’s there? Me, saying hi!
- What’s cookin’, good lookin’?
For more funny ways to say hello, ask QuillBot’s AI Chat.
- How do you say hello in Japanese?
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To say “hello” in Japanese, you can say “こんにちは,” romanized as “konnichiwa” (kohn-nee-chee-wah).
However, there are different ways to say hello in Japanese depending on context. For example, “よ” (yo) is an informal way to say “hi,” similar to “yo” in American English.
Or, “もしもし” (moshi moshi) means “hello” but is only used when answering the phone.
For translations between Japanese and English, try QuillBot Translate for free today.
- How do you say hello in French?
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To say “hello” in French, you can say “bonjour” (bohn-zhour), which translates as “good day.” This greeting works in all contexts during the morning and afternoon.
After about 6 p.m., use “bonsoir” (bohn-soir), literally “good evening.”
Some other ways to say hello in French are:
- Salut (sah-loo), an informal way to say “hi
- Allô (ah-loh), “hello” on the phone only
- Coucou (koo-koo), an informal, cute way to say “hi there”
Try QuillBot Translate for translations between French and English.
- How do you say hello in Italian?
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To say “hello” in Italian, you can say “salve” (sahl-veh). It is a polite way to say “hello.”
Other ways to say hello in Italian are:
- Ciao (chow), an informal greeting for friends and family
- Buongiorno (bwohn-johr-noh), “good morning”
- Buon pomeriggio (bwohn poh-meh-ree-joh), “good afternoon”
- Buonasera (bwoh-nah-seh-rah), “good evening”
- Pronto (prohn-toh), “hello” on the phone only
Use QuillBot Translate for free to translate between Italian and English.
- How do you say hello in German?
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To say “hello” in German, you can say “hallo” (hah-loh). This greeting is neutral and appropriate in all contexts.
Other ways to say hello in German are:
- Hi (hai), like “hi” in English
- Guten Morgen (goo-ten mor-gen), “good morning”
- Guten Tag (goo-ten tahk), “good day”
- Guten Abend (goo-ten ah-bent), “good evening”
QuillBot Translate can help you translate more phrases between German and English.
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Kate Santoro, BS
Kate has a BS in journalism. She has taught English as a second language in Spain to students of all ages for a decade. She also has experience in content management and marketing.
