Have you ever had one of those moments when you are introduced to someone, you say hello and then the conversation dies? Not a good feeling. Here are some tips to remember when we are greeting someone:
If they say: You Respond With:
-How do you do? (Formal) – How do you do?
-How are you? -Fine thanks. And you**?
-How are things going? -Great, busy, but great. How ‘bout you?
-Hi/Hello! – Hi! Good to see you
-Hey! How you doing? (Informal) -Hey, great! See you!
**this is very important! Always respond with a final “and you?”…it keeps the conversation going.
And for more formal, business greetings:
If they say: You Respond With:
Hello, my name is……….. Hello my name is …………….
It’s a pleasure/Nice to meet you …………. It’s a pleasure/Nice to meet you too
And remember to pay attention to the difference between: How do you do? What do you do?
It is now common to reply to “How do you do?” with “I’m fine, thank you.” But in the past, businessmen in the UK would have just repeated the same phrase, “How do you do?” with “How do you do?” and whilst tipping their hat, they would go on repeating! Although, in very formal settings, you can still reply with “How do you do”.
Did you know?
We use to meet someone when it is the first time. After, you need to use to know.
• When did you two meet? Last summer, at a business conference.
• How long have you two known each other? For ages, at least 15 years!
A short video on how to greet someone: Greetings Video (A2 and above)
And don’t forget to double check how they greet in each culture: Wall Street Journal
Photo Source http://life.time.com/history/jfk-in-texas-photos-from-before-and-after-the-killing-of-a-president/?iid=lf|mostpop#4
