Greetings and Small Talk
Greetings open every social interaction. Using the right greeting — and knowing how to respond — makes conversations start smoothly.
Formal Greetings
Used with strangers, clients, colleagues you don’t know well, and in professional contexts.
| Greeting | Response |
|---|---|
| Good morning. | Good morning. / Good morning, how do you do? |
| Good afternoon. | Good afternoon. |
| Good evening. | Good evening. |
| How do you do? | How do you do? (mirrored response) |
| Pleased to meet you. | Pleased to meet you too. / Likewise. |
Informal Greetings
Used with friends, family, and colleagues you know well.
| Greeting | Common Responses |
|---|---|
| Hi! / Hey! | Hi! / Hey! |
| How are you? | Fine, thanks. / Pretty good. / Not bad. |
| How’s it going? | Good, thanks. / Pretty well. |
| How have you been? | Great, thanks! / Not too bad. |
| What’s up? | Not much. / Same old. / All good. |
“How are you?” in English is often more of a greeting than a real question. Responding with a long personal answer can feel unusual in casual contexts. A short positive reply is standard.
Small Talk Topics
Small talk fills awkward silences and builds rapport. Common safe topics:
- The weather: Nice weather today, isn’t it? / Can you believe this rain?
- The week: Had a good weekend? / Looking forward to the weekend?
- Work: Been busy lately? / How’s work going?
- Recent events: Did you see the match last night? / Have you heard about…?
Ending Conversations Politely
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| It was nice talking to you. | Neutral, polite |
| I’ve got to run — catch you later! | Informal |
| I’ll let you get back to it. | Considerate (they seem busy) |
| Take care! / See you around! | Friendly closing |