Hello and goodbye

Goodbye began as God be with you; Merriam-Webster dates the word to 1575.

Hello is the safest greeting in English. You can say it to a friend, a teacher, a shop assistant or someone on the phone. Merriam-Webster defines hello as an expression or gesture of greeting, used in greeting, in answering the telephone, or to show surprise. In this unit you will learn hello and its short, friendly forms, and the most common ways to say goodbye.

Hello, hi and hey

Hi is shorter and more casual than hello. It is fine with classmates, colleagues and most people you meet in daily life. Hey is even more casual. Use it with friends, but not with a teacher you have just met or in a job interview. Many people add a name: Hi, Jenny. Hello, Mr Brown. Adding the name makes the greeting warmer.

When you answer the phone, hello is the usual first word. Then you can say who you are: Hello, this is Minji. In a shop or office, staff may greet you with Hi there, or Hello, how can I help you? A simple Hi, thanks is enough as an answer.

Saying goodbye

Goodbye is the full, standard word. Bye is the everyday short form, and people often say it twice: Bye bye, or Bye now. See you, see you later and see you soon are friendly and very common, even when you do not have a plan to meet. See you tomorrow and see you on Monday give a time. Take care is a kind goodbye that means look after yourself. Have a nice day is often said by shop staff.

In English, you usually say goodbye before you leave, not after you are already walking away. A short closing line helps: Well, I have to go. Bye! or OK, see you later! This tells the other person that the talk is ending, so the goodbye does not feel sudden.

Greetings in writing follow the same pattern. A friendly email or message often starts with Hi and a name: Hi Jenny. For someone you know less well, use Hello Mr Brown, and for a formal letter or email, Dear Mr Brown. A short message can end with See you soon or Thanks, followed by your name.