By Vahid Alaghehband
Some of the most useful everyday expressions: How are you?, You're welcome, Good evening (to greet) and Good night (to say goodbye), Happy birthday! and Could you repeat that, please? Here are 50 of them grouped by situation.
Greetings
| Expression | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Hi / Hello | Hi is more informal; Hello always works. |
| Good morning | Until noon. |
| Good afternoon | From noon to about 6 p.m. |
| Good evening | To greet someone in the evening. |
| Good night | Only to say goodbye or before bed. |
| How are you? | The most common greeting question. |
| How's it going? | More informal. |
| Fine, thanks. And you? | A short, polite answer. |
| Nice to meet you | When you meet someone for the first time. |
| Long time no see! | With someone you haven't seen for a while. |
Being polite
| Expression | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Please | At the start or end of a request. |
| Thank you / Thanks | Thanks is more informal. |
| Thank you very much | To thank someone warmly. |
| You're welcome | The standard reply to thank you. |
| No problem | Informal reply to thanks. |
| Excuse me | Before you interrupt or bother someone. |
| I'm sorry | To apologize. |
| Sorry? / Pardon? | To ask someone to repeat. |
| Bless you! | When someone sneezes. |
| Cheers! | When you raise a glass. |
In class or in a conversation
| Expression | When to use it |
|---|---|
| I don't understand | To ask for help. |
| Could you repeat that, please? | Very useful in class. |
| How do you say … in English? | To ask for a word. |
| What does … mean? | To ask for a meaning. |
| Could you speak more slowly? | When someone talks too fast. |
| I have a question | To take part in class. |
| I think so / I don't think so | To answer when you're not certain. |
| I agree | In a conversation or debate. |
| I'm not sure | When you're unsure. |
| Let me think | To buy time while speaking. |
Feelings and reactions
| Expression | When to use it |
|---|---|
| I love you | For partners, family and close friends. |
| I love you so much | Stronger. |
| I miss you | For someone who is far away. |
| That's cool! / That's great! | To react with enthusiasm. |
| Congratulations! | For an achievement. |
| Happy birthday! | The birthday greeting. |
| Happy birthday to me | In a post about your own birthday. |
| Good luck! | Before a test or an interview. |
| What a shame! / That's too bad | To show sympathy. |
| No way! | To show surprise. |
Goodbyes and other useful phrases
| Expression | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Goodbye / Bye | Bye is more informal. |
| See you | Informal. |
| See you tomorrow | When you'll meet the next day. |
| Take care | A warm goodbye. |
| Have a good day | Also: Have a good one. |
| Enjoy your meal | Before a meal. |
| What time is it? | To ask the time. |
| Homemaker / Housewife | Homemaker is more neutral. |
| At | For the @ sign: name at gmail dot com. |
| I'm hungry | English uses be, not have. |
The differences that confuse learners
- Good evening vs good night: the first is a greeting; the second is only for saying goodbye or before bed.
- Excuse me vs sorry: excuse me comes before you bother someone; sorry, after.
- How are you?: often just a greeting; Fine, thanks. And you? is enough.
Practice these expressions out loud
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between good evening and good night?
Good evening is a greeting; good night is only for saying goodbye or before going to bed.
How do you reply to thank you?
You're welcome is the standard reply. No problem is common in informal situations.
When do you say excuse me and when sorry?
Excuse me before you interrupt or bother someone; sorry after you've done something wrong.
How do you ask for a word in English?
How do you say … in English? To ask for a meaning: What does … mean?
