learn the local slang

First things first. Let us understand different forms of greetings in English language first. Let us understand seventeen (17) useful English Greetings. You probably already know hello and how are you?

However, English speakers dont always say hello and how are you?
-They also use many other English greetings and expressions to say slightly different things.
-You can also use such English greetings to sound more natural, and also to express yourself more clearly and precisely.
-Lets learn how to use some other simple formal and informal English greetings, as well as fun slang expressions that people around the world use to greet each other.
-Whether youre an ESL student or a English business professional, weve got you covered.

Informal Greetings and Expressions
-English-speaking people usually greet each other in an informal way, so you can use these common conversational greetings for friends, family, as well as people you meet in casual settings.

1. Hey, Hey man, or Hi (Informal Casual Greetings)
-You can use hey and hi to greet someone instead of hello. Both are particularly popular among younger people. While hi is appropriate to use in any casual situation, hey is for people who have already met. If you say hey to a stranger, it might be confusing for that person because he or she will try to remember when you met before! You can also add man to the end of hey when greeting males. Some people also use hey man to casually greet younger women, but only do this if you know the woman very well. Remember that hey doesnt always mean hello.
Hey can also be used to call for someones attention.

2. Hows it going? or How are you doing? (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These are casual ways of asking how are you? If youre trying to be particularly polite, stick with how are you? but otherwise, you can use these expressions to greet almost anyone. The word going is usually shortened, so it sounds more like go-in. You can answer with its going well or Im doing well depending on the question. Although its not grammatically correct, most people just answer good and you can too. Like when responding to how are you? you can also follow your answer by asking and you?.

3. Whats up?, Whats new?, or Whats going on? (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These are some other informal ways of asking how are you? which are typically used to casually greet someone you have met before. Most people answer with nothing or not much. Or, if it feels right to make small talk, you could also briefly describe anything new or interesting thats going on in your life, before asking what about you? to continue the conversation.

4. Hows everything ?, How are things?, or Hows life? (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These are some other common ways of asking how are you? They can be used to casually greet anyone, but most often theyre used to greet someone you already know. To these, you can answer good or not bad. Again, if small talk feels appropriate, you could also briefly share any interesting news about your life, and then ask the person what about you? or another greeting question.

5. Hows your day? or Hows your day going? (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These questions mean how are you? not just right now, but how youve been all day. You would use these greetings later in the day and with someone you see regularly. For example, you might ask a co-worker one of these questions in the afternoon, or a cashier that you see at the grocery store every evening. Its going well is the grammatically correct response, but many people simply answer with fine, good or alright. By the way, notice that good, fine or not bad are perfect answers to almost any greeting question.

6. Good to see you or Nice to see you (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These casual greetings are used with friends, co-workers or family members that you havent seen in a while. Its common for close friends to hug when they greet each other, particularly if they havent seen each other in some time; so you might use this greeting along with a hug or handshake depending on your relationship with the person.

7. Long time no see or Its been a while (Informal Casual Greetings)
-These casual greetings are used when you havent seen someone in a long time, particularly if you meet that person unexpectedly. How much is a long time? It depends on how often you normally see that person. For example, you could use one of these greetings if you normally see the person every week, but then dont see them for a few months or more. Usually, these phrases are followed with a question like how are you, how have you been? or whats new?

Business and Formal Greetings
-Its best to begin by using formal greetings in most business situations, and then listen to how your co-workers or business partners greet you. Its a good idea to wait until someone speaks casually with you before you speak casually with them. You may find that people will begin to use casual greetings with you over time, as you get to know each other better. Formal greetings are also used when you meet older people.

8. Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening
-These are formal ways of saying hello, which change depending on the time of day. Keep in mind that good night is only used to say good bye, so if you meet someone late in the day, remember to greet them with good evening, rather than good night. Good morning can be made more casual by simply saying morning. You can also use afternoon or evening as informal greetings, but these are less commonly used.

9. Its nice to meet you or Pleased to meet you
-These greetings are formal and polite. If you say this to someone when you meet him or her for the first time, it will make you seem courteous. Remember to only use these greetings the first time you meet someone. Next time you see the person you can show that you remember him or her by saying its nice to see you again

10. How have you been?
-This greeting question is only asked by people who have already met. If someone asks you how have you been? they want to know if you have been well since the last time the two of you met.

11. How do you do?
-This greeting is VERY formal, and quite uncommon, but it may still be used by some older people. The proper response is as strange as it seems, you too can ask how do you do? right back as an answer. Some people say Im doing well, this is also an acceptable response. But one should never answer I am fine

Slang English Greetings
-Slang greetings are extremely informal, and should only be used with people that you know very well, and feel very comfortable with. Keep in mind that a lot of slang is regional, and using Australian slang, for example, in America can sound quite strange. Youll need to learn the local slang wherever you are, but these common examples will help you get started.

12. Yo!
-This extremely informal greeting is common in America. It comes from 1990s hip-hop slang and these days its often used jokingly. This greeting should only be used with very close friends, and never in a business setting.

13. Are you OK?, You alright?, or Alright mate?
-This casual way of asking both hello and how are you is common in Britain. You can respond yeah, fine, or simply alright.

14. Howdy!
-This is a very informal abbreviation of how do you do? that is common in certain parts of Canada and the U.S. Keep in mind that if you say howdy outside of these regions, you will sound like a cowboy, and it might make the other person laugh.