English · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Greetings and introductions
Choose formal or informal openings, names, origins, and farewells.
Understand the choice
A complete introduction moves from greeting to name, origin, and a polite response. Hello is neutral; hi is informal; good morning/afternoon/evening are time-specific.
Core rule: Use my name is/I am… for a name and be from for origin; greeting choice depends on time and formality.
Notice it in context
Good morning, my name is Amina, and I am from Bristol.
Buenos días, me llamo Amina y soy de Bristol.
Good morning opens the exchange; my name is introduces identity; am from gives origin.
Hello, what is your name? Nice to meet you.
I greet you, ask your identity, and respond politely.
Hello, name, and nice to meet you form an introduction.
Good evening, are you from Leeds? Goodbye for now.
I greet you in the evening, ask your origin, and leave.
Good evening, be from, and goodbye appear in one exchange.
What to remember
- Good night is normally a farewell before sleep, not an arrival greeting.
- How do you do? is formal and less common than Nice to meet you.
Common trap: Do not use good night to greet someone arriving in the evening.