Directions:  Below is a reading about some different ways to greet somebody and say goodbye to them in English.  Some of the more difficult words are underlined for you.  If the word is underlined, you can click on it to learn what the word means. (source: http://www.fluentu.com/english/blog/english-greetings-expressions)

Hey, Hey man, or Hi

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” doesn’t always mean “hello”. “Hey” can also be used to call for someone’s attention.

How’s it going? or How are you doing?

These are casual ways of asking “how are you?” If you’re 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 “it’s going well” or “I’m doing well” depending on the question.  Although it’s 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?”.

What’s up?, What’s new?, or What’s going on?

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 that’s going on in your life, before asking “what about you?” to continue the conversation.

Bye

This is the standard goodbye. It’s short, simple, and you can say it to absolutely anyone. It’s appropriate for friends and family, as well as co-workers and business partners. Even if you use some of the other expressions on this list, you normally still say “bye” as well afterwards.

Bye bye! 

This sweet and babyish expression is usually only used when speaking to children. Occasionally, adults will say “bye bye” to each other, but only if they know each other quite well and they’re trying to be flirtatious or cute. You don’t want to say this to a colleague or business partner.

See you later, See you soon or Talk to you later

These are appropriate for anyone, from co-workers to friends. Often, we say one of these expressions before saying “bye”, because “bye” can sound a little short on its own. Keep in mind that “you” is usually pronounced “ya”.

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