Informal greetings, English greetings, casual conversations, everyday English, friendly greetings. A guide to common informal greetings in English for casual and friendly conversations.
Informal greetings are used in everyday conversations among friends, family, and peers. They help create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
- Used in casual settings
- Can include slang and contractions
- Often followed by small talk or questions about well-being
Common Informal Greetings
Below are some of the most common informal greetings used in English. These can be used to say hello in a friendly and casual way.
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hi | Hi! How are you? | ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? |
| Hey | Hey! What’s up? | ¡Hey! ¿Qué pasa? |
| Hello | Hello! Long time no see. | ¡Hola! Cuánto tiempo sin verte. |
| Yo | Yo! How's it going? | ¡Yo! ¿Cómo va? |
| Sup | Sup? You coming tonight? | ¿Qué pasa? ¿Vienes esta noche? |
| Hiya | Hiya! Ready for the trip? | ¡Hola! ¿Listo para el viaje? |
| Heya | Heya! Missed you! | ¡Hola! ¡Te extrañé! |
| What’s up? | What’s up? Anything new? | ¿Qué tal? ¿Algo nuevo? |
| How’s it going? | How’s it going? Busy day? | ¿Cómo va todo? ¿Día ocupado? |
| Long time no see | Long time no see! How have you been? | ¡Cuánto tiempo! ¿Cómo has estado? |
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Hi! How are you?
The Spanish phrase “¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?” translates directly to “Hi! How are you?” in English.
Informal Greetings for Time of Day
These greetings are less formal alternatives to “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” and “Good evening.”
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Morning! | Morning! Did you sleep well? | ¡Buenos días! ¿Dormiste bien? |
| Afternoon! | Afternoon! Let’s grab lunch. | ¡Buenas tardes! Vamos a almorzar. |
| Evening! | Evening! What’s for dinner? | ¡Buenas noches! ¿Qué hay para cenar? |
| Night! | Night! Don’t stay up too late. | ¡Noche! No te quedes despierto hasta tarde. |
| Hey, morning! | Hey, morning! Coffee time? | ¡Hola, buenos días! ¿Hora del café? |
| Hey, evening! | Hey, evening! Quiet night? | ¡Hola, buenas noches! ¿Noche tranquila? |
| Late night! | Late night! Watching movies? | ¡Noche tarde! ¿Viendo películas? |
| Top of the morning! | Top of the morning! Ready to go? | ¡Muy buenos días! ¿Listo para salir? |
| Bright morning! | Bright morning! Let’s be productive. | ¡Buen día! Seamos productivos. |
| Chill evening! | Chill evening! Time to relax. | ¡Noche tranquila! Hora de relajarse. |
Greetings with Time References
These greetings acknowledge the time since you last saw or spoke to someone and are common among people who know each other.
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Long time no see | Long time no see! How have you been? | ¡Cuánto tiempo! ¿Cómo has estado? |
| It’s been a while | It’s been a while! What’s new? | ¡Ha pasado un tiempo! ¿Qué hay de nuevo? |
| Been ages! | Been ages! Let’s catch up soon. | ¡Cuánto tiempo! Pongámonos al día pronto. |
| Haven’t seen you in ages | Haven’t seen you in ages! Missed you. | ¡Hace siglos que no te veo! Te extrañé. |
| Look who it is! | Look who it is! Still the same old you? | ¡Miren quién está aquí! ¿Sigues igual? |
| Long time! | Long time! How’s life treating you? | ¡Hace tiempo! ¿Cómo te va en la vida? |
| It’s been too long | It’s been too long! We need a reunion. | ¡Ha pasado demasiado tiempo! Necesitamos una reunión. |
| Where have you been? | Where have you been? We missed you. | ¿Dónde has estado? Te extrañamos. |
| Back again! | Back again! Ready for round two? | ¡De vuelta! ¿Listo para la segunda ronda? |
| Guess who? | Guess who? I have stories to tell. | ¿Adivina quién? Tengo historias que contar. |
Greetings with Follow-Up Questions
These greetings include a question to keep the conversation going. They are useful for showing interest in the other person.
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hi! How are you? | Hi! How are you? Everything okay? | ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? ¿Todo bien? |
| Hey! What’s up? | Hey! What’s up? Anything exciting? | ¡Hey! ¿Qué pasa? ¿Algo emocionante? |
| Yo! How’s it going? | Yo! How’s it going? Busy day? | ¡Yo! ¿Cómo va? ¿Día ocupado? |
| What’s new? | What’s new? Got any plans? | ¿Qué hay de nuevo? ¿Tienes planes? |
| How’s your day? | How’s your day? Going smoothly? | ¿Cómo va tu día? ¿Todo bien? |
| What’s good? | What’s good? Tried that new café? | ¿Qué hay de bueno? ¿Probaste el nuevo café? |
| How have you been? | How have you been? I’ve missed you. | ¿Cómo has estado? Te he extrañado. |
| What’s going on? | What’s going on? Anything fun? | ¿Qué pasa? ¿Algo divertido? |
| How’s life? | How’s life? Still loving your job? | ¿Cómo está la vida? ¿Sigues amando tu trabajo? |
| What’s happening? | What’s happening? Ready for the weekend? | ¿Qué sucede? ¿Listo para el fin de semana? |
Slang and Colloquial Greetings
These greetings are very casual and often used among close friends or younger people. Use them carefully depending on the context.
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Yo! Let’s hit the gym. | ¡Yo! Vamos al gimnasio. |
| Sup | Sup? You coming out? | ¿Qué pasa? ¿Sales? |
| Whassup | Whassup? Got any gossip? | ¿Qué pasa? ¿Tienes chismes? |
| Howdy | Howdy! Ready for the barbecue? | ¡Howdy! ¿Listo para la barbacoa? |
| ‘Sup | ‘Sup! Long time no chat. | ¡‘Sup! Cuánto tiempo sin hablar. |
| Heyo | Heyo! Game night tonight? | ¡Heyo! ¿Noche de juegos hoy? |
| Yo yo | Yo yo! What’s the plan? | ¡Yo yo! ¿Cuál es el plan? |
| Hi hi | Hi hi! Feeling good today? | ¡Hi hi! ¿Te sientes bien hoy? |
| Hey hey | Hey hey! Let’s catch up soon. | ¡Hey hey! Pongámonos al día pronto. |
| Wazzup | Wazzup? Seen the new movie? | ¿Qué tal? ¿Viste la nueva película? |
Responding to Informal Greetings
Here are some common ways to respond to informal greetings. These responses keep the conversation light and friendly.
| English Response | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hey! | Hey! How’s it going? | ¡Hey! ¿Cómo va? |
| Hi! | Hi! What’s up? | ¡Hola! ¿Qué pasa? |
| Yo! | Yo! All good here. | ¡Yo! Todo bien aquí. |
| Sup? | Sup? Just chilling. | ¿Qué pasa? Solo relajándome. |
| Not much | Not much. You? | No mucho. ¿Y tú? |
| All good | All good. How about you? | Todo bien. ¿Y tú? |
| Same old | Same old. What about you? | Lo de siempre. ¿Y tú? |
| Just chilling | Just chilling. You? | Solo relajándome. ¿Y tú? |
| Busy | Busy, but hanging in there. | Ocupado, pero aguantando. |
| Can’t complain | Can’t complain. Life’s good. | No me quejo. La vida es buena. |
Greetings in Texts and Online
These greetings are commonly used in text messages, social media, and online chats. They are often short and may include emojis.
| English Greeting | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hey! | Hey! 😊 How are you? | ¡Hey! 😊 ¿Cómo estás? |
| Hi! | Hi! 👋 What’s up? | ¡Hola! 👋 ¿Qué pasa? |
| Yo! ✌️ | Yo! ✌️ You online? | ¡Yo! ✌️ ¿Estás en línea? |
| Sup? | Sup? 🤔 Got a sec? | ¿Qué pasa? 🤔 ¿Tienes un momento? |
| Heya! | Heya! 🙌 Ready to chat? | ¡Hola! 🙌 ¿Listo para hablar? |
| Morning! ☀️ | Morning! ☀️ Coffee’s ready. | ¡Buenos días! ☀️ El café está listo. |
| Evening! | Evening! 🌙 Any plans? | ¡Buenas noches! 🌙 ¿Planes? |
| What’s up? | What’s up? 🤙 Weekend vibes. | ¿Qué tal? 🤙 Vibras de fin de semana. |
| Hi there! | Hi there! 👋 Long time! | ¡Hola! 👋 ¡Cuánto tiempo! |
| Yo yo! 🙋♂️ | Yo yo! 🙋♂️ Let’s catch up. | ¡Yo yo! 🙋♂️ Pongámonos al día. |
¿Cuál saludo se usa comúnmente en chats en línea con un tono amistoso y casual?
Which greeting is commonly used in online chats with a friendly, casual tone?
Hey! 😊
“Hey! 😊” is a casual, friendly greeting often used in text messaging and online chats.
Cultural Tips
Informal English greetings vary by region and culture. Here are some tips to use them appropriately:
| Tip | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Use names | Adding a name makes it more personal. | Hey, Sarah! What’s up? |
| Be mindful of context | Not all situations are suitable for slang. | Avoid “Yo” in formal meetings. |
| Match energy | Mirror the other person’s tone and style. | If they say “Hey,” don’t reply “Good afternoon.” |
| Smile and gesture | In person, a smile or wave adds warmth. | Smile and say, “Hi!” |
| Listen for cues | Pay attention to how others greet you. | Follow their lead in group chats. |
| Use emojis online | Emojis can soften the tone in texts. | “Hey! 😊” feels friendlier than “Hey!” |
| Don’t overuse slang | Too much can seem insincere or forced. | Limit “Yo,” “Sup,” etc., in new friendships. |
| Ask follow-up questions | Shows genuine interest and keeps chat going. | “Hey! How’s your day?” |
| Time of day matters | Morning greetings may feel odd late at night. | Use “Evening” or “Night” after 6 PM. |
| Be culturally aware | Some greetings are region-specific. | “Howdy” is more common in the U.S. South. |
Informal greetings are a natural part of daily English conversation. Using them confidently will help you connect with others in a relaxed and friendly way.
Flashcards (1 of 70)
- Example: Hi! How are you?
- Translation: ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
- English Greeting: Hi
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
