Everday phrases to start a conversation

[Т А Кузнецова]

      45+ Phrases for Your Very First Conversations

http://www.fluentu.com/english/blog/english-conversation-for-beginner

Informal greetings

Let’s start with informal greetings. Here is how you can say hello:

• Hello!
  (A universal greeting that works for every conversation.)

• Hi!
  (A neutral and friendly greeting.)

• Hey!
  (An informal and relaxed greeting.)

• Greetings!
  (This is quite formal and rare these days, but could be used humorously among friends.)

Formal greetings

For a more formal way to greet someone, use the model “good + [time of day]”:

• Good morning!
  (Reserved for any time before noon.)

• Good afternoon! 
  (Typically used between noon and 5-6 p.m.)

• Good evening!
  (Any time after 6 p.m.)

Remember that “good night” normally means that you are saying goodbye. It is also commonly used right before going to bed.

If you want to introduce a person to someone else, you can simply say:

• Please meet + [name]
  Please meet my friend Tom!
  (Formal introduction)

• This is + [name]
  This is Tom!
  (Common introduction)

Now that you have introduced yourself, here is how to respond to someone’s introduction:

• Nice to meet you!
  (The most common)

• Pleasure to meet you!
  (Simple and polite)

• It’s a pleasure!
  (Informal, but nice)

Great job! You are already having a conversation!

 

Making Small Talk

• How are you? / How are you doing?
  (Neutral)

• How’s it going?
  (More informal)

• How are things?
  (Informal)

• What’s up?
  (Very informal)

Instead, a simple answer and a “how are you” in return is usually enough:

• I’m well. How are you?

• It’s going well, thank you. How are you doing?

• Fine, thanks. And yourself?

Asking and Answering Questions

A conversation is an exchange of ideas, questions and thoughts. The best way to keep a conversation going is to ask questions!

There are two types of questions you may ask: closed-ended and open-ended questions.

Closed-ended questions are also called “yes/no” questions, because their goal is to confirm or deny certain information. For example:

• Are you having a good day?

• Did you just get to the office?

• Have you seen my email?

Compare the examples above to the open-ended questions below. They will ask a person to elaborate—that is, to give more information instead of simply saying “yes” or “no.”

• How is your day going?
  (A perfect example of small talk!)

• When did you arrive to the office?

• What do you think about that email I sent?

Asking for Clarification

You are getting good at conversing in English, but suddenly you realize that you are lost. Maybe the other person is speaking too fast. Maybe she has an unfamiliar accent. Maybe you didn’t hear the last thing she said.

It is perfectly normal to ask for clarification or to repeat something. Just remember to be polite!

If you don’t understand something, let’s say a word or even some idea relating to your conversation, you could say:

• I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Could you please repeat that?

• I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Could you please explain that?

or even…

• Care to elaborate?
  (This very informal question is the short version of “Do you care to elaborate on this?”)

If you simply didn’t hear something, just say it like this:

• I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that. Could you please repeat?

• I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Could you please repeat?

or even…

• Say it again, please?

Don’t be shy to ask for help. People are generally very happy to explain or repeat something! Please don’t forget to thank them after they do.

Using Small Talk to End a Conversation

Hey, guess what? Small talk can be used at the end of the conversation too! Before saying goodbye, it is polite to say something like…

• Have a good day!
  (This works in any situation.)

• Enjoy your day!
  (This one is a bit more formal.)

• Good luck!
  (If the person needs it; it will depend on the situation.)

• Talk to you soon!
  (This is neutral and does not necessarily mean that you will really talk to the person soon.)

• Great seeing you / Great talking to you!
  (This is informal yet common.)

• Catch you later!
  (This is very informal and fun.)

And after that, the only thing left to do is…

Saying Goodbye

This one is easy. You really cannot go wrong with just a simple “goodbye” or “bye.” You can also use any small talk expression to complement your goodbye. For example:

• Bye! Have a good day!

• Catch you later! Bye-bye!

And, as mentioned at the very beginning of this guide…

• Good night!

Simple, right?

You are now an English conversation master!

Having a conversation in English does not have to be complicated. You may feel a little awkward and a little shy at first, but it is okay.

If you are scared of making a mistake, it is understandable. But mistakes are going to happen; it is absolutely normal. Making mistakes is a big part of learning. This is how you get better.

Just go for it. Just start talking, because now you know what to say!

[Uchilka]

Спасибо, очень компактно организованных документ, буду использовать как моноязычный справочно-учебный  материал.

[Profy]

Огроменное спасибо!!!