Basic words for kinder

Kindergarten Sight Words to Know (With Free Printable)

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If you're working with kindergarteners, a lot of your time will be spent helping them build language and reading skills. Sight words will be a primary focus of many of your lessons and activities. Use the helpful list of kindergarten sight words, along with related teaching tips, to help your students establish the strong language arts foundation they need to succeed in elementary school and beyond.

Dolch List: Basic Sight Words for Kindergarten

The Dolch sight words list is commonly used in elementary school classes. The full list contains more than 200 words, but not all of the terms are designed for use with kindergarten students. There are just over 50 (52 to be exact) kindergarten-specific sight words on the list. Those are the terms you should focus on when teaching basic sight words to kindergarteners.

Printable List of Kindergarten Sight Words

The printable list of the Dolch kindergarten sight words is colorful and visually appealing, so it works well as a handout to share with students. Young children are sure to enjoy reviewing and studying the list!

52 kindergarten sight words

Kindergarten Sight Words A-G

You may want to break the word list down into relatively small alphabetical groupings, starting with the ones that begin with letters "a" through "g."

• all
• am
• are
• at
• ate
• be
• black
• brown
• but
• came
• did
• do
• eat
• four
• get
• good

Kindergarten Sight Words H-P

If you're proceeding alphabetically, move next to the words that start with "h" through "p. "

• have
• he
• into
• like
• must
• new
• no
• now
• on
• our
• out
• please
• pretty

Kindergarten Sight Words R-U

The next logical division is the words that begin with "r" through "u."

• ran
• ride
• saw
• say
• she
• so
• soon
• that
• there
• they
• this
• too
• under

Kindergarten Sight Words W-Y

Finally, move to words that start with "w" through "y." Please note that the Dolch kindergarten sight words list doesn't include any terms that begin with the letter "z."

• want
• was
• well
• went
• what
• white
• who
• will
• with
• yes

Activities to Teach Kindergartners Sight Words

There are many ways to teach sight words to kindergarten students Whatever strategies you use, focus on helping students learn how to recognize and properly use sight words.

• Start with these lessons to learn kindergarten sight words, which focus on using flashcards, creating an animated movie and writing a song.
• Include some fun sight word games into your class, such as creating patterns with sight words or scavenger hunts to find hidden sight word flashcards.
• Challenge students to listen closely for sight words during storytime, and award prizes to the first student who raises a hand when a sight word is spoken.
• Assign students to come up with original sentences using certain sight words. Start with just one sight word per sentence, then make it more challenging by requiring two or three.
• Spur creativity by assigning students to work visual representations of one or more sight words into a drawing or other art project.
• Have students create a greeting card for a parent or other caregiver that features one or more sight words in the design or text.
• Challenge students to describe designated objects using only sight words. This can be a group, partner or individual activity.
• Read off a selection of phrases or sentences with sight words and ask students to ring a bell or hold up a card any time you speak one of their sight words.
• Host a sight word spelling bee, offering prizes to all students who make it through the round without misspelling any terms from the kindergarten sight word list.
• Engage in a round-robin storytelling game, with each student coming up with a sentence using a sight word. Go around the room in order so that the sentences form a story. Whether the story makes sense or not, it'll be fun and students will get to practice using their sight words.

Tips for Developing a Sight Words Lesson Plan

For teaching kindergartners basic sight words, you should consider putting together a lesson plan focused on sight words appropriate for their grade level. Be sure to remember to add the fun into the lesson plans along with structured lessons.

• Take a close look at the resources you have around you in the classroom. Come up with a few objectives and goals which you would like your kindergartners to accomplish.
• The next part of your lesson should specify how you intend to teach the reading and spelling of the sight words. Use some of the activity ideas listed above, as well as any other sight word games or teaching methods appropriate for the subject matter.

Before you know it you will have a rock-solid plan on how to teach your students about their basic sight words.

Building Langage Skills in Kindergarten

FREE Printable List of Kindergarten Sight Words & How to Teach Them

If you’ve got a child in kindergarten, you’ll want to get familiar with kindergarten sight words and learn how to teach your child to read & learn sight words.

As a child play therapist and teacher, I understand how important it is to understand what sight words are, as well as understanding which activities, games, and apps are best to use to teach them.

This post has been updated to include more Kindergarten Sight Word Resources for parents and teachers (like this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet). 

Sight words are words that kindergarteners will see the most. Sight words are a commonly used term that usually refers to a set of words that reappears on almost any page of text.  

These high-frequency words are seen often.  In fact, between 50-75% of your child’s text will include sight words from pre-primer & primer Dolch word lists.

What are sight words?

To become a great reader, children must master their sight words. It is essential to learn their sight words and to continue to practice them. Once your child has mastered them, it is time to move onto the next list.

When your child is looking at these words on a daily basis, they will learn them quickly.  Repetition is the key to fluency (reading smoothly, without a lot of pauses), so practicing these words over and over will help to achieve that goal. Here is a FREE printable list of Kindergarten Sight Words (click here, and I will send you the list)

Or if you really want the complete package, get this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet. As a child play therapist, I put this packet together so you can help your child learn sight words. You can print it over and over again to help your child learn his or her sight words.

There are 52 sight words that are typically taught in kindergarten.

The Kindergarten Sight Words are:

all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, did, do, eat, four, get, good, have, he, into, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, there, they, this, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes.

These are the 52 most commonly seen words in kindergarten level books. When a child is able to master those words, it not only makes it easier for them to read the words, it also improves their fluency or how quickly and smoothly they can read a passage.

To begin, simply introduce your child to the list (show your child, hang it up, read them).

Read all of the words to your child (every day) and explain that he will be learning a new word every day (or every other day). Be excited about it.

On day one, see if your child knows any of the words. If they do, put a sticker, a checkmark, or a smiley face to the left of the word (there is space for that). If not, that’s OK! He will.

Every single day, go over the new word, as well as the OLD words that they know. I start by going over the old words with the sticker and then picking a new word. I say it, spell it, say it again, and ask my child to repeat it.

During the day, we will talk about that word and go back to the wall where it is hanging to look at it. I do this at least three times. I keep my chart in the pantry, so anytime our kids eat a snack or want to grab something, they see the words.

Continue to add a sticker, checkmark, or a smiley face to their new words, until the whole list has been completed. From then on, you can just review them every day or every few days.

As the days go on, find these words in other areas (words in books, service words on signs, flash cards before bed…)

Related: YOU ARE WELCOME TO DOWNLOAD THIS SIGHT WORD CHECKLIST ↓ (free) by clicking here. 

SIGHT WORDS TO TRACE

Tracing kindergarten sight words gives children a chance to engage with the words in a new and different way. By combining multiple learning styles in one lesson, kids are more likely to learn and recall their sight words. Here are a couple of methods for creating kindergarten sight words to trace.

• Rainbow Writing: At the beginning of the school year, have students trace the sight words in three different colors. This repetition helps them develop motor memory while also solidifying the spelling of the word. As the school year progresses, have students write the words independently in three colors. They can overlap the colors or write them three separate times.
• Dry Erase Words: Kids love writing with different writing tools, so dry erase markers always make things more fun!
   – Print out the kindergarten sight words you’d like students to practice on a sheet of heavy cardstock.
   – Slip the cardstock into a transparent page protector and clip it to a clipboard.
   – Then, with a dry erase marker, students can trace the sight words on the page protector.
  If they make a mistake, it can be erased with a tissue or an old sock!

Technology has made even the youngest students digitally savvy. If you have access to a computer or tablet and a printer, have your students type their kindergarten sight words and print them out.

Kids love working in word processing programs and learning how to type. They can print the words in different colors, fonts, and sizes. Use the sight words they printed to decorate the room or as part of their reading folder.

If you minimize the page size, you could even use their printed words as Kindergarten sight word flashcards!

Learning sight words are important, but kids need to learn how to identify those words in sentences.

For early readers, being able to pick out kindergarten sight words in sentences means they have a complete understanding of the word.

Not only can they trace and write the word, but they can pick it out amidst other words. This is an important skill as they continue to develop their reading abilities.

One way to help kids identify their sight words in sentences is to play a modified version of I Spy. Instead of looking for objects, they are tasked with finding sight words. Give them a highlighter or highlighter tape to cover the word once they have found it.

Since kindergarteners have a limited reading vocabulary, make the sentences as uncomplicated as possible. Even three-word sentences allow students to practice finding and identifying sight words. If you want to make it more challenging, add a couple of sight words in each sentence!

Kindergarten sight words are basic words that are seen the most frequently in grade-level books. Many of the words are hard to illustrate because of their simplicity. One way to create flashcards of kindergarten sight words with pictures is to have students decorate them or create an illustration that helps them remember the word.

For example, they may draw someone crawling under a table, or they might draw a picture of a toy that has fallen under a bed to illustrate the word “UNDER. ”  

Whatever image helps them remember the word is fine to use. The goal is to help them learn the words so there is no right or wrong.

Kindergarten sight word flashcards are especially helpful for quick practice. They can be useful for reviewing words at home or on the go.

Some people even uploaded them as virtual flashcards to a tablet or smartphone to be practiced while in the car, visiting relatives, or on vacation.

It doesn’t matter if you print them out to review alone, study them from a device, or turn them into a game; sight word flashcards are a great way to reinforce kindergarten vocabulary.

When using Kindergarten Sight Word Flashcards, start with three sight words. When your child knows these three words, add one additional word at a time to the existing words the child already knows.

If you add more, your child will likely become frustrated – and we want this to be fun! Continue adding one word at a time until your child can recognize all Kindergarten sight words.

Learning is always more effective when it’s turned into a game! Here are some of our favorite sight word games and apps.

• Go on a Word Hunt: Look for sight words in your Kindergartener’s favorite book! Count how many you can find. You could also print out a list of kindergarten sight words and put a checkmark next to each one you find.
• Sight Word Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk with chalk and write different sight words in each square. As your child hops from square to square, have him call out the sight word he’s jumping to.
• Sight Word Water Balloon Smash: Fill water balloons and write sight words on each balloon in a permanent marker. On the sidewalk, write the sight words in chalk. Have your child choose a balloon, match it to the word on the sidewalk, and smash it on the chalked word. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it’s also a great way to stay cool.
• There are more Games in this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet, like these puzzles, etc.

• Sight Words by Photo Touch – Free.  This no-frills sight word app lets kids match the sight words and progress through the different levels.
• Sight Words List by Innovative Mobile Apps – $1.39. Bright and simple, this app lets you use pre-built lists of sight words or create your own. There are also challenges where kids can pick the sight word out of a group of words. The clear font makes the words easy to read.
• Sight Words: Kids Learn by Teacher Created Materials – Free. This sight words app features more frills than the two above. The pictures are colorful, the font is clear, and there are multiple games to help students practice their sight words.
• Print this FREE Kindergarten sight word list – Hang it by your door or on your refrigerator.  Review the list daily until your child can read them fluently and confidently.

You’ll also want to think about helping them even more by using this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet.

This printable packet is easy to use; you can download it and print it over & over to help your child.  The kids love it & they learn so much from the repetition of seeing the same words again & again.   It’s a great way to help your child learn their sight words, which helps them to learn to read well.

See these other posts to get your child ready for school

• Teach kids their name and number with ONE tip
• How to read to your preschooler
• 5 practical, time-saving tips for school mornings

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Words "kinder" morphological and phonetic analysis

Explanation of the rules for dividing (breaking down) the word "kinder" into syllables for transfer.
The Soosle.ru online dictionary will help: parse the word “ kinder ” phonetically and morphologically by composition, correctly divide into syllables according to the rules of the Russian language, highlight parts of the word, put stress, indicate the meaning, synonyms, antonyms and compatibility for the word “ kinder ".

Content:

• 1 Syllables in the word "kinder" division into syllables
• 2 How to translate the word "kinder"
• 3 Morphological analysis of the word "kinder"
• 4 Parsing the word "kinder" by composition
• Similar morphemic structure of the word “kinder”
• 6 Synonyms of the word “kinder”
• 7 Antonyms of the word “kinder”
• 8 Stress in the word “kinder”
• 9 Phonetic transcription of the word “kinder”
• 10 Phonetic analysis of the word “kinder” letters and sounds (Sound-letter)
• 11 Sentences with the word "kinder"
• 12 Matches of the word "kinder"
• 13 Meaning of the word "kinder"
• 14 How to spell the word "kinder"
• 15 Associations to the word "kinder"

Number of syllables: 3
By syllables: do-bre-e

According to the rules of the school curriculum, the word "kinder" can be divided into syllables in different ways. Variability is allowed, that is, all options are correct. For example, like this:
dob-re-e

According to the program of the institute, syllables are distinguished on the basis of ascending sonority:
do-bre-e

The types of syllables are listed below and the division is explained taking into account the program of the institute and schools with in-depth study of the Russian language.

How to transfer the word “kinder”

to -bree
kind - DOOKS

Morphological analysis of the word “kinder”

Part Speech:

comparators

Grammar:

part of speech: comparative;
other signs: qualitative, comparative degree on po-;
answers the question: How?

Initial form:

kinder

Analysis of the word "kinder" by composition

kind

Words similar in morphemic structure “kinder”

Words similar in morphemic structure

Synonyms of the word “kinder”

1. kindest

2. humane

3. complacent

4. worthy

5. good

002 6. Sensitive

7. Friendly

8. Affectionate

9. Human -loving

10. Human

11. Good -natured

12. Good -hearted

13. Soft -hearted

14. Convention

15. Soul

16. Heart

17. Good

18. not bad

19. Bad

20. Glorious

21. Lada

22. Standing

23. Good

24. At least where

25. Vazitsky

26. Belopodny

27. Responsive

28. Moral

29. Close

30. Excellent

31. impeccable

32. Primain

33. Benefichered

34. Dobrenkiykoy

35. Better

36. Friendly

37. Big

38. Healthy

39. LISED

40. MUSH

41. MORY

42. Golden heart

43. Gracious

44. Frontier

45. Great Heart

46. Sugar

47. Environmental

48. Decent

49. The first variety

50. Silent

51. Silly

52. good

53. Blessed

Antonyms of the word “kinder”

1. Evil

2. Bad

3. thin

4. Harry

The word “kinder”

KEAR- stress falls on 2- th syllable

Phonetic transcription of the word "kinder"

[dabr'`hey'e]

Phonetic analysis of the word "kinder" into letters and sounds (Sound-letter)

Number of letters and sounds:
Based on the analysis made, we conclude that the word has 6 letters and 7 sounds.
Letters: 3 vowels, 3 consonants.
Sounds: 3 vowels, 4 consonants.

Sentences with the word "kinder"

Another morning was not a good , like most of my awakenings over the past month.

Source: Elena Mityagina, Two colors of reality.

Where is it heard that for a good deed a person was put in a coffin?

Source: R. D. Bradbury, Once upon a time there was an old woman, 1944.

He bowed awkwardly and wished us good evening in French.

Numbering of letters in the word “kinder” and vice versa:

Associations to the word “kinder”

• Omen

• Ox

• Shepherd

• Wish

• Morning

• Christian

• Fairy

• Message

• Cape

• Motivation

• Well done

• Evening

• Intention

• Catholic

• Perfume

• Wizard

• Health

• Temper

• Ten

• Uncle

• Elya

• Beginning

• Uncle

• Dozen

• Will

• Advisor

• Sorceress

• Coercion

• Soul

• Kindness

• Act

• Half

• Day

• Heart

• Christiana

• Half a meter

• Old

• Thought

• Alms

• Caring

• Generous

• Evil

• Meek

• Affectionate

• Loving

• Selfless

• Friendly

• Compliant

• Generous

• Hardworking

• Patient

• Sensitive

• Fair

• Honest

• Innocent

• Trusting

• Indulgent

• Merciful

• Burgundy

• Fatherly

• Virtuous

• Selfless

• Proper

• Sympathetic

• Cute

• Attentive

• Tolerant

• Wise

• Pious

• Hot-tempered

• Welcome

• Sociable

• Smart

• Artless

• Smiling

• Devout

• Glorious

• Humane

• Old

• Noble

• Courteous

• Charming

• Serve

• Say hello

• Greet

• Wish

• Remember

• portend

• Greet

• Remember

• Shelter

• Stain

• Sow

• bless

• Escape

• Promise

• Friendly

• Will

• Cardio

• Welcome

List of Greetings in English: 29 Words and Phrases

Hello, Bonjour, Hola, Salaam, Guten tag, Hello, Hello!

This is the first word you will learn in any new language - a greeting that shows your intention to talk to someone. Chances are you learned the basic greetings in English before you even started spending time on your language skills. But if you want to get the most out of your first impression, there are plenty of brighter ways to say hello.

Want to learn how to professionally greet colleagues via video call? Slang phrases to start a message to your cousin? Or a special British "Hello" to entertain the bus driver on your next trip to London? In this list, you will find words and phrases that will help you greet anyone in English with confidence.

Formal greetings

Sometimes you need to use more formal or business language to maintain a professional tone. Here are the most common situations where such greetings are needed:

• Interview
• Business meeting
• Communication with top management or CEO
• Chat with new colleagues
• Conversations with clients
• Showing respect for an elderly person
• Talking to someone you barely know

Use these greetings to start a formal conversation in any of these situations.

Good Morning / Good Afternoon / Good Evening

These formal ways of greeting people are used at different times of the day. Whether you're talking to a regular customer, co-workers, or new neighbors, these phrases will help you start communication effectively.

Greetings vary depending on the time of day. For example, "Good morning" is usually used from 5:00 to 12:00, while "Good afternoon" is suitable for the period from 12:00 to 18:00, and "Good evening" is often used after 18:00 or when the sun sets. .

Remember that "Goodnight" is not a greeting. In formal communication, it is used to say goodbye. For example:

• It was nice to meet you. goodnight!
• Goodnight! see you tomorrow.

To show your respect, you can also add the person's last name to your greetings. As a rule, native English speakers are more informal even in business communication and may use the person's name after greeting:

• Good morning, Mr. Houston
• Good afternoon, Ms. Partridge
• Good morning, Tom
• Good evening, Kelly

It is also customary to say "Good morning, sir/madam" when greeting a person whose name is unknown in a formal situation. This is often said by employees talking to customers in stores, restaurants and hotels.

Want to hone your speaking skills? Check out our article on the five basic principles of small talk.

How do you do?

If you're looking for a VERY formal way to say hello to someone you're meeting for the first time, this is the one to use. Although this greeting is quite rare today, it can still be heard from older people.

Hello. How do you do?" ideal for a business dinner or a formal event such as a conference. In accordance with professional speech in any language, the most appropriate response is neutral or positive: "I'm doing well, thank you / Fine, thank you" to keep your distance, even if you have a really really bad day!

As a formal greeting, sometimes, oddly enough, "How do you do" is used as a statement rather than a question. Most often this happens during the first handshake. If so, it will be easy to understand: there will be no interrogative intonation at the end of the sentence. In this case, the correct answer is to repeat the question to the questioner in the same even tone: “How do you do.”

Nice to meet you / Pleased to meet you

This is one example of a respectful greeting that you can use when replying to someone you meet for the first time. For example:

• A: Good morning. I'm Alex White from [Company].
• B: Nice to meet you, Mr. White.

People usually shake hands when they meet. The handshake usually lasts a few seconds, which gives enough time to say "Pleased to meet you."

How have you been?

This is a polite way of asking, " How are you?" when you haven't seen a person for a long time. Ask this question only if you have already dated someone before.

• A: How have you been?
• B: I've been busy working a lot. How about you?

The best way to get your greetings to sound natural and confident is to practice them out loud, preferably with a fluent person so they can give you directions. No one to practice with? Find your ideal English tutor online.

Formal greetings in letters and e-mails

In any language, many of the most formal conversations are in writing: job applications, legal issues, complaints about a company. Here are the best ways to say hello to someone in writing if you have something serious to say.

You can also check out our handy guide to writing emails in English .

Dear Sir or Madam

If you don't know the name of the person you are sending a professional or email letter to, "Dear Sir or Madam" is the most common way to start a conversation. It's clear, respectful, and to the point. Some occasions when this would be helpful:

• When you contact a department you would like to work with
• When you write an email to a company

However, if you can find the person you want to talk to with a little online research, it's much more professional to do so and send a personalized formal greeting.

To Whom It May Concern

This is another professional way to send an email to a stranger. It's a bit old fashioned, but perfect if your is a formal letter of will refer to a group of people, or if you want it to sound particularly reserved. Suitable Situations:

• When you send an email to an entire department that you are not familiar with;
• When you file a complaint with a company;
• When you send a letter of recommendation for someone you used to supervise.
To the Hiring Manager

If you are submitting a job application or to the HR department for a position you would like to apply for, “To the Hiring Manager” is a very helpful greeting. This is especially useful if you're sending an email to a company-wide "info@" mailbox because it signals that your message is about a job opportunity and immediately instructs whoever manages the mailbox to forward your message to the department. frames.

Dear Mr X / Mrs X / Ms X / Miss X / Prof X / Dr X

If you know the name and title of the person you are sending a formal email to, it's best to start the conversation with "Dear Mr [surname] " instead of "Dear sir or madam".

In rare cases, the person you are e-mailing to may use a salutation to indicate their profession. Doctors and PhD holders sometimes use "Dr" and college professors sometimes use "Prof". Otherwise, you can use "Dear Mr [surname]" for a man, "Dear Mrs [surname]" for a married woman, or "Dear Miss [surname]" for an unmarried woman. If you don't know the marital status of the woman you're emailing, you should use "Ms [surname]". If you don't know the name of the person you want to contact, or can't guess their gender from their name, try searching for them on Linkedin.

Be aware that even when sending very formal, professional messages, most people will switch to "Dear [First name]" after their first or second email exchange. Usually, the person you've contacted will respond using "Dear [first name]" and will politely address them in the same way after that.

Want inspiration for your next stitch? Check out our guide on how to start a letter and write a great introduction.

Informal greetings

When it comes to talking to a neighbor or chatting with co-workers during your coffee break, you can choose these informal greetings. Situations they are suitable for include:

• A chance meeting with colleagues
• Chatting with your team at work
• Networking and events
• Greeting neighbors
• …and others
Hello / Hi / Hey

As you almost certainly already know, " Hello " and " Hi " are the most popular greetings for informal situations. They are usually followed by the person's name:

• Hello, Michel. How are you?
• Hi, Monica. Nice to see you!

It is generally okay to say "hey" to people you know well. It's perfectly okay to start a conversation with a stranger in an informal setting with the word "hey", but don't use it too harshly or it may sound rude or confrontational.

Morning / Afternoon / Evening

This is a friendly and warm way to greet someone in the most informal situations. This sounds especially natural if you are just passing by someone with whom you communicate informally, but you do not have time for a long conversation, such as with a postman, a neighbor or a cafe employee. However, it also works well if you want to start a longer conversation.

How are you doing? / How's it going?

This is an informal way of asking "How are you?" People prefer to ask one of these questions after the main greeting. It is usually followed by a short positive response. For example:

• A: Hello, Amanda! How are you doing?
• B: Fine, thanks. And you?
Nice to see you / It's great to see you / Good to see you

If you haven't seen a person in a while or you meet someone unexpectedly, use one of these friendly greetings. You can use them at the beginning of a conversation or right after the first greeting.

• Hello, Veronica. Nice to see you there.
Long-time no see / It's been a while

These common phrases are used to greet old friends or start a conversation with someone you haven't seen in a long time. These expressions are often followed by questions like "How are you?" or "What's new?" And it's a great way to start small talk about what's happened since your last meeting.

• A: Hey, John! Long-time no see. How are you?
• B: I'm fine, thanks! What's new?
• A: Hi, Taya. How's it going?
• B: Good thanks.
• A: I haven't seen you for ages.
• B: Yes, it's been a while.

Do you want these phrases to sound natural? Learn them by talking to a native English speaker on Preply .

Slang greetings

Slang is fun to learn: it's informal and a bit silly, and using it means to someone that you're on friendly terms. Here are some ways to say hello to good friends and younger relatives.

Yo!

This funny greeting comes from hip-hop culture in America in the 1990s. It is still widely used in the US today.

What's up?

This is a very common slang greeting that is often used both in person and in text messages. This is a more casual way to greet friends by asking how they are doing and what's new in their lives. It's not rude and can be used with colleagues close to you, as well as family members and friends.

Sup

This is the short version of "What's up?" which was very popular in America in the early 2000s. Now it is mainly used only ironically or in text.

Heyyy

When sending text messages or direct messages, some people like to add an extra 'y' to the end of 'hey'. For some mysterious reason, this is most often used when flirting. The longer the tail of the "y", the more flirtatious the message! More than three or four "y's" look a little desperate...

British Greetings

Knowing a few British greetings will make you appear especially friendly when traveling to the UK, showing from the very first impression that you want to experience the local culture. Here are some British greetings, perfect to try out on the Queen or your fellow pubs!

Lovely to meet you / Lovely to see you

When greeting each other in a formal setting, the British are more likely to describe it as "lovely" than "nice". If you go to the UK, you will notice that many people use the word "lovely" in the same sense as "fine" in American English. For British English speakers, this sounds kinder and sincere.

Are you OK?

This is British slang for “Hello. How are you? If your friends greet you like this, you can say "yeah, fine" or, if you want to sound even more British, "not bad" - which means the same.

Alright, mate? / Alright?

This is a very common slang way of saying "hello" to friends. This is a shortened version of "Are you alright?". And again, a suitable and friendly answer: "Not bad, mate, you?".

Hiya!

This is a very common way to say hello, especially in the north of England. It is also often used in text messaging.

What's the craic?

This greeting is only used in Ireland and "craic" is pronounced as a rhyme with the English words "crack" and "back". It's a very warm phrase meaning "What's new with you?" or “Have you got any interesting new gossip since we last met?”

However, be careful if you use this phrase to greet Irish people without being Irish yourself, they may think you are laughing at them!

Want some more British slang? Check out our guide to the 40 most memorable British slang words for ESL learners.

Funny greetings

It's very hard to be funny in a new language (or it's hard to be funny on purpose, at least!). The ability to understand and joke is often even considered a sign of fluency in the language. If you're still learning, inserting a silly or old-fashioned version of "hello" into the conversation is an easy way to make someone laugh.

If you're learning English to communicate with your partner or friends, surprising them with one of these weird ways to start a conversation can be a lot of fun. Here are some less serious "hello" and tips on when to use them for maximum effect.

Ahoy!

This is a very old greeting, originating from Old English, which was once used by sailors to call ships. Currently, only SpongeBob and other oceanic cartoon characters actually speak it. Putting it in a text message would be just as stupid as saying it in person.

Hello stranger!

Sometimes this is used to greet friends you haven't seen in a while. This is a more playful version of the phrase "long time, no see."

‘Ello, gov’nor!

This is a shortened version of "Hello, governor" used by merchants in Victorian London to show respect when talking to members of high society. The removal of the "H" from "Hello" is intended to make the pronunciation similar to the famous "cockney" accent associated with East London. Today it is only really used by people teasing their British counterparts!

Goodmorrow!

This is a ridiculous way of saying "Good morning". It's overly formal and associated with old-fashioned poetry, so using it in real conversation is definitely pretty silly!

What's crackin'?

This is another way to say "What's up?" or "What's going on?".

What's up buttercup?

This is a very rarely used greeting, but it is sure to make someone laugh. Buttercup is a delicate yellow flower that grows in the grass, and is also very commonly referred to as a domestic cow. It's pretty funny to refer to an adult as "buttercup".

Howdy!

This is short for "How do you do?" stereotypically used in some regions of Canada and America. Now it is mainly used only by cartoon cowboys.

Brief afterword

A well-chosen "hello" sets the tone for any conversation, whether it's with close friends or with someone you barely know.

Don't be afraid to try these new expressions in everyday conversation. Armed with these words and phrases, you can start almost any conversation more lively and freely.

Want to speak confidently as quickly as possible? Find a personal English tutor via Skype that is perfect for your budget and schedule .

Frequently asked questions about English greetings
What are simple greetings?

The simplest greetings are the old-fashioned "hello", "hey", or "hi". You can use them in almost any situation!

How nice to say hello?

If you want to be a little less formal and a little more friendly, you can say "hey there" or, even better for a text or instant message, "hey there 🙂". Another cute greeting is to say "hello" in another language, like "hola".

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