FREE ENGLISH · CEFR A1 · BEGINNER
Greetings and introducing yourself in English
In this lesson, you will learn how to greet someone, say your name, ask a person’s name and finish a short conversation politely. Read the examples aloud, then complete the practice at the end.
1. Common greetings
A greeting is a word or phrase we use when we meet someone. Choose a greeting that fits the situation.
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Hello. | A friendly greeting for most situations. |
| Hi. | An informal greeting with friends or people you know. |
| Good morning. | In the morning, usually before midday. |
| Good afternoon. | After midday and before evening. |
| Good evening. | When you meet someone in the evening. |
Important: “Good night” is usually used when leaving at night or going to bed. It is not the usual greeting when you first meet someone in the evening.
2. Say your name
Use My name is … or I’m … to introduce yourself.
A clear, neutral introduction.
A shorter, natural introduction.
Both sentences give the same basic information. “I’m” is the short form of “I am”.
3. Ask someone’s name
You can ask What is your name? In everyday conversation, people often say What’s your name? The word “what’s” is the short form of “what is”.
B: Hi, Sara. I’m Daniel. Nice to meet you.
To answer politely, say Nice to meet you, too.
4. The verb “to be” with I, you and names
The verb be changes form depending on the subject. At this level, remember these forms:
| Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | I am a student. |
| You | are | You are kind. |
| He / She / It | is | She is a teacher. |
In conversation, contractions are common: I am → I’m, you are → you’re, and she is → she’s.
5. A short conversation
Mia: Good morning!
Alex: I’m Alex. What’s your name?
Mia: My name is Mia. Nice to meet you.
Alex: Nice to meet you, too. How are you?
Mia: I’m fine, thank you. And you?
Alex: I’m very well, thanks.
How are you? is a common question about someone’s well-being. Simple answers include “I’m fine, thanks”, “I’m good, thank you” and “I’m well”.
6. Practice
Choose the best answer for each question. Try to answer before opening the answer key.
- Which greeting is suitable for most situations?
A. Hello. B. Good night. C. Goodbye. - Complete the sentence: “I ___ Sam.”
A. are B. am C. is - Which question asks for a person’s name?
A. How are you? B. What’s your name? C. Good evening. - What is a polite reply to “Nice to meet you”?
A. Nice to meet you, too. B. Good night. C. I am name. - Choose the correct sentence.
A. She are a student. B. She am a student. C. She is a student.
Show answers and explanations
- A — “Hello” works in most situations.
- B — Use “am” with “I”.
- B — “What’s your name?” asks for a name.
- A — This is the polite matching response.
- C — Use “is” with “she”.
7. Your learning checklist
- I can choose a greeting for the time of day.
- I can introduce myself with “I’m…” or “My name is…”.
- I can ask “What’s your name?”.
- I can use am, are and is in simple sentences.
Review the examples again tomorrow and make three new sentences about yourself. The next step is to practise short questions and answers with the verb “to be”.