Learning how to introduce yourself is an essential part of learning how to converse in English. Introductions are also an important part of making small talk at parties or other social events. Introductory phrases are different than the ones we use to greet friends, but they're often used together as parts of the broader conversation, as you'll see.

Introducing Yourself

In this example, Peter and Jane are meeting for the first time at a social event. After greeting each other, they begin by asking simple personal questions.

Peter: Hello.

Jane: Hi!

Peter: My name is Peter. What's your name?

Jane: My name is Jane. Nice to meet you.

Peter: It's a pleasure. This is a great party!

Jane: Yes, it is. Where are you from?

Peter: I'm from Amsterdam.

Jane: Amsterdam? Are you German?

Peter: No, I'm not German. I'm Dutch.

Jane: Oh, you're Dutch. Sorry about that.

Peter: That's OK. Where are you from?

Jane: I'm from London, but I'm not British.

Peter: No, what are you?

Jane: Well, my parents were Spanish, so I'm Spanish, too.

Peter: That's very interesting. Spain is a beautiful country.

Jane: Thank you. It is a wonderful place.

Key Vocabulary

In the previous example, Peter and Jane are introducing themselves. Several important phrases that they use in this exchange are:

• My name is...
• Where are you from?
• I'm from... (city, state, or country)
• Are you... (Spanish, American, German, etc.)

Introducing Other People

Introductions in Formal Situations

Introductions can occur between more than two people, for example at a party or at a business meeting. When you meet someone for the first time, it is common to greet them by saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you," or "Pleased to meet you." It is polite to respond by repeating the statement back at them, as Mary does in this example:

Ken: Peter, I'd like you to meet Mary.

Peter: It's a pleasure to meet you.

Mary: It's a pleasure to meet you too!

Ken: Mary works for...

Introductions in Informal Situations

In informal situations, especially in North America, introductions are also made simply saying, "This is (name)." It is also common to just say "Hi" or "Hello" as a response in this informal setting.

Ken: Peter, this is Mary.

Peter: Hi. How are you?

Mary: Hello! Pleased to meet you.

Ken: Mary works for...

Common Introductory Phrases

As you can see in the previous examples, there are a number of different phrases that are commonly used to introduce strangers:

• (name), I don't think you've met (name).
• I don't think you know (name)
• May I introduce you to (name)
• (name), do you know (name)?
• (name), I'd like you to meet (name)

Saying Hello and Goodbye

Many people begin and end conversations by saying hello and goodbye to each other. Doing so is considered good manners in many parts of the English-speaking world, and it's also a simple way to express friendly interest in whoever you're chatting with.

A simple greeting followed by asking about the other person is all that is needed to begin an introduction. In this brief scenario, two people have just met:

Jane: Hello, Peter. How are you?

Peter: Fine, thanks. How are you?

Jane: I'm fine, thank you.

Once you're finished speaking with someone, it's customary to say goodbye as you both part, as in this example:

Peter: Goodbye, Jane. See you tomorrow!

Jane: Bye bye, Peter. Have a nice evening.

Peter: Thanks, you too!

Key Vocabulary

Key phrases to remember include:

• Hello... How are you?
• I'm fine, thank you
• Goodbye
• See you... (tomorrow, this weekend, next week, etc.)
• Have a nice... (day, evening, week, etc.)

More Beginning Dialogues

Once you're mastered introducing yourself, you can practice your English skills with more exercises, including telling time, shopping at a store, traveling at an airport, asking for directions, staying at a hotel, and eating at a restaurant. Work with a friend or classmate to practice these role-playing dialogues, just as you did for these exercises.

Learning how to introduce yourself is an essential part of learning how to converse in English. Introductions are also an important part of making small talk at parties or other social events. Introductory phrases are different than the ones we use to greet friends, but they're often used together as parts of the broader conversation, as you'll see.

Introducing Yourself

In this example, Peter and Jane are meeting for the first time at a social event. After greeting each other, they begin by asking simple personal questions. Working with a friend or classmate, take turns practicing this role-play.

Peter: Hello.

Jane: Hi!

Peter: My name is Peter. What's your name?

Jane: My name is Jane. Nice to meet you.

Peter: It's a pleasure. This is a great party!

Jane: Yes, it is. Where are you from?

Peter: I'm from Amsterdam.

Jane: Amsterdam? Are you German?

Peter: No, I'm not German. I'm Dutch.

Jane: Oh, you're Dutch. Sorry about that.

Peter: That's OK. Where are you from?

Jane: I'm from London, but I'm not British.

Peter: No, what are you?

Jane: Well, my parents were Spanish, so I'm Spanish, too.

Peter: That's very interesting. Spain is a beautiful country.

Jane: Thank you. It is a wonderful place.

Key Vocabulary

In the previous example, Peter and Jane are introducing themselves. Several important phrases that they use in this exchange are:

• My name is...
• Where are you from?
• I'm from... (city, state, or country)
• Are you... (Spanish, American, German, etc.)

Introducing Other People

Introductions in Formal Situations

Introductions can occur between more than two people, for example at a party or at a business meeting. When you meet someone for the first time, it is common to greet them by saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you," or "Pleased to meet you." It is polite to respond by repeating the statement back at them, as Mary does in this example:

Ken: Peter, I'd like you to meet Mary.

Peter: It's a pleasure to meet you.

Mary: It's a pleasure to meet you too!

Ken: Mary works for...

Introductions in Informal Situations

In informal situations, especially in North America, introductions are also made simply saying, "This is (name)." It is also common to just say "Hi" or "Hello" as a response in this informal setting.

Ken: Peter, this is Mary.

Peter: Hi. How are you?

Mary: Hello! Pleased to meet you.

Ken: Mary works for...

Common Introductory Phrases

As you can see in the previous examples, there are a number of different phrases that are commonly used to introduce strangers:

• (name), I don't think you've met (name).
• I don't think you know (name)
• May I introduce you to (name)
• (name), do you know (name)?
• (name), I'd like you to meet (name)

Saying Hello and Goodbye

Many people begin and end conversations by saying hello and goodbye to each other. Doing so is considered good manners in many parts of the English-speaking world, and it's also a simple way to express friendly interest in whoever you're chatting with.

A simple greeting followed by asking about the other person is all that is needed to begin an introduction. In this brief scenario, two people have just met:

Jane: Hello, Peter. How are you?

Peter: Fine, thanks. How are you?

Jane: I'm fine, thank you.

Once you're finished speaking with someone, it's customary to say goodbye as you both part, as in this example:

Peter: Goodbye, Jane. See you tomorrow!

Jane: Bye bye, Peter. Have a nice evening.

Peter: Thanks, you too!

Key Vocabulary

Key phrases to remember include:

• Hello... How are you?
• I'm fine, thank you
• Goodbye
• See you... (tomorrow, this weekend, next week, etc.)
• Have a nice... (day, evening, week, etc.)

Harry, this is Mary!

Hi!

Hello!

Harry, this is Mary!

How do you do!

How do you do!

Harry, I`d like you to meet my sister Mary.

How do you do, Mary. I`m very glad to meet you!

Thank you. I`m glad to meet you.

Jazz Chant 5:3 Can you come over?

46 Must-Have Phrases for Telephone Calls in English

Answering the Phone

Formal

• Hello. This is Susan. (Personal)
• Hello, thank you for calling [name of company]. This is Susan – how can I help you? (Professional)
• Good morning (good afternoon), this is Susan. How can I help you? (Professional)

Informal

• Hello.
• Susan speaking.

Greeting and Introducing Yourself

Formal

• This is Laure from [company name].
• Hello. This is Laure. I am calling about… (your advertisement, information about your services, to make a reservation, etc.)

Informal

• Hi. It’s Laure.
• Hi – it’s me. (Use this when the other person will recognize your voice. For example, your mother, your best friend, or your brother.)

Asking to Speak to Someone

Formal

• Is _____________ available? (Example: Is Çim available?)
• May I speak to ________________? (Example: May I speak to the doctor?)
• I’d like to talk with _____________. (Example: I’d like to talk with Mr. Adams.)

Informal

• Is _______ free? (Example: Is Çim free?)
• Can I talk to ______? (Example: Can I talk to mom?)

Putting Someone on Hold

Formal

• Can I put you on hold for a moment, please?
• Would you mind holding for just a moment?
• If it is ok with you, I am going to put you on hold for a moment. I will see if she is available.

⚡️Pro Tip: These expressions can also be used when you are not ready to speak in English on the phone. You can use this moment to calm yourself and prepare yourself to speak English.

Informal

• Hold on a sec. (Note: “Sec” is short for “second” and is another way to say “Hold on a moment.”)
• Just a sec.
• Just a moment.

Clarifying and Asking for Repetition

Formal

• I’m sorry – I didn’t catch that. Could you please repeat yourself?
• I’m sorry – do you mean to say [identify what you understand]?
• Just to clarify, you said… (Example: Just to clarify, you said you were calling from RTR Industries?)
• Would you mind spelling that for me?
• Would you mind slowing down?
• Would you mind speaking a little more slowly?

Informal

• I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?
• Can you spell that?

Taking a Message for Someone

Formal

• I’m sorry. She isn’t available at the moment. Can I take a message for her?
• If you leave a message, I will be sure to get it to him as soon as he is available.
• She is away at the moment. May I ask who is calling?
• Would you like me to connect you to his voicemail?

Informal

• I’ll let him/her know that you called.
• Who’s calling, please?

Leaving a Message for Someone

Formal

• Yes. Thank you. Please tell her Selma called. Ask her to call me back at 430.444.4444.
• Could you have her return my call tomorrow?
• Please tell him I’ll be available on Thursday at 9:00.
• Yes, please put me through to her voicemail. Thank you.

Informal

• No thanks. I’ll call back later.
• Yeah, tell him Selma called.

Ending Your Call

Formal

• Thank you for calling. I will make sure to give him the message.
• Thanks for calling – I have another phone call so I will need to let you go.
• Thanks for calling and have a great day.

Informal

• I need to let you go.
• I have a meeting soon so I have to run. (Americans would also say: “I have a meeting soon so I gotta run. “Gotta” is short for “got to” or “have to.“)
• It was great to chat. I’ll talk to you again soon.

When you make a suggestion, you're putting forward a plan or an idea for another person to consider. People make suggestions when they're deciding what to do, offering advice, or helping a visitor. Learning how to make a suggestion is a good way to improve your English conversational skills. If you already know how to tell time, ask for directions, and hold a basic conversation, you're ready to learn how to make a suggestion! Try out this role-play exercise with a friend or classmate to practice.

What Shall We Do?

In this exercise, two friends are trying to decide what to do for the weekend. By making suggestions, Jean and Chris make a decision that they're both happy with. See if you can identify where the suggestion is.

Jean: Hi Chris, would you like to do something with me this weekend?

Chris: Sure. What shall we do?

Jean: I don't know. Do you have any ideas?

Chris: Why don't we see a film?

Jean: That's sounds good to me. Which film shall we see?

Chris: Let's see "Action Man 4."

Jean: I'd rather not. I don't like violent films. How about going to "Mad Doctor Brown?" I hear it's quite a funny film.

Chris: OK. Let's go see that. When is it on?

Jean: It's on at 8 p.m. at the Rex. Shall we have a bite to eat before the film?

Chris: Sure, that sounds great. What about going to that new Italian restaurant Michetti's?

Jean: Great idea! Let's meet there at 6.

Chris: OK. I'll see you at Michetti's at 6. Bye.

Jean: Bye.

Chris: See you later!

When Jean says, "I'd rather not. I don't like violent films. How about going to 'Mad Doctor Brown?' I hear it's quite a funny film," he is making a suggestion.

More Practice

Once you've mastered the dialogue above, challenge yourself with some additional role-playing exercises. What suggestions would you make if a friend said to you:

• Why don't you/we go to the movies tonight?
• You/we could visit New York while you're/we're there.
• Let's go to the travel agent's this afternoon to book our ticket.
• What about asking your brother for help?
• How about going to Hawaii for your vacation?
• I suggest you/we take all the factors into consideration before we decide.

Before answering, think about your response. What will you suggest? What related information should you tell your friend? Think about the necessary details, such as time or location.

Key Vocabulary

If you're being asked to make a decision, that suggestion usually comes in the form of a question. For example:

• Would you like to...?
• (What) shall we go...?

If someone else has made a decision and they want your opinion, it may be made as a statement instead. For example:

• Let's go...
• Why don't we go...
• How about going...
• What about going...

It feels great to receive a compliment. Research shows getting a sincere compliment gives us the same positive boost as receiving cash. The health and happiness benefits of the compliment giver are also well-documented.¹ Compliments really are one of the easiest two-way streets available in terms of spreading happiness around you and increasing your own. The more you compliment, the better you feel. Here are a hundred ready-made compliments to try out for yourself.

Complimenting Positivity

These compliments focus on the joy, fun, and positive outlook the person brings.

1. Your smile is contagious.
2. I bet you make babies smile.
3. You have the best laugh.
4. You light up the room.
5. You have a great sense of humor.
6. If cartoon bluebirds were real, a couple of 'em would be sitting on your shoulders singing right now.
7. You're like sunshine on a rainy day.
8. You bring out the best in other people.
9. I bet you sweat glitter.
10. Colors seem brighter when you're around.
11. You're more fun than a ball pit filled with candy.
12. Jokes are funnier when you tell them.
13. You always know how to find that silver lining.
14. You're a candle in the darkness.
15. Being around you is like a happy little vacation.
16. You're more fun than bubble wrap.
17. You're like a breath of fresh air.
18. You're someone's reason to smile.
19. How do you keep being so funny and making everyone laugh?

Complimenting Personal Traits

These compliments acknowledge different qualities the person exhibits.

1. You have impeccable manners.
2. I like your style.
3. You're strong.
4. Is that your picture next to "charming" in the dictionary?
5. Your kindness is a balm to all who encounter it.
6. You are brave.
7. Your insides are even more beautiful than your outside.
8. You have the courage of your convictions.
9. You're a great listener.
10. You were cool way before hipsters were cool.
11. That thing you don't like about yourself is what makes you really interesting.
12. You're inspiring.
13. You're so thoughtful.
14. When you make up your mind, nothing stands in your way.
15. You seem to really know who you are.

Complimenting Intelligence, Creativity, and Resourcefulness

These compliments show that you appreciate the person's abilities.

1. You're a smart cookie.
2. Your perspective is refreshing.
3. Your ability to recall random factoids at just the right times is impressive.
4. When you say, "I meant to do that," I totally believe you.
5. You have the best ideas.
6. You're always learning new things and trying to better yourself. That's awesome.
7. If someone based an Internet meme on you, it would have impeccable grammar.
8. You could survive a zombie apocalypse.
9. When you make a mistake, you fix it.
10. You're great at figuring stuff out.
11. Your creative potential seems limitless.
12. I bet you do crossword puzzles in ink.
13. You have a good head on your shoulders.
14. Everyone gets knocked down sometimes; only people like you get back up again and keep going.

Complimenting Accomplishments

It is often good to compliment a specific action or achievement.

1. You should be proud of yourself.
2. You are making a difference.
3. You deserve a hug right now.
4. You're a great example to others.
5. Actions speak louder than words, and yours tell an incredible story.

Complimenting Personal Relationships

These compliments focus on how the person relates to others.

1. You're an awesome friend.
2. You're more helpful than you realize.
3. Hanging out with you is always fun.
4. That thing where you know when someone needs something? That's amazing.
5. Being around you makes everything better.
6. You should be thanked more often. Thank you.
7. Our community is better because you're in it.
8. Someone is getting through something hard right now because you've got their back. Nice work.
9. You always know just what to say.
10. The people you love are lucky to have you in their lives.
11. Any team would be lucky to have you on it.
12. Defenseless animals are drawn to you.
13. The way you treasure your loved ones is incredible.
14. You're a gift to those around you.

Complimenting Appearance

These compliments can be problematic as complimenting appearance can come across as flirting, and so they should be avoided in many business and social contexts.

1. You're gorgeous—and that's the least interesting thing about you, too.
2. You look great today.
3. Your eyes are breathtaking.
4. How is it that you always look so great, even if you're in ratty pajamas?
5. That color is perfect on you.
6. You smell really good.
7. You may dance like no one's watching, but everyone's watching because you're mesmerizing.
8. You have cute elbows. For real.
9. Your bellybutton is kind of adorable.
10. Your hair looks stunning.
11. Your voice is magnificent.
12. Your name suits you to a T.
13. You're irresistible when you blush.
14. Has anyone ever told you that you have great posture?

Complimenting the Whole Person

These compliments may be a little too general. As with complimenting appearance, consider whether they are appropriate or may be bordering on being flirtatious.

1. I appreciate you.
2. You are the most perfect you there is.
3. You are enough.
4. You're all that and a super-size bag of chips.
5. On a scale from 1 to 10, you're an 11.
6. You've got all the right moves.
7. Everything would be better if more people were like you.
8. When you're not afraid to be yourself, that's when you're incredible.
9. You're wonderful.
10. You're better than a triple-scoop ice cream cone. With sprinkles.
11. You're one of a kind.
12. If you were a box of crayons, you'd be the big industrial name-brand one with a built-in sharpener.
13. Who raised you? They deserve a medal for a job well done.
14. Somehow you make time stop and fly all at the same time.
15. In high school, I bet you were voted "most likely to continue being awesome."
16. If you were a scented candle they'd have to call it Perfectly Imperfect (and it would smell like summer).
17. There's ordinary, and then there's you.
18. You're even better than a unicorn because you're real.
19. You're really something special.

Start complimenting and find out for yourself how great it makes you feel. If you pick any of these, be sure to personalize it so it truly reflects what you appreciate about the person you are complimenting.