OPENING AND CONCLUDING CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIARS AND STRANGERS
Below are examples of opening and ending conversations with familiar people and strangers. We can use formal, informal or semi-informal openings or closings as per the situation/context in which the conversation is performed.
GREETINGS
Yo (informal)
Sup (informal)
Hello (semi-formal)
Hi (semi-formal)
Hey (informal)
Good morning (formal)
Good evening (formal)
Good afternoon (formal)
OPENING CONVERSATIONS
Hello, What’s up? (informal)
Hey – how’s it going? (informal)
Hi, how do you do? (semi-formal)
Excuse me, can I for a minute? (semi-formal)
Hey, how have you been? (semi-formal)
Hi, how are you doing? (semi-formal)
Hey, how is it going? (semi-formal)
Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you (semi-formal)
Excuse me, have you got a minute to talk? (formal)
Hello, let me introduce myself. I’m ——– (formal)
Hello, would you mind if I spoke to you for a minute? (formal)
Good morning, nice to meet you (formal)
Good morning, pleased to meet you (formal)
Good morning. Sorry to interrupt, but I wonder if you could help me. (formal)
Good evening. Pardon the interruption, but may I speak with you for a moment? (formal)
Good afternoon. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is… (formal)
CONCLUDING CONVERSATIONS
Later ( informal)
Catch you/ ya later ( informal)
I am off (informal)
Peace (informal)
Right, go to go (informal)
Must dash! See you later (informal)
See Ya (informal)
Right, I am heading off (informal)
I am glad we got to talk (informal)
Been good to meet up, but I have to go. Bye (semi-formal)
Bye (informal/semi-formal/formal)
See you soon (informal/semi-formal/formal)
See you later (informal/semi-formal/formal)
Take care (informal/semi-formal/formal)
Let’s meet again. (informal/ semiformal/formal)
Have a nice day! (informal/ semiformal/formal)
It’s been nice talking to you. Bye for now (informal/semi-formal/formal)
Please excuse me. I have to leave (formal)
May I be excused (formal)
My apologies, but I have to leave now. Bye ( formal)
Thank you very much for your time (formal)
WORKS CITED
https://repository.dinus.ac.id/docs/ajar/Conversation_Analysis.ppt
Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan is a teacher, bilingual writer and artist with over two decades of experience in teaching English language and literature. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of English at NSS College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her blog, ashlit.in brings together academic resources, creative writing in Malayalam and English, and visual art. The platform features lecture notes, study materials, poems, reflections, short prose, and a curated collection of her paintings. Through this space, she seeks to foster learning, creativity, and meaningful engagement with literature and the arts.
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