Greetings & People
Essential words for meeting people, introductions, and talking about family
Overview
25 fundamental words you’ll use every day to greet people, introduce yourself, and talk about the people around you. These are among the most frequently used words in English.
Words
hello /həˈləʊ/
exclamation — A1
Meaning: used to greet someone
Examples:
- Hello, how are you doing today?
- She said hello to everyone in the room.
Collocations: say hello, hello there, hello everyone
hi /haɪ/
exclamation — A1
Meaning: used as an informal greeting
Examples:
- Hi! I haven’t seen you in ages.
- He waved and said hi from across the street.
Collocations: say hi, hi there, hi everyone
goodbye /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/
exclamation — A1
Meaning: used when leaving or ending a conversation
Examples:
- We said goodbye at the airport.
- Goodbye! See you next week.
Collocations: say goodbye, wave goodbye, kiss goodbye
please /pliːz/
adverb — A1
Meaning: used to make a request more polite
Examples:
- Can I have some water, please?
- Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.
Collocations: yes please, please help, please note
thank /θæŋk/
verb — A1
Meaning: to tell someone you are grateful for something
Examples:
- I want to thank you for all your help.
- She thanked the driver and got off the bus.
Collocations: thank you, thank goodness, thank someone for
Word Family: thank (v.) → thanks (n.) → thankful (adj.) → thankfully (adv.)
sorry /ˈsɒri/
adjective — A1
Meaning: feeling regret or sympathy
Examples:
- I’m sorry I’m late — the traffic was terrible.
- Sorry, could you repeat that?
Collocations: feel sorry, sorry about, sorry for
name /neɪm/
noun — A1
Meaning: the word or words that a person or thing is known by
Examples:
- My name is Sarah. What’s yours?
- I can never remember people’s names.
Collocations: first name, last name, full name, name and address
Word Family: name (n./v.) → unnamed (adj.) → namely (adv.)
person /ˈpɜːsn/
noun — A1
Meaning: a human being; an individual
Examples:
- She’s the kindest person I’ve ever met.
- Only one person came to the meeting.
Collocations: young person, in person, per person
Word Family: person (n.) → personal (adj.) → personally (adv.) → personality (n.)
people /ˈpiːpl/
noun — A1
Meaning: human beings in general; more than one person
Examples:
- There were about fifty people at the party.
- Young people today are very tech-savvy.
Collocations: other people, many people, most people, a group of people
friend /frend/
noun — A1
Meaning: a person you know well and like, who is not a family member
Examples:
- She’s been my best friend since school.
- I’m going out with some friends tonight.
Collocations: best friend, close friend, old friend, make friends
Word Family: friend (n.) → friendly (adj.) → unfriendly (adj.) → friendship (n.)
family /ˈfæməli/
noun — A1
Meaning: a group of people who are related to each other (parents, children, etc.)
Examples:
- I come from a large family — I have four brothers.
- My family lives in the south of the country.
Collocations: family member, family name, start a family, family home
man /mæn/
noun — A1
Meaning: an adult male human being
Examples:
- A tall man in a black coat walked in.
- He’s a kind and generous man.
Collocations: young man, old man, a man of, man and woman
woman /ˈwʊmən/
noun — A1
Meaning: an adult female human being
Examples:
- The woman at the desk asked for my passport.
- She’s a strong, independent woman.
Collocations: young woman, old woman, business woman
child /tʃaɪld/
noun — A1
Meaning: a young human being who is not yet an adult
Examples:
- They have three children — two boys and a girl.
- When I was a child, I wanted to be a pilot.
Collocations: small child, only child, child care, as a child
Word Family: child (n.) → children (pl.) → childhood (n.) → childish (adj.)
boy /bɔɪ/
noun — A1
Meaning: a male child or young man
Examples:
- The boys were playing football in the park.
- He was a quiet boy who loved reading.
Collocations: baby boy, little boy, school boy
girl /ɡɜːl/
noun — A1
Meaning: a female child or young woman
Examples:
- The girl next door is really friendly.
- As a young girl, she dreamed of travelling the world.
Collocations: baby girl, little girl, school girl
mother /ˈmʌðər/
noun — A1
Meaning: a female parent
Examples:
- My mother taught me how to cook.
- She became a mother at the age of twenty-five.
Collocations: single mother, mother tongue, mother and father
Word Family: mother (n.) → motherhood (n.) → motherly (adj.)
father /ˈfɑːðər/
noun — A1
Meaning: a male parent
Examples:
- His father is a doctor.
- I look a lot like my father.
Collocations: single father, father and son, father figure
Word Family: father (n.) → fatherhood (n.) → fatherly (adj.)
brother /ˈbrʌðər/
noun — A1
Meaning: a boy or man who has the same parents as another person
Examples:
- I have two older brothers.
- My brother and I are very close.
Collocations: big brother, little brother, older/younger brother
sister /ˈsɪstər/
noun — A1
Meaning: a girl or woman who has the same parents as another person
Examples:
- My sister lives in London.
- She and her sister look exactly alike.
Collocations: big sister, little sister, older/younger sister
husband /ˈhʌzbənd/
noun — A1
Meaning: the man that a woman is married to
Examples:
- She and her husband have been married for ten years.
- Is your husband coming to the dinner?
Collocations: ex-husband, husband and wife
wife /waɪf/
noun — A1
Meaning: the woman that a man is married to
Examples:
- He introduced his wife to the group.
- His wife is an excellent chef.
Collocations: ex-wife, husband and wife
baby /ˈbeɪbi/
noun — A1
Meaning: a very young child
Examples:
- The baby is sleeping — please be quiet.
- They’re expecting a baby next month.
Collocations: baby girl/boy, have a baby, baby food, baby steps
Mr /ˈmɪstər/
title — A1
Meaning: a title used before a man’s family name
Examples:
- Good morning, Mr Johnson.
- Mr and Mrs Smith are here to see you.
Mrs /ˈmɪsɪz/
title — A1
Meaning: a title used before a married woman’s family name
Examples:
- Mrs Brown is our new teacher.
- Dear Mrs Lee, thank you for your letter.
Quick Review
| Word | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hello | excl. | used to greet someone |
| hi | excl. | informal greeting |
| goodbye | excl. | used when leaving |
| please | adv. | makes a request polite |
| thank | v. | to express gratitude |
| sorry | adj. | feeling regret |
| name | n. | word a person is known by |
| person | n. | a human being |
| people | n. | human beings (plural) |
| friend | n. | someone you like and know well |
| family | n. | related people (parents, children) |
| man | n. | adult male |
| woman | n. | adult female |
| child | n. | young human |
| boy | n. | male child |
| girl | n. | female child |
| mother | n. | female parent |
| father | n. | male parent |
| brother | n. | male sibling |
| sister | n. | female sibling |
| husband | n. | married man |
| wife | n. | married woman |
| baby | n. | very young child |
| Mr | title | before a man’s surname |
| Mrs | title | before a married woman’s surname |