Information Sheet 2.2-2

Information Sheet 2.2-2: Establishing basic social interaction using the simplest everyday polite and respectful expressions

Polite expressions

Greetings, Farewells and Small Talk

Introducing yourself

Here are the most useful words and phrases when introducing yourself in English. Some of these phrases are perfect for casual situations and others for formal ones. There are some that you can use in both (Neutral) too.

Introducing yourself

“Hi, I’m [Your name]. Nice to meet you!” (Casual)
“Hello, I’m [Your name]. I just moved in next door.” (Neutral)
“Hey, I’m [Your name]. What brings you here?” (Casual)
“Hi, I’m [Your name]. I’m friends with [Mutual friends’ name] too.”
“Good [time of day], my name is [Name], and I am the [Job Title/Role].” (Formal)
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], it’s great to meet you.” (Neutral)
“Pleased to meet you, I’m [Your Name].” (Formal)

Asking for someone’s name

“What’s your name?” (Neutral)
“I didn’t catch your name, what was it again?” (Casual)
“May I have your name, please?” (Formal)
“I’m [Your name]. And you are?” (Casual)
“Could you please tell me your name?” (Formal)

Talking about your job

“I work as a [Your job].” (Neutral)
“I recently joined [Company] and I’m excited about my role in [Department/Project].” (Neutral)
“I work with [Company] as a [Position].” (Formal)
“I specialize in [Field/Industry].” (Formal)
“I’ve been working in [Field] for [Number] years.” (Neutral)

Talking about where you come from

“I’m from [Your Country or City]. Where are you from?” (Neutral)
“I grew up in [Place], but I’ve been living in [Place] for [Time].” (Neutral)
“I come from [City/State/Country].” (Neutral)
“I originally come from [Place], what about you?” (Casual)
“I was born and raised in [City/Country].” (Neutral)

Talking about your interests

“I enjoy [Activity]. Do you have any hobbies?” (Neutral)
“Outside of work, I love spending time on [Hobby or Interest].” (Casual)
“I’m really into [Hobby or Activity]. Do you enjoy that as well?” (Casual)
“In my free time, I really enjoy [Activity].” (Neutral)
“One of my passions is [Hobby].” (Casual)

Commenting on the situation

“This is a great party, isn’t it?” (Casual)
“It’s my first time at one of these events. Have you been to others before?” (Neutral)
“What a fantastic event this is, isn’t it?” (Neutral)
“Have you attended this event before?” (Casual)

Complimenting people

“That’s an interesting point of view. What made you think of that?” (Neutral)
“I really like your dress. Where did you get it?” (Casual)
“I must say, your expertise in [Field] is impressive.” (Formal)
“You’ve done a wonderful job organizing this event.” (Formal)
“Your work on [Project] is very impressive.” (Neutral)

Finding things in common

“Do you also find [Topic] to be challenging?” (Neutral)
“I’m trying to meet people in [Field]. It’s great to connect with someone else who’s interested.” (Neutral)
“It seems we have [Topic/Interest] in common.” (Neutral)
“Have you always been interested in [Field/Hobby]?” (Casual)

Extending the conversation

“Would you like to join us for coffee? We can discuss this further.” (Neutral)
“I’d love to hear more about your experiences. Maybe over lunch?” (Neutral)
“Do you have time for a quick chat after this?” (Neutral)
“I’d love to grab a coffee sometime and learn more about your work.” (Formal)

Ending the conversation

“I’ve really enjoyed our chat. Shall we exchange contact information?” (Neutral)
“It’s been great learning about your work. Let’s stay in touch.” (Formal)
“Let’s catch up again soon, I enjoyed our conversation.” (Casual)
“It was a pleasure speaking with you, we should definitely reconnect.” (Formal)

Body language with self-introduction

Your body language also plays a huge role in introductions. Follow these guidelines if you introduce yourself in (or to people from) English-speaking countries.

Shake hands. Be brief and firm with your handshake.
Make eye contact. This shows you have confidence and you’re interested in the person you meet.
Smile. Be friendly and positive when you meet people.
Don’t get too close. Keep about an arm’s length distance away from new people you meet.

These are tips for English-speaking countries. If you need to introduce yourself in different cultures, follow their cultural norms instead of these tips.

Example conversations during self-introductions

Now, let’s look at how to use the above words and phrases in real-life conversations.

Casual conversations

Here are some examples of casual conversations so you can see how to introduce yourself in informal situations.

At a coffee shop

Alex: “Hi, I’m Alex. I couldn’t help but notice the book you’re reading. I love that author!”
Sam: “Oh, hi Alex! I’m Sam. Yeah, it’s actually my favorite. Have you read their latest one?”
Alex: “Not yet, but it’s on my list. Would you recommend it?”
Sam: “Absolutely, it’s really great!”

Meeting a new neighbor

Chris: “Hey, I’m Chris from apartment 3B. I just wanted to say hi.”
Jordan: “Nice to meet you, Chris! I’m Jordan from apartment 4A. How are you finding the building?”
Chris: “It’s great so far. Have you lived here long?”
Jordan: “Yeah, years. I love it here. If you need any local tips, let me know!”

At a community event

Mia: “Hi, I’m Mia. Is this your first time at one of these events?”
Eli: “Hello Mia, I’m Eli. Yes, it’s my first time — I’m pretty nervous. How about you?”
Mia: “I come pretty often. It’s a great way to meet people. What brought you here?”
Eli: “I recently moved here, so I’m trying to get more involved in the community.”

During a workshop or class

Sara: “Hi, I’m Sara. How are you finding the workshop so far?”
Liam: “Hi Sara! I’m Liam. I’m actually a beginner with photography so it’s a little difficult. Any tips?”
Sara: “Just keep practicing and don’t be afraid to experiment. Want me to take a look at your photos and give you some feedback?”
Liam: “That would be awesome, thanks!”

Formal conversations

And here are some examples of introductions in formal situations.

At a conference

Dr. Lee: “Good morning, I am Dr. Lee, one of the panelists. And you are?”
Ms. Thompson: “Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Lee. I’m Ms. Thompson. I oversee research at the university.”
Dr. Lee: “Wonderful, Ms. Thompson. Perhaps there’s an opportunity for collaboration in the future.”
Ms. Thompson: “I believe so. Let’s arrange a meeting to discuss this further.”

At a business meeting

Mr. Patel: “Good afternoon, I’m Mr. Patel from the finance department. How do you do?”
Ms. Wagner: “Very well, thank you, Mr. Patel. I’m Ms. Wagner from HR. It’s good to finally meet you.”
Mr. Patel: “Likewise, Ms. Wagner. I believe we have some budgetary discussions to cover.”
Ms. Wagner: “Yes, let’s get started.”

At a professional networking event

Tom: “Hello, I am Tom Reynolds. I specialize in digital marketing strategies. What do you do?”
Alice: “Nice to meet you, Tom. I’m Alice Hart, and I work in cloud solutions.”
Tom: “Interesting. There’s a lot of potential for collaboration between our fields.”
Alice: “Absolutely, Tom. Here’s my card. Let’s keep in touch.”

At a formal dinner

Mr. Kingston: “Good evening, I am Mr. Kingston, the host of tonight’s dinner. It is a pleasure to welcome you.”
Mrs. Ellis: “Thank you, Mr. Kingston. I am Mrs. Ellis, and it is an honor to be here.”
Mr. Kingston: “We’re delighted to have you. Please enjoy the evening.”
Mrs. Ellis: “Thank you, I certainly will.”

Making Polite Requests

Using modal verbs like “could”, would or “can” makes a request more polite, but there are also a lot of phrases we use to be less direct and more polite when we make requests. We mostly use these phrases in the following situations:

When the person to whom we are making the request does not have an obligation to say yes.
When we are asking the other person to do us a favor.
When we are making a request to someone who is at a higher level within the company.
We are requesting something from a customer.

Phrases for making polite requests:

I was wondering if you/I could…
I was wondering if you could lend me your car next Tuesday.
I was wondering if I could mention your company as a reference customer.

Do you think you/I could…?
Do you think you could help me out with these reports?
Do you think I could leave a few minutes early so I can pick up my child from school?

I would really appreciate it if you/I could…?

It would be great if you/I could…?

I’m sorry, but could I please…? (when asking for permission)

I’m sorry, but could you please…? (when bothered by something)

It would help me a lot if you/I could/would …?

Would you mind (verb)+ing …?

Would you mind if I borrowed …?

It would really speed up the process if you could …

To assist you, I would need …

In order to solve this issue, could you please …?

Requesting more details (especially in support)

To assist you with your request, I urgently need the following details …

In order to solve this issue, could you please send me the following details:

To enable us to resolve your issue

To investigate your issue

To give us a full picture of your issue

To facilitate our investigation into your issue

To expedite our investigation into your issue

Could/can you please provide me with…
Would you mind sending me…

I would really appreciate it if you could let me have…

it would be great if you could send me…

It would help me a lot if you could/would provide me with…

Have you already opened a ticket in this regard? Have you already opened a ticket regarding this issue?

Showing appreciation or gratitude

You might have the habit of saying ‘Thank you’ when someone gives you a gift or praises you for something. You also know different ways to appreciate someone. Just saying ‘Thank you’ is a traditional method. With time, the English language has developed and seen many new changes. In the same way, there are multiple ways to say thank you and offer your appreciation, which may differ from person to person depending on situations. There is a list of appreciation words in this article that you can make use of. Check them out.

Words to Say Thank You and Express Appreciation

Thanks.
Thank you.
I am indebted to you.
Dinner was delicious.
I appreciate you.
You are an inspiration.
I am grateful to/for you.
You are a blessing.
You are a true friend.
You’re so great.
This is great.
My sincere thanks.
You’re the best.
You’ve been very helpful.
I don’t know what I would have done without your help.
Beyond the word ‘thanks’, I hope you’ll feel my gratitude and appreciation for a very long time.
Thank you is an understatement for the kindness you have shown towards me.
My heart and soul are forever indebted to you. Thanks for being with me.
I appreciate your ideas and thoughts.
I thank you from the deepest core of my heart.
You have found the perfect gift for me. You have made this day even more precious.
I will always be grateful to you for this help.

Appreciation Words for Good Work

If you wish to appreciate someone for some great work or for their help, appreciate employees or teammates etc., then you can use either of the below-provided statements.

Thank you for the hard work. Your efforts really paid off.
I feel lucky to work with you as you are very innovative.
I really appreciate the time and effort you have put in for this project.
Thank you so much for your help in this work. It would have been impossible without you.
I don’t think we would have ever met the deadline without your contribution.
We owe a lot to you for the success of this project. Thank you.
I am really impressed with your work this time.
Your work is very impressive. I know it was a tough task.

Appreciation Words for Students

If you wish to appreciate students for their performance, refer to the list of appreciation words given below. This way, you can keep them motivated.

Good.
You’ve got it right.
That’s right.
Super.
That’s good.
You’re really working hard today.
You are very good at that.
That’s coming along nicely.
Good work.
That’s much better.
Exactly right.
You just about have it.
That’s it.
You are doing a good job.
That’s quite an improvement.
Great.
I knew you could do it.
Congratulations!
Not bad.
Now you have it.
Good for you.
I couldn’t have done it better.
That’s the way to do it
You’re on the right track now.
Nice going.
Keep up the good work.
Sensational!
You’ve got your brain in gear.
That was first-class work.
Excellent!
Perfect!
That’s better than ever.
Much better.
Wonderful!
You must have been practicing. Good job!
You did that very well.
Nice going.
Outstanding.
Fantastic.
That’s the way to handle it.
That’s great.
Right on!
Superb!
You did a lot of work today.
That’s it.
Thank you.
Good thinking.
You outdid yourself today.
Good attempt.
You figured that out fast.

Expressing apologies

Phrases for apologizing and responding to an apology

Apologizing:

I’m sorry that/for…
I apologize for / Apologies for…
Oops, sorry / My bad
(minor & informal)
I should have / I shouldn’t have…

Responding:

That’s OK / It’s all right
No problem / No worries / Don’t worry about it.
It happens.
I forgive you / You’re forgiven.
I appreciate your apology. / I accept your apology.
Thank you for your apology.
Apology accepted.

References:
https://learningenglishfree.co.uk/index.php/basic-english/greetings-farewells-and-small-talk-mastering-everyday-english-interaction
https://www.busuu.com/en/english/self-introduction
https://www.perfect-word.de/polite-requests
https://byjus.com/english/appreciation-words/
https://www.espressoenglish.net/10-english-phrases-for-apologizing-and-responding-to-apologies/