People need to get a good idea about you when first meeting, and this ESL meeting someone new vocabulary will help you do that.
When people first meet you they will form an opinion of you, and to make sure this is a good one you will need to be able to greet them using a wide range of vocabulary and phrases. You will need to be able to speak the words well and pronounce them so the other person will understand. This page will help you do that.
The page is divided into several sections:
The following list has vocabulary related to meeting someone new and having a first short conversation. Try to learn as much as you can. There is a recording of the list being spoken below and flashcards for you to download and use.
Are you a … ? (student) - A question to ask what someone does by giving a suggestion.
Are you new here? - A question to see if the person has only just arrived.
Big family - A family with many children (over 4 or 5) and relatives.
Bye-bye (Bye) - An informal word for when leaving. (interjection)
Christian name - The name chosen by parents for their child. Used by friends and informally. Also called first name or given name. (noun)
Do - Referring to a person’s job, e.g. what do you do? (verb)
Excuse me - A phrase to use when interrupting someone who is already speaking or when asking for help. (interjection)
Family name - The name that all members of a family share, often comes from the father, someone’s last name. Also called surname. (noun)
First name - The name chosen by parents for their child. Used by friends and informally. Also called christian name or given name. (noun)
Formal greeting - A greeting to use when meeting someone important or if you are being polite, e.g. hello, how do you do. (noun)
From - A place where a person was born or lives, e.g. where are you from? (preposition)
Good afternoon (afternoon) - A formal greeting to use after midday but before 5 pm. Can be shortened to the informal ‘afternoon’. (noun)
Good evening (evening) - A formal greeting to use after 5pm. Can be shortened to the informal ‘evening’. (noun)
Good morning (morning) - A formal greeting to use before midday. Can be shortened to the informal ‘morning’. (noun)
Goodbye - A formal word for when leaving. (noun)
Goodnight (night) - A formal way of saying goodbye in the evening or at night. Can be shortened to the informal ‘night’. (noun)
Greet - To say hello when first meeting someone. (verb)
Greeting - The word used to greet someone, e.g. hello. (noun)
Handshake - Holding right hands and moving them up and down when first meeting someone. (noun)
Hello - A formal greeting. (interjection)
Hi - An informal greeting. (interjection)
Home sick - To miss your home. (adjective)
How are you? - To ask if someone is ok.
How do you do? - A formal greeting. The correct reply is also ‘how do you do?’
How’s it going? - An informal greeting.
Hug - To hold someone with arms wrapped around them. (noun)
I have to go now. - A phrase to explain that the conversation needs to end.
Informal greeting - A greeting use with friends, e.g. hi, how’s it going.
Introduce - To tell someone your name or another person’s name. (verb)
Kiss - To place the lips of two people together. (verb)
Know - To be aware of someone. (verb)
Meet - To see and speak to someone. (verb)
Name - The word or words used to refer to a person. (noun)
New person - Someone that has not been met before. (noun)
Nice to meet you. - A greeting to use after someone is introduced to you.
Nice to see you. - A greeting for when meeting someone.
Pardon me - A phrase to use when you did not hear what was said. (interjection)
Partner - Someone’s girlfriend, boyfriend, husband or wife. (noun)
Polite - To treat someone with respect. (adjective)
See you. - An informal phrase for when leaving.
Siblings - A group of brothers and sisters. (noun)
Small family - A family with just a few children (1 or 2) and not many relatives.
Study - To go to school, university or be in education. (verb)
Surname - The name that all members of a family share, often comes from the father, someone’s last name. Also called family name. (noun)
Tell us about yourself? - A question to ask to get a lot of information about a person. When answering include your name, job, where you come from and possibly your age as well as family information.
Wave - To lift up a hand and arm to greet someone. (verb)
What about you? - A question to ask for the same information from someone as they asked from you.
You can download the following flashcards and print them out if that will help you learn the vocabulary on this page.
Listen to the recording below to hear the pronunciation of the ESL meeting someone new vocabulary items from the list above. Or alternately watch the video of the flashcards with the vocabulary being pronounced.
Below are some phrases, questions and answers that are made using the ESL meeting someone new vocabulary. You can learn some questions to ask people and the correct responses if they ask you the questions.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to see you.
Good morning (morning)
Good afternoon (afternoon)
Good evening (evening)
What is your name?
My name is …
I would like to introduce myself, my name is …
Tell us about yourself?
Where do you come from?
I come from … (London, Bangkok)
What is your family like?
I have a ... (big family, small family)
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
I have a … (brother and two sisters)
No I am an only child.
How old are you?
I am … years old.
Do you have a partner?
I am single/married.
I have a girlfriend/boyfriend.
Are you new here?
Are you a … ? (student)
What do you study?
I study … (biology, history)
What do you do?
I am a … (student, teacher)
I work in a … (coffee shop, office)
How are you?
I’m fine, thanks for asking.
What about you?
Asking for help
Have we met before?
Yes last week.
I don’t think so.
Can you help me please?
Yes, what can I do?
Thank you that is very kind.
Pardon, could you please repeat that?
Excuse me, …
Do you want to go and have coffee?
Yes that would be nice.
Introducing someone else
I’d like you to meet …
May I introduce … to you?
Ending a conversation
I have to go now.
The phrases from above are on these flashcards that you can download and print to help you learn them.
The phases shown above have been spoken by a native English speaker and the recording has been included below.
Below are three short exercises to test your understanding of the ESL meeting someone new vocabulary included above. Once you know the vocabulary well, you can try to do the exercises. Remember to share your scores from the quizzes on Facebook if you do well and want your friends to see the mark you got.
This exercise contains five questions that each have one of the words from the vocabulary list above and options (A-D) that include definitions. You need to choose the correct definition.
The following questions give you a definition of one of the words from the vocabulary list above and you have to choose the correct word that matches the definition from the options provided.
Below you have five pictures that correspond to the ESL meeting someone new vocabulary items from the list on this page. Choose the correct option in each question that matches the picture.