[Closed] What do you say when you meet someone?

handshake, with a 'how do'.

Hello. Have you heard the good news about Jesus?

ey up ducky

The problem is that the standard 'Hello, how are you' always appears very insincere and it's seldom met with a truthful answer.

Hello, how are you?
I'm not that well, I've had a shit day, how are you?

Doesn't generally happen. So on in general your first meeting with a stranger starts with a lie. Not a great basis of a relationship.

I always shake hands or- if I know them either or a hug. Man or woman.

I'm not into the Big Bang Theory/Sheldon- stand offish 'err hi' stuff. Call me over familiar but I prefer emotions to poker-fache 8)

I say "hello how are you" seems to stump a few people.

Hi, I'm [insert name of child you are accompanying to which ever kids birthday party it is this weekend]'s Dad. Previously known as Steve.

I would love "how do you do" to become our standard greeting.

Have to confess, I just sort of mumble something unintelligible

You're a doctor,that's all they will expect.

Depends on business or intro from friend.

I'd normally say, Hi...nice to meet you.

Hi, pleased to meet you.

(though I'm terrible for forgetting names and faces so often it's some awkward bet-hedging option if I'm not sure if I should know the person.)

"ahoy hoy!"

so the guardian are advocating the terry thomas approach

Alreet,
Now then,
or owdo

The only time I wont say hi is when

'now then I'm doing a KOM Strava attempt here in the Peaks'

**** off you ****.

Gotta love a bit of Terry Thomas! 🙂

"Hello there" or "all right?" or "Hola!".

alright me old china

Someone I don't know = "Hello, nice to meet you...."
Someone I know = "Hi, good to see you again", "How are you doing?"
People I know better than I should = "Oh g*d not you again"

"'ello Tweacle."

I always shake hands or- if I know them either or a hug. Man or woman.

I'll stop short at hugging, except with a very few close people*, but I do like a handshake. It sets a tone of commitment to the meeting, which I think we all value.

In the business context, a handshake and then just my name and company. If I already know them, then a handshake and something along the lines of "great to see you - how are you doing?".

In the wider social context, then a handshake and a "great to meet you" or similar (depending on how great it is), or something more suited to the occasion (I wouldn't say that to a bathroom salesman, for example).

I like "how do you do", but don't often deploy it these days. I think I'll make an effort to try it out more often and see how it goes.

allreet
how do
aye up

all pronounced with a barnsley dialect to confuse people

S'up?

or

oi oi cockah

all depends on the occasion.

I say Salut, ça va if i know them.. I then get a real response normally..

or if we dont know each other, Bonjour, comment ça va? Real answers normally follow also..

these europeans dont normally mince their words with people so you do actually get proper conversations..

Sup' famalam.
Or if I'm feeling nostalgic. Waaaasssssupppp

European lady came into the office yesterday, all European except for me. She kissed the 1st person 3 times, then a few more, then it was my turn. must have noticed my mild discomfort and shook my hand.

Shaking hands is good - unless you're in Team Sky in which case you'll be wary of catching germs.

At 43 I have been using 'How do you do' proudly as my standard greeting together with a firm handshake. I am relaxing into the idea that I may be turning into my Dad but then he's not a bad bloke to know.
It does surprise me how many times people are taken aback or don't quite know how to respond. Much in the same way that I react when greeted with " 'Sup Bro" complete with an offer of a fist bump. Too old for that nonsense now.

"Hi" followed by a s****, and pointing out "pfft, 26" wheels, how very last century"

😉

#moreendurothanyou

"Arite san". To people I know.

You need to have an Edinburgh accent in your head.

"HELLO MY NAME IS CHRIS I LIKE SOFT COLOURS" To new people.

STWers talking to people in real life?

"Hello" or "Nice to meet you". Usually with a handshake.

"Have you got any sponges? I'm not allowed sharp objects."

Usually suffices. Otherwise "Hello!"

How do you do to a stranger

Nice to meet you fine when leaving but never as a greeting

Bout ye.

Wa gwan bredren?

Or

Handshake etc.

Depends on the context.

I find a quick grab of the balls if it's a bloke negates all this "introduction" business, if it's a womanz then it's a flick of the nips..

Seems to work. 😉

This is how it's done.

Hoy da, Rutterkin.

"Who are you and how the hell did you get past security.... and get your hands off my balls!"

"Nice tits"

Works for both sexes.

Alright fxxkface.

"Hello"

Simple. Effective. A bit like me!

Give me your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle

'Wotcha'

I try and avoid touching due to OCD about shit and muck and the odd virus that is inevitably present on folks hands...

'Fancy seeing you out of a strip club!' Works for either sex.

That or unzip and offer my c&b. pretty standard stuff tbh.

"Gerroff moi laaaand!"

"Hi, what's your sign?".................possibly.

How do?

It's completely context specifically surely. It ranges from a kiss on the cheek to a nod of the head with pretty much everything in-between.

Do we really think that Hora handshakes or hugs everyone he meets - I hope he doesn't work in a busy office, he'd be at it all day.

If you don't use the Five points of friendship then I don't want to know you!

Which brings me onto something:

Why does the trend of a firm handshake seem to be dying out. Far too many limp wristed, soft handed MEN out there now!!

If the person is of opposite sex, nice looking, I would say:

"[b]Please[/b] to meet you"

Sometimes I would say: "How are you doing?" (a bit creepy but I learn this from watching Joey in Friends. 😆

For general greeting I would just say:

"[b]Nice[/b] to meet you".

Do we really think that [b]Hora[/b] handshakes or hugs everyone he meets - I hope he doesn't work in a busy office, [b]he'd be at it all day.[/b]

[img] [/img]

hiya, awight..? handshake, smile

or if I'm feeling a bit more warmly disposed towards someone:

ello mate, awight..? handshake, smile

'iya luv!

I'm the recipient of a 'hello love' from a rather chipper contractor at work. This wouldn't be too bad were it not for the fact he's also a bloke.

mostly...

Ore-rite?

occasionally...

Ow-doo?

On site at work probably "alright mate".
'Hello how's it going' outside of work.
Handshake if a friend of a good friend.

I normally say "How do you do?" but it is often met with a "What/who do you think you are?" type of look

Wotchyer Cock!

Used to be a more or less standard greeting back in the day.

Nowadays....depends who it is.

Friends....variations of 'Hi', hello etc

Family - peck on the cheek

Business - handshake, and a formal/semi formal salutation - depends what 'side of the desk' I am on if that makes sense.

Yakshimesh... Chenkui!

How do you do.

It's not a question, and doesn't demand anything other than a reply of How do you do.

It is there as a standard greeting.

Anything else is just wrong.

There are conventions.

"Nice to meet you" etc is just sooooo wrong.

It's not a question

Yes it is.

How do you do.

It's not a question

Meh I heard that on QI once but Steven Fry is clearly wrong here.

"Servus"
or
"Grias di"

when in the UK then usually "hello fella/son/mate"

Dependent on who it is:

"yes blood"

"alright mate"

"hey babe" (if a woman)

Informal, non-deferential, casual.

How do you do.

It's not a question, and doesn't demand anything other than a reply of How do you do.

It is there as a standard greeting.

"Nice to meet you" etc is just sooooo wrong.

Doesn't have a question mark though, does it, so there! 😀

"Proper" etiquette just is. Convention and cultural/societal expectations are there for no apparent reason, but make a difference in particular company. "How do you do" done correctly, demonstrates a conformity, and if you like a background which embeds that social conformity. Of course, if you have no desire or need to conform to those standards, then say what you will. It's the difference between "I wanna go toilit" and "I need to use the lavatory."

Snobbery can be a destructive thing, and there's nothing worse than faux sophistication al la Hyacinth Bucket, or even those coached in etiquette to an obvious degree, but occasionally it's good (in my opinion) to set yourself and adhere to certain standards. Be yourself, but most importantly, allow others to do as they wish.

Do you eat pudding or desert? What about table manners..... how do you eat a bread roll with your soup?

Has to be "Now then" at all times. Really confuses any southerners!

"Morning" if it's am
"Afternoon" if it's pm
Followed by handshake if I don't know em
Straight into conversation if I do know em

I ask people to 'word up'

I don't have many friends

Yes, you may kiss my ring...

We've not had yet..

Yo Dude!!

Followed by a High Five.

I greet my nephews this way.

They are 5 & 7 😆

"Pleased to meet you." In the style of 'sympathy for the devil'.
Also, the local variant of "arayt buy/meht/muh burd" is technically a question, but the correct answer is to repeat it back to whoever said it.

Informal, Hi.
Business people, Hello.

I never say 'nice to meet you' until I've found out what they're like. It might not be nice to meet them.

Eh up, yer right?

Ey up

Really should condition myself to say something more formal as it just confuses people from outside the UK let alone the Midlands/North, which makes up probably 40% of my colleagues and 100% of the clients!