English course

Lesson 1 of 240

Hello, how are you in English

Ana's first morning in Chicago starts at the Blue Plate. Dee says hi and calls her hon before she even sits down.

A polite yak named Murray is already at the counter, with two eggs and a coffee he has not finished.

By the end, you'll say hello, hi, good morning, and good afternoon, and you'll answer how you are.

Hello is the polite one. Hi is a friendly, casual hello with friends and new people.

By the end of this lesson

Greet someone, say good morning or good afternoon, and answer how you are.

  • Hello.a polite hello
  • Hi.a friendly hello
  • Good morning.hello before noon
  • Good afternoon.hello after noon
  • How are you?you ask this when you greet someone
  • I'm good, thanks.a short, happy answer to How are you?

Scene — the door is open

Same first morning on Larch Street. Ana pushes the diner door. Dee is already looking at her from the counter, coffee pot in hand.

Murray sits at the end of the counter on two stools, with two eggs and a black coffee he has not touched. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Ana enters the diner as Dee looks up from the counter and Murray sits at the counter's end.

Learn — hello and how are you

Six short lines cover hello, hi, good morning, good afternoon, and how you are.

You'll also get a ready answer: I'm good, thanks.

  1. Dee warmly greets Ana as Ana stands in the doorway.

    Hello.

    a polite hello

    When to use it: Say this in a shop or diner any time of day.

    Learn it as one piece for the first word at the door.

    Say it: The stress is on the second part.

  2. Dee offers Ana a warm morning greeting from the counter.

    Hi.

    a friendly hello

    When to use it: Say this as a friendly, casual hello with friends and new people.

    Learn it as one piece, a friendly hello.

  3. Dee gives Ana a casual greeting across the counter.

    Good morning.

    hello before noon

    When to use it: Say this as a hello before noon.

    Learn it as one piece, the morning hello.

  4. Dee asks Ana how she is while Ana pauses by the counter.

    Good afternoon.

    hello after noon

    When to use it: Say this as a hello after noon.

    Learn it as one piece, the afternoon hello.

  5. Ana gives Dee a brief, cheerful reply beside the coffee pot.

    How are you?

    you ask this when you greet someone

    When to use it: Ask this after hello when you greet someone.

    Learn it as one piece when you greet someone.

    Say it: How and are can link.

  6. Murray turns to Ana with a polite question at the counter's end.

    I'm good, thanks.

    a short, happy answer to How are you?

    When to use it: Say this when someone asks how you are.

    Learn it as one piece to say you are fine.

Story — she waits

Watch Ana's first hello at the counter. Dee will not move on until she hears a short answer.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. The lamps are still on. Dee looks up from the counter.
  2. DeeHi, hon.a friendly hello
  3. She waits. Ana still has a hand on the door.
  4. AnaGood afternoon.hello after noon
  5. DeeGood morning, hon. How are you?a warm hello before noon, then she asks how Ana is
  6. AnaI'm good, thanks. My feet hurt.She says she is fine, then talks about her feet.
  7. DeeJust say, "I'm good, thanks," hon.She wants a short answer, not extra details.
  8. Dee looks at Murray. He already knows what Ana will want.
  9. MurrayWell, good morning.hello before noon
  10. AnaHello.a polite hello
  11. MurrayHow are you?you ask this when you greet someone
  12. AnaI'm good, thanks.a short, happy answer to How are you?

Practice — morning or afternoon

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    Hello.Drop the Simple English here
    Hi.Drop the Simple English here
    Good morning.Drop the Simple English here
    Good afternoon.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You walk into the Blue Plate in the morning. Dee looks at you and waits.

  4. What does it mean?

    Good afternoon.

  5. Fill the gap

    a short, happy answer to How are you?

    I'm good, ____.

  6. Build the line

    you ask this when you greet someone

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Dee says:

    How are you?

    you ask this when you greet someone

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    It is nine in the morning at the Blue Plate. Greet Dee for the morning.

    Good ____.

  9. What do you say?

    A close friend waves on the street in the afternoon.

  10. True or false?

    This line asks for a long health report.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Ana on your first morning at the diner. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeHi.a friendly hello
  2. Ana (you)Greet her the polite way. It is still morning.

    Hello.

    a polite hello

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Hello.a polite hello
Hi.a friendly hello
Good morning.hello before noon
Good afternoon.hello after noon
How are you?you ask this when you greet someone
I'm good, thanks.a short, happy answer to How are you?
Next: lesson 2Come in, sit down

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these hellos handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your hellos ready for the door.

Open Yak Cards