How to Greet Someone You Don't Know: Tips and Examples
Learn polite ways to greet someone without knowing their name with universal tips and context-specific examples.
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When you don’t know someone’s name, use a general greeting that is still polite. For instance, say ‘Hello!’ or ‘Good morning/afternoon/evening!’ These expressions are universally polite and show respect. If approaching someone in a specific context like a retail store, use context-specific greetings such as, ‘Excuse me, can you help me?’ to initiate the conversation effectively without needing a name.
FAQs & Answers
- What are common greetings for strangers? Common greetings for strangers include 'Hello!', 'Hi there!', or 'Good morning/afternoon/evening!'.
- How do you start a conversation with someone you don’t know? You can start a conversation by using a polite greeting and then asking a question relevant to the situation.
- Is it rude not to use someone's name when greeting? Not at all; using a polite general greeting is acceptable when you do not know someone’s name.
- What is a context-specific way to greet someone? A context-specific way to greet someone could be saying, 'Excuse me, can you help me?' in a retail environment.