Greetings and introductions: how to say hello clearly
Short answer: Greetings are the first words in a conversation, so they should be clear and warm. In Hello! My name is Lan. Nice to meet you., stress the key words (HELlo, NAME, LAN, NICE, MEET) and keep final consonants clear: name /neɪm/, meet /mit/. Smile, and let your voice rise a little on Hello to sound friendly.
▶ Open the sound card Practice →
At a glance
| Phrase | Stress | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hello! | HELlo | rise a little |
| My name is Lan. | NAME, LAN | keep the final /m/ |
| Nice to meet you. | NICE, MEET | to is weak: /tə/ |
| How are you? | HOW, YOU | are is weak: /ɚ/ |
How to make the sound
- Choose the key words in the greeting.
- Stress them and say the small words softly.
- Say the final consonants: name, meet.
- Smile and use a friendly pitch.
Examples in sentences
- Hello!
Stress the first syllable: /həˈloʊ/ or /ˈhɛloʊ/. - My name is Lan.
Stress NAME and LAN: /maɪ ˈneɪm ɪz ˈlɑn/. - Nice to meet you.
Stress NICE and MEET: /naɪs tə mit ju/. - How are you?
Stress HOW and YOU. - I’m fine, thank you.
Stress FINE and THANK. - See you later.
Stress SEE and LAT-er.
Common problems
- Dropping the final consonant: Saying “na” for name. Keep /m/.
- Stressing every word: Nice to meet you should have two stresses, not four.
- Flat tone: A flat voice sounds cold. Use a friendly pitch.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Say /m/ in name with closed lips. Final /m/ is easy to drop.
- Practice /ð/ and /θ/ in thank you with the tongue between the teeth.
Check yourself
- Which words are stressed in “Nice to meet you”?
Show the answer
NICE and MEET. to and you are weaker.
- What final sound does “name” have?
Show the answer
/m/ Close your lips.
- How should your voice sound?
Show the answer
Friendly. A little rise on hello.
Questions
Do I say hello with a rise or a fall?
Either works. A small rise sounds friendly.
How fast should I speak?
At a calm pace, so the final sounds are clear.
Where can I practice?
Open the sound card for this lesson and say each line aloud.
More lessons in this part
- Asking & Answering
- Requests & Politeness
- Describing People & Things
- Telling Short Stories
- Real-Life Speaking Challenge
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Speaking & Communication. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30