Meeting & Greeting Etiquette

In general, American greetings are rather informal and relaxed. In social circumstances, it's becoming more normal to greet someone with a grin or a nod rather than a handshake. When meeting someone for the first time, handshakes are customarily followed by a "How d'ya do?" or "How you doing?" based on where you are in the US. When meeting and parting, handshakes are typically anticipated in the business world. The exchanging of pleasantries is done out of politeness rather than sincerity.

Americans may utilize phrases like "call me some time," "let's have lunch," or "see you around" as more polite alternatives to saying "bye." When introducing someone, provide their entire name and a brief bio, such as "This is Larry Whyte; he teaches science at the neighborhood school."

When meeting someone formally for the first time, a handshake is given. When meeting, relatives and friends give each other hugs. For hello or farewell, some people may also prefer to give each other a cheek kiss. Always check with the person first to make sure they are okay with you hugging or kissing them.

You can be friendly to strangers by grinning at them. When necessary, say "sorry," "pardon me," and "thank you." When someone is speaking to you, make eye contact. Keep your distance and respect the other person's privacy when you are speaking with them.