Language & culture
Common English Phrases for Conversations
These common English phrases for conversation cover the moments that trip people up most when chatting with strangers: saying hello, asking someone to repeat, showing you're listening, agreeing or disagreeing, changing the topic and saying goodbye. Learn three or four from each group and you can handle almost any casual chat.
Each section includes notes on tone, because in English, how polite you sound often depends on small words like "could," "just" and "sorry." The examples use everyday American English, with a few British differences pointed out.
Greetings and opening lines
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| "Hi! How's it going?" | Friendly default with anyone your age |
| "Hey, nice to meet you." | Right after you connect |
| "Where are you from?" | Classic opener; follow with "What's it like there?" |
| "What time is it there?" | Useful on any international call |
| "What are you up to today?" | A casual way to ask what they're doing |
| "Good morning" / "Good evening" | Polite, but match their time of day, not yours |
In English, "How are you?" is usually a greeting rather than a real question. A short "Good, thanks! You?" is the expected reply. If you'd like more interesting answers than "fine," see our guide to better answers to "How are you?".
In the UK, "You alright?" is often just a greeting, like "How are you?" It doesn't mean you look unwell. "Yeah, good, you?" is a perfect reply.
Phrases for when you don't understand
Everyone misses words on video calls, native speakers included. Asking is normal; how you ask sets the tone.
- "Sorry, could you say that again?"
- "Could you speak a little more slowly?"
- "Sorry, the audio cut out. What was the last part?"
- "What does ___ mean?"
- "Could you type that in the chat?"
- "Do you mean ___?"
- "Sorry, I'm still learning English. Could you say it another way?"
Avoid a flat "What?", which can sound annoyed. "Sorry?" with a rising tone, or "Pardon?", is the polite short version. Accents add their own challenge, and our guide on how to understand different English accents has listening tips for the main ones.
English conversation phrases that keep things going
Showing you're listening
- "Really?"
- "Oh, nice!"
- "That makes sense."
- "No way!" (surprise, not disagreement)
- "Same here." / "Me too."
- "Tell me more about that."
Asking follow-up questions
- "How did you get into that?"
- "What's that like?"
- "What was the best part?"
- "Wait, how does that work?"
Agreeing and disagreeing
- "Exactly." / "Totally."
- "I think so too."
- "Fair point."
- "I see what you mean, but..."
- "I'm not sure about that."
- "I see it a bit differently."
For disagreements that go beyond a quick "I'm not sure," see how to disagree respectfully.
Buying time and fixing mistakes
Pauses feel longer when you're speaking a second language. These fillers give you a few seconds without an awkward silence:
- "Let me think..."
- "How do I say this..."
- "What's the word..."
- "It's like a... kind of a..."
- "I mean..." (to correct yourself mid-sentence)
- "Sorry, let me start again."
Native speakers use these all the time, so they sound natural rather than like a sign of weak English. If you can't find a word at all, describe it: "It's the thing you use to..." usually gets the other person to supply it.
Changing the topic smoothly
- "By the way, ..."
- "That reminds me..."
- "Speaking of food, ..."
- "Can I ask you something?"
- "Anyway, ..." (to move on from something)
- "Let's talk about something else." (when a topic feels uncomfortable)
The last one is handy when a chat drifts somewhere you'd rather not go. Our guide to topics to avoid when talking to foreigners explains which subjects tend to cause that, and what to ask instead.
Questions make the smoothest bridges. Instead of announcing a new topic, link it to something they already said: "You mentioned you cook a lot. What's your best dish?" It shows you were listening, too.
Ending a conversation politely
- "It was really nice talking to you."
- "I have to go, but this was fun."
- "Thanks for the chat!"
- "Take care!"
- "Have a good night" / "Enjoy the rest of your day." (check their time zone)
- "Good luck with ___!" (if they mentioned a trip, a new job or a big day coming up)
On Omlet, it's good manners to say one of these before you press Next or Stop. The interface is in English and you can meet people from all over, so start a random video chat and try a few of these out.
Tone: everyday English expressions, softened
English speakers soften requests with extra words. Leaving them out can sound blunt, even when you don't mean it to.
| Can sound blunt | Sounds friendly |
|---|---|
| "Repeat." | "Could you repeat that?" |
| "Speak slowly." | "Could you speak a bit more slowly?" |
| "I want to practice English." | "I'd love to practice my English, if that's okay." |
| "You're wrong." | "Hmm, I'm not sure that's right." |
| "What is your job?" | "What do you do?" |
| "Bye." | "Nice talking to you, bye!" |
Intonation matters as much as the words. "Okay." said flat and low can sound bored or annoyed, while the same word with a brighter, rising tone sounds friendly. On video, smiling while you talk changes your voice as well, and people can hear the difference.
American and British differences
- "What's up?" (US) usually gets "Not much, you?" as a reply, not a full update.
- "Cheers" (UK) can mean thanks or goodbye, not just a toast.
- "Awesome" is very common in American English; British speakers often say "brilliant" or "lovely."
- "I reckon" (UK, Australia) simply means "I think."
If you mostly talk with people from the United States, the American versions are the safer default. For a full practice plan with native speakers, see our page on practicing English on video chat.