Hi

[0002] Hey

🎲 Hello
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • An informal greeting, similar to Hi.
  • Can also be used to get someone's attention.

Origin

  • An old English interjection used to call attention or express surprise, dating back to Middle English (hei).
  • Its use as a greeting became common in American English, likely popularized in the 19th and 20th centuries.
  • Considered slightly more informal or casual than Hi.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Hi
  • Hello
  • Yo (very informal)
  • What's up? / Sup?

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Yo (Similar informality, often used between friends)
  • Sup? (Very casual, combines greeting and check-in)
  • Aight? / Alright? (UK/Aus, casual greeting/check-in)

Milder/Standard:

  • Hi
  • Hello

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal.
  • Best used with friends, peers, and in casual settings.
  • Might be seen as slightly too informal for initial interactions in professional or formal contexts.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Can be confused with its use as an interjection to get attention, especially if the tone is sharp.
  • Context usually makes the meaning clear (greeting vs. warning).

Examples

  • Hey, what are you doing later?
  • Hey! Watch out! (Used for attention)
  • Hey man, good to see you.

Dialogue

Chris: Hey, Dana.

Dana: Hey Chris! What's up?

Chris: Not much. Just grabbing coffee. Want one?

Dana: Sure, thanks!

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Hey Twitter, what's everyone up to this weekend?
  • Instagram Story Reply: Hey! Loved this!
  • DM: Hey, just checking in.

Response Patterns

  • Hey
  • Hi
  • What's up?
  • How's it going?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After saying Hey:

  • Similar to Hi, often followed by a name or a question like What's up?, How's it going?.

After hearing Hey:

  • Respond with Hey or Hi.
  • Answer any implied or explicit question (Not much, you?).

Conversation Starter

  • Yes.
  • Very common, slightly more informal than Hi.

Intonation

  • As a greeting, usually friendly and casual, with a slight rise or fall (HEY. or HEY?).
  • To get attention, it's often sharper and louder (HEY!).
  • Stress is on the single syllable.

Generation Differences

  • Very common across most age groups, perhaps slightly more prevalent among younger generations (under 50) compared to Hi.

Regional Variations

  • Widely used in North America, Australia, and increasingly common in the UK, though Alright? serves a similar function there.
Hi
🎲 Hello