phrases for making friends

Phrases for Introducing Yourself and Making Friends

Here are some phrases for introducing yourself when you meet new people, and questions to learn more about them.

Hi! I’m [Name]. (And you?)

Here’s an informal greeting you can use when you meet new friends. If the person doesn’t tell you their name, you can ask “And you?” or “And what’s your name?”

Hi! I’m Rebecca. And you?

Hi! I’m David. What's your name?

Hi! My name is Alexander. But my friends call me Sanya. You can call me Alexander.

Nice to meet you.

After you learn each other’s names, it’s polite to say this phrase.

A: Hi Rebecca, I’m Chad.

B: Nice to meet you, Chad.

A: Nice to meet you too.

Where are you from?

Ask this question to find out which country someone is from. You answer this question with “I’m from ~.”

Can you answer this question in English? Say both the question and answer aloud right now. (Four times, remember?)

A: Nice to meet you, Sergio. So, where are you from?

B: I’m from Spain.

A: Nice to meet you, Igor. So, where are you from?

B: I'm from Ukraine!

What do you do?

Most adults ask each other this question when they meet. It means what do you do for a living (what is your job).

I think this question is boring, so I ask other questions. But many people will probably ask you this, so it’s important to know what it means.

A: What do you do, Cathleen?

B: I work at the university as a financial specialist.

A: What do you do, Svetlana?

B: I work at a software company as a business analyst.

What do you like to do (in your free time)?

Instead of asking for someone’s job title, I prefer to ask what they enjoy doing. The responses (answers) are usually much more interesting!

A: So Cathleen, what do you like to do in your free time?

B: I love to read and to garden. I picked two buckets of tomatoes last week!

A: So, Yuriy, what do you like like to do in your free time?

B: I love to travel and read science fiction.

A: Alex, tell me. What do you like to do in your free time?

B: I like to play piano and to take pictures of people and animals.


What’s your phone number?

If you want to keep in contact with someone you just met, ask this question to find out their phone number. You can replace “phone number” with “email address” if you want to know their email address.

You might also hear people use the more casual “Can I get your ~?,” as in, “Can I get your phone number?”

  • It would be great to meet up again sometime. What’s your phone number?

  • It was great talking to you about this. Can we do this again? What's the best way to reach you?

  • I really enjoyed chatting with you. How can I contact you?

How long are you planning to be here?

How long have you been here?

Do you know a good place to eat?

What company do you work for?

Maybe we'll see you at a future conference?

Maybe we can go together?

Do you work near here?

Are you an [profession x]?

What are you doing here?

Do you know of any holiday traditions?

Do you know if there are any holidays coming up?

What are you reading about?


Are you on Facebook?

Are you on Telegram?

Many people keep in touch (contact) through Facebook. Use this question to find out if someone has a Facebook account. You might also ask, “Are you on Facebook?”

Let’s keep in touch! Are you on Facebook?

Can I have your FB profile?

Are you on [Viber| Whatsapp| Telegram| Messenger]?