Let’s Practice: Meeting New People

 Introduction

Meeting new people is an exciting experience. It allows us to make friends, exchange ideas, and learn about different cultures. In this section, we will practice introducing ourselves, greeting others, and having simple conversations in English.

Learning Goals:

Learn how to introduce yourself and others.

Practice common greetings and responses.

Understand cultural differences in introductions.

Improve confidence in speaking English in social situations.

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1.3.1 Common Greetings and Introductions

A. Formal and Informal Greetings

When meeting someone for the first time, greetings are very important. The type of greeting depends on the situation—whether it is formal or informal.

Formal Greetings

These are used when talking to teachers, older people, or in professional settings:

"Good morning!"

"Good afternoon!"

"Good evening!"

"How do you do?"

"It’s nice to meet you."

Informal Greetings

These are used in casual conversations with friends, classmates, or family:

"Hi!"

"Hello!"

"Hey, what’s up?"

"How’s it going?"

"Nice to see you!"

Example Dialogue: Greetings

Situation: A student meets a new teacher.

Student: "Good morning, Sir. My name is Rina."

Teacher: "Good morning, Rina. Nice to meet you!"

Student: "Nice to meet you too, Sir!"

Situation: Two classmates meet before school.

Lisa: "Hey, Andi! What’s up?"

Andi: "Hi, Lisa! I’m good. How about you?"

Lisa: "I’m great! Ready for class?"

Andi: "Yes, let’s go!"

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1.3.2 Introducing Yourself

When meeting someone new, introducing yourself is the first step to starting a conversation. Here are some simple ways to introduce yourself:

"Hello, my name is Rina. Nice to meet you!"

"Hi, I’m Andi. What’s your name?"

"Good morning! I’m Lisa, and I’m from Yogyakarta."

"Hey, I’m Dika. I love playing football."

Example Dialogue: Introducing Yourself

Situation: Two students meet in the school library.

Rina: "Hi! My name is Rina. What’s your name?"

Andi: "Hello, Rina! I’m Andi. Nice to meet you!"

Rina: "Nice to meet you too! Where are you from?"

Andi: "I’m from Jakarta. What about you?"

Rina: "I’m from Surabaya. This is my first time in this school."

Andi: "Welcome! I can show you around if you’d like."

Rina: "That would be great. Thank you!"

Practice Activity:

Try introducing yourself to a classmate. Use the sentences above to guide your conversation.

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1.3.3 Introducing Someone Else

Sometimes, we introduce our friends to others. Here are some ways to do it:

"This is my friend, Lisa."

"Let me introduce you to my teacher, Mr. Budi."

"I’d like you to meet my classmate, Dika."

Example Dialogue: Introducing Someone Else

Situation: Lisa introduces her friend Rina to Andi.

Lisa: "Hi, Andi! This is my friend, Rina."

Andi: "Nice to meet you, Rina!"

Rina: "Nice to meet you too, Andi!"

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1.3.4 Cultural Differences in Introductions

Different cultures have different ways of greeting and introducing people.

Examples of Greetings in Different Countries:

Indonesia: People usually shake hands and smile. It is a polite way to greet others.

Japan: People bow when they meet someone. This shows respect.

USA: People often shake hands and say, "Nice to meet you!"

France: People may greet each other with a light kiss on the cheek, especially among friends and family.

Example Discussion in Class

Teacher: "In Indonesia, how do people usually greet each other?"

Rina: "We shake hands and smile."

Teacher: "Good! What about in Japan?"

Andi: "People bow to show respect."

Practice Activity:

Discuss with your classmates: How do people greet each other in your local community?

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1.3.5 Practice Conversations


A. Meeting a New Classmate


Dika: "Hi! I’m Dika. What’s your name?"

Lisa: "Hi, Dika! I’m Lisa."

Dika: "Nice to meet you, Lisa. Where are you from?"

Lisa: "I’m from Bali. And you?"

Dika: "I’m from Semarang."


B. Talking to a Tourist


Tourist: "Hi! I’m Sarah from Australia. What’s your name?"

You: "Hello, Sarah! I’m Budi."

Tourist: "Nice to meet you, Budi. Are you from here?"

You: "Yes, I live in Yogyakarta. Are you enjoying your visit?"

Tourist: "Yes! I love the culture and the food!"

You: "That’s great! Have you visited Borobudur Temple?"

Tourist: "Not yet, but I plan to go tomorrow."

Practice Activity:

Role-play with your classmates: Pretend one person is a tourist and the other is a local. Practice having a conversation.

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1.3.6 Practicing with AI

AI can help you practice introductions. Try using the following prompt:

Prompt for AI Practice:

"Pretend you are a new student in my school. Let’s introduce ourselves!"

You can also ask AI to help you practice different scenarios, such as:

Introducing yourself in a job interview.

Introducing yourself to a host family when traveling.

Practicing small talk with new people.

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Conclusion

Introducing yourself and meeting new people is an important skill. By practicing greetings and introductions, we can feel more confident in conversations.

Use simple greetings like "Hi!" and "Hello!"

Introduce yourself clearly and politely.

Be aware of cultural differences.

Practice with classmates and AI to improve fluency.

Final Practice:

Pair up with a classmate and practice introducing yourself, greeting others, and having a short conversation.

Now, let’s try introducing ourselves in class!

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