Do you want to learn to speak more than ‘hi’, ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’? Then learning some useful phrases would make you speak like a native speaker.  

Some basic English phrases are more useful than others. Why not focus on mastering these phrases first? We chose to write this blog specifically for that reason. 

The key English phrases for conversation will be covered in today’s blog, whether you’re just beginning to learn English or are already fluent. If you’re soon travelling to an English-speaking country, these will be especially useful to you.   

Here are 30 commonly used basic English phrases for daily use. They are helpful phrases that will advance your English language skills. 

Common English Phrases for Beginners

We’ll start by going over some common phrases for those of you who have just begun to learn English as a second language. 

1. How are you?

When you meet your friends, family, or anyone else you know and want to converse with them, you usually say, ‘how’re you’ or ‘What do you do’.   

2. I am fine, and you?

When someone asks about your well-being, you can use this phrase to respond. If you’re in a really positive mood, you can also combine this with the phrases “I’m doing well” or “couldn’t be better”. 

3. I am sorry

Have you made a mistake that you regret and want a pardon for? Saying “I am sorry” to them will serve as your apology. If you need to express regret over anything, use this basic English phrase. Add “for” to provide more detail. 

For instance: I am sorry for being so rude to you. 

You can add “really” before “sorry” to imply that you are very sorry for something:

For instance: “I’m really sorry that I haven’t told you this before”.

4. Excuse me

When you want to draw someone’s attention, you can say this phrase politely to him or her. You can also use this phrase when someone is blocking your path, and you are through a congested area. 

For instance: “Excuse me, madam, you have forgotten your pen here”.  
                       Excuse me, let me go, please. 

5. Thank you so much

If someone helped you out with something or did some kind of good thing for you, use this phrase to express your gratitude. This is a simple phrase you can say to thank someone. Add “for” after ‘much” to add more detail. 

For instance: “Thank you so much for this special gift”.
                      “Thank you so much for your help in this tough situation ”. 

6. You’re welcome

Saying “you’re welcome” is a nice approach to accept the gratitude of the person when he/she says “thank you”.   

Basic English Phrases When Greeting Someone.

Here are some basic English phrases you can use to introduce yourself to a fellow English speaker at work, school, gathering, or anywhere else. 

7. What is your name?

If it’s your first meeting with someone, you might ask their name so you can remember them by it. For example:

1st person: “I’m glad to see you here”.
You: “It’s nice to meet you too”.      

8. Hi! My name is (first name), you?

When you see someone for the first time, they ask you about your name, so you can use this English phrase to tell your name. This is an informal greeting. You can also ask them about theirs by saying, “and you?” or “what’s your name?”.

For example: “Hi! My name is Rita, and you?”.    

9. Nice to meet you

A brief greeting to express your feeling that you are happy to have someone’s company. When you see someone for the first time or are about to end the conversation, you can use this basic English phrase.  
 
First Person: I’m sorry, but I need to leave to visit my mother. 
You: “Not mind, it was nice to meet you”. 

10. Where are you from?

A wonderful short question in conversation to learn more about someone’s background, whether it’s their nationality or the city they grew up in. Most often, it refers to someone’s nationality they belong to. For example: 

You: “Where’re you from”?
First Person: Although I was born in Mexico, I grew up in the United States!

11. How old are you?

If you don't know someone well, it's probably not a courteous question to ask; however, once you do, you can ask this.

12. See you soon

You can say use this phrase at the end of the conversation to let someone know that you'd be interested in meeting them again.

Most Basic English Phrases for Travellers

Are you planning to travel to the US, Australia, England, or another English-speaking nation? These Travel English phrases below might be useful to have on hand.

13. How do I get to (location)

When you get into a new place and need to find your hotel, a restaurant, a market or a tourist space, this is a helpful phrase for asking to know how you will get there. 

You: “I'm sorry. How do I get to Golden Gate Bridge”?

14. Where is the nearest ATM?

Whether you're at the market or talking to a shopkeeper in the neighbourhood, you can ask about the location of the ATM if you need to withdraw money. 

15. How much is this?

You can use this phrase to inquire about the price when shopping at a market or store without a price tag in a new place. 

16. What is your contact number?

Have you met a lovely boy or girl you want to stay in touch with? Or a cool individual you wish to get in touch with again in the future? Ask about their social media sites or contact details.

English Phrases at Work

Finally, we will discuss the most common English phrases for conversation that you can use at work. Read on if you are going to work with an English-speaking colleague or if you're currently employed by a company that speaks English.

17. How can I help you?

You can use this phrase frequently if you work in customer service or reception. When answering the phone, people frequently use this expression.

18. Who am I speaking with?

When you’re at work and picking up a call, you first say this phrase to know the person you’re conversing with over the phone. This is a simple, polite and sophisticated phrase to ask the person about him or her. 

19. I will see you in a moment.

You might not be prepared to speak with someone when they ask to see you. If you need a minute to finish anything first, say this phrase without ignoring them. You can also say this to show a customer that their turn is up next.

You can use “minute” instead of “moment”. “I will see you in (just) a minute”. 

20. What do you think of this project/idea?

To excel in work, you need feedback. Ask your coworker or employer this question if you want to find out what they think of your new project, proposal, or idea.

Conclusion

We hope that these basic English phrases will improve your ability to speak English with confidence. The first few times won't be simple, so keep practising regularly. It’s not necessary to memorise all 20 phrases we shared with you today; instead, focus on the most important phrases first. If you want to learn about more phrases in an effective way, join our spoken English class online at FastInfo today.  

Online Spoken English learning classes by FastInfo Class will provide you with useful idioms and phrases for the students and help them achieve their main objectives.