How to Greet Someone at Night

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This article covers the following areas –

When you greet someone in the morning, you simply say, “Good morning,” if it’s afternoon, you say “Good Afternoon.” What do you say to greet someone at night? Do you say, “Good night?” If you say so, is it correct? Does it make sense to native speakers when you say “good night” while you greet someone at night? Let’s find the answers and the correct ways to greet someone at night.

In formal settings at night, you can greet someone by saying “Good evening” if it is before midnight, and you can say “Good morning” if it is after midnight.  And, of course, whether it is night or daytime, you can greet someone by saying “Hi” or “Hello.” However, we say “Good night” to bid someone farewell at night, not to greet or start a conversation.

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Besides the expressions mentioned above, you can greet someone at night in different ways. Also, there are controversies regarding evening, night, and morning time frames. In the rest of the post, I will try to clear all the confusion and discuss some polite ways to greet someone at night in detail.

Say “Good Evening” to Greet Someone before Midnight

In a general sense, the evening is a time around sunset. According to Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary, evening is between 5 PM and 9 PM, and night is between 9 PM and 4 AM.  

So, does it make sense to greet someone by saying “Good Evening” from sunset to 9 PM? Yes, it absolutely does. But how about after 9 PM?

The usual practice that we notice in native speakers in English is that they say “Good evening” to greet someone from sunset to midnight (12 o’clock at night). No matter what the scientific definition and time frame evening and night have, the standard practice is to say “Good evening” to greet someone before midnight.     

Note: If you work for any international call center, it’s better not to use any time-of-day reference to greet someone. It may cause confusion since the person you talk to maybe from another time zone. 

Say “Good Morning” to Greet Someone After Midnight

Generally, the morning starts from the time of sunrise and ends at midday or noon. Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary marks the morning from 5 AM to 12 PM. So, undoubtedly, we can greet someone with “Good morning” within that time frame.

How about the time from midnight to 4:59 AM? What do we say to greet people at that time?

We can greet someone by saying “Good morning” after midnight since the first few hours after midnight are called the very early morning. These very early morning hours are technically called “Wee hours” when most people are asleep.

Note: Saying “Good morning” to greet someone after midnight is prevalent in most English-speaking countries, such as the USA. 

No “Goodnight” to Greet Someone at Night

In a plain sense, the night is the time from sunset to sunrise. However, the time frame that Merriam-Webster Dictionary suggests for the night is from 9 PM to 4 AM. So, do native English speakers greet someone by saying “Goodnight” within this time frame?

“Goodnight” is not at all a greeting expression in English. You can only use “Good night” to take someone’s leave or to say “Bye” to someone at night.

Note: Instead of saying “Goodnight” to greet someone at night, say “Good evening” before midnight and “Good morning” after midnight.  

“Hello,” “Hi,” “Hey,” etc. Are the Common Ways of Greetings

Whether it’s day or night, you can greet someone and start any conversation with a simple “Hello.” This is a very convenient and confusion-free way of greeting someone, as it does not reference any particular time.

You can say “Good afternoon” when it is practically afternoon. But you can greet someone with “Hello” regardless of any particular time frame. There are so many other words, phrases, or expressions that you can use instead of hello to greet someone at night.

  • Hi!
  • Hey!
  • Howdy!
  • Hey there!
  • Hello there!

Note: The above greeting expressions are all different forms of “hello” that you can only use in casual/informal contexts.    

Use “How Are You?” to Greet Someone at Night

greet someone at night
You can use “How are you” to greet someone at night.

“How are you?” is a common expression used to greet someone at any time—day or night. You can use this in formal situations instead of saying “Hello.” However, don’t assume that “How are you” is said to ask about someone’s health condition. It is merely a greeting expression to native speakers of English.

Well! There are some other ways to say “How are you” in English. You can check the list below.

  • What’s up?
  • What’s new?
  • How is everything?
  • What’s going on?
  • How is it going?

Note: The expressions I mentioned above are recommended to use instead of “How are you” in informal settings only. They are very convenient for greetings as they don’t require any time reference. You can use them at night and daytime as well.      

A Sample Conversation on Greeting Someone at Night

In an evening meeting, student Jimmy unexpectedly visits his teacher Sandy to rectify a mistake in his assignment. Concerned about his grades, Jimmy presents corrected pages for the missing sections in his report. Sandy, understanding the situation, agrees to update the assignment, showcasing the supportive dynamic of their student-teacher relationship.


Sandy: Hi, Jimmy – What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting you, really. How’s everything going?

Jimmy: Hello, Ms. Sandy! Good evening – I apologize for disturbing you at this hour… but it’s something really important. 

Sandy: Okay. Tell me what it is. 

Jimmy: It’s about the assignment report I submitted to you the other day. I think I’ve made a mistake during compiling the papers. 

Sandy: I’m not sure I can help with that now. I’ve already arranged all the assignments after reviewing them. 

Jimmy: I get it. But it’s just the TOC and Bibliography parts. I missed out on putting some additional information on those parts. 

Sandy: Hmmm… let me see… 

Jimmy: I’ve worked very hard on this assignment report. Missing out on that information could reduce my grades. 

Sandy: …… alright… can you email me the updated pages now?

Jimmy: I’ve brought them with me so you can replace them – here you go. 

Sandy: Nice. Okay, then. I’ll attach them accordingly. 

Jimmy: Thank you so much, Ms. Sandy! That’s so kind of you. I think I’ll take your leave now.

Sandy: Bye, Jimmy. Take care. 

Final Thoughts

Many ESL learners get confused about how to greet someone at night. I hope this post will help you understand how to greet people with “Good evening” and “Good morning.”

Use “Good Evening” to greet someone before midnight and “Good morning” after midnight. And remember, you should NOT use “Goodnight” to greet someone; instead, use it to bid them farewell. 

Thanks for reading.

Happy learning.

FAQ: Greeting Someone at Night in English

1. Why is it essential to use appropriate greetings based on the time of day?

Using time-specific greetings shows attentiveness and cultural awareness, making interactions more meaningful and respectful.

2. What are some common nighttime greetings in English?

You can use “Good evening,” “Hey there,” “How’s your night going?”, or simply “Evening.”

3. How does tone influence the way I greet someone at night?

A calm and warm tone is especially fitting for nighttime greetings, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

4. Is there a difference between “Good evening” and “Good night”?

Yes, “Good evening” is typically a greeting, used when meeting someone at night, while “Good night” is a farewell, used when parting ways or going to sleep.

5. Can I use “Hello” or “Hi” at night?

Absolutely! “Hello” and “Hi” are versatile greetings suitable for any time of day.

6. How can I make nighttime greetings more personal?

Incorporating a question like “How was your day?” or “Did you have a good evening?” adds a personal touch to the greeting.

7. Are there cultural nuances in greeting someone at night?

Yes, in some cultures, specific nighttime greetings are preferred, while in others, a simple “Hello” might suffice. It’s always good to be aware of cultural norms.

8. Is it okay to greet someone with “Good night” when meeting them?

Typically, “Good night” is used as a farewell, so it might sound odd as a greeting when meeting someone. “Good evening” is more appropriate.

9. How can I respond to a nighttime greeting?

Responses like “Evening,” “Hello,” “Hi there,” or “Good to see you” are all suitable.

10. How can body language complement nighttime greetings?

A friendly smile, nod, or wave can make your nighttime greeting feel more genuine and welcoming.

Niaj A A Khan is an ESL Instructor with over 8 years of experience in teaching & developing resources at different universities and institutes. Mr. Khan is also a passionate writer working on his first book, "Learn English at Ease."

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