When you write an email or a letter to a friend or family member, it is usually appropriate to write informally. Here are some informal words and expressions that can help you to begin and end your emails or letters in an informal way.
Formal email / letters start with Dear, but when you’re writing to a friend, you can be much more, well, friendly. You could try these ways of saying hello:
- Hi, Hiya, Hey, Heeeeellllllllloooooo,
You may want to follow any of the above with your friend’s name, but always use a comma at the end.
Next, move down two lines and start with a capital letter, but what can you write here? Here are some suggestions:
- This is just a quick email / letter to say…
It was great to hear from you.
Thanks for your email / letter.
Sorry I’ve taken so long to write back.
Of course, you then need to write the main body of your email / letter. When you get to the end, you could try finishing with one of these expressions:
- Well, that’s all for now.
Give my love to everyone.
Don’t forget to write soon.
followed by:
- See you soon,
See ya soon, (ya is a very informal way of writing you)
All the best,
Lots of love,
and your name – don’t forget your own name – that’s very important!
So, the next time you’re writing an email or a letter to a friend, try using some of these expressions to set an informal tone.