Learn English: How to wish someone in person and on Facebook

If you only write “Happy Birthday” to people on Facebook, you need this lesson! I’ll teach you what you can say AFTER that! You’ll learn many useful phrases and sentences to express your wishes genuinely, sincerely, and creatively. I’ll also tell you what to say when someone gets a job, sneezes, is unwell, has a baby, passes an exam, and more! Let’s make the world a kinder, more genuine place by saying what we feel and showing we care about the people we know.

NEXT, watch these videos to keep improving your English:
1. Polite English – Show people you care: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtl9vPjsP10

2. 8 ways to be positive & encourage others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xz7C7TRRbo

You can also take the quiz on this lesson at https://www.engvid.com/wishes-in-person-online/

TRANSCRIPT

Hi, and welcome back to engVid. Today we have a really special lesson planned for you. In this lesson, you'll learn how to wish somebody in person, or in an email, or on Facebook during the happy and sad occasions of our lives. Okay? Now, actually, I've learned different languages; and even though sometimes you learn all kinds of complex words and all kinds of difficult things, sometimes it's hardest to say the simplest wishes and greetings in the natural way that they should flow when somebody tells you good news or bad news. Okay? So, this is to review, in case you don't know, and there may be some situations where you're not... Not really sure at all what to say. So, try to do this quickly with me. I'm going to give you a situation, and you tell me quickly: What do you say to a person in that situation? Now, some of them are going to be pretty obvious, and some maybe not. Okay? Are you ready? Let's get started.

Okay. What do you to say to someone on their birthday? "Happy birthday." Good. Now, as I ask you, if you want or you need more time, then just pause and say it. Okay? But, really, we're going to do this quite fast. So, on a birthday we say: "Happy birthday." Later I'll tell you what else you can write besides: "Happy birthday."

Okay. Your friend has a job interview. Before they go for the job interview, what do you say? There are a number of possibilities, here, but tell me something quickly. You can say: "Good luck." You could say: "All the best." All right? Good.

It's your friend's anniversary, what do you say to them? You say: "Happy anniversary." Yes, that works. Okay? You can also say: "Congratulations", but: "Happy anniversary" is fine.

It's January 1st and you see a friend, what do you say to him? "Happy New Year." Okay? Good.

It's somebody's wedding day, what do you say to them? Usually we just say: "Congratulations." Okay? Again, later I'll tell you what else you can say after that basic word, but you at least want to get the basic words out of your mouth. Right? Good.

Now, we don't always do this, but often we do say something before someone's about to eat, like, a nice meal or something like that. And the strange part is we say something in French because we don't actually have something in English to say before you're about to sit down to eat a nice meal. So, have you heard what people say before someone is about to eat a nice, fancy meal? Have you heard? We say: "Bon app�tite", which in French means: "Good appetite." Okay? So, that's something for you to learn. All right?

Your friend tells you that she's pregnant, and you say: "Congratulations." Okay?

Next, someone is introduced to you. Okay? So, what do you say to them? You put out your hand and you say: "Nice to meet you." By the way, depending on the culture and the situation, you don't always put out your hand for... To shake hands, but what you say is: "Nice to meet you." Okay? Good.

If someone has helped you a lot through a difficult situation, or with a project, something at work, something at home, what do you say to someone who has helped you? You say: "Thank you." Okay?

This one you may or may not know if you haven't been in this situation. Somebody loses someone that they love-that means someone in their family passes away or dies-what are you supposed to say to them? Well, there are a few possibilities. So, you could say: "My condolences." Okay? The word is: "condolences". Okay? "Please accept my condolences." Or: "I'm very sorry to hear that." If you can't remember the word "condolences" or you feel it's hard to pronounce or something, just say: "I'm very sorry to hear that. I'm very sorry for your loss." Okay?

Now, in case you're not catching exactly what I'm saying, what you can do during this lesson is to turn on the captions, which we have, and there you'll see these words that I'm saying written down. And if there's anything you don't know, then you could write them down for yourself, which is also a very good way for you to remember. Okay? So, there, you'll be able to write down, like: "Condolences", "Congratulations", exactly how to spell and write these words. Okay? […]