Well, it has been a great pleasure to meet you Sam, and Lin.
Yes, we've enjoyed meeting you too Victor.
Yes, it's been great. What a pity you have to go home.
Well, all good things must come to an end. But I'm sure we'll meet again.
And good luck with your business. I'm sure it will go well.
And I wish you every success too.
Well, I think we should drink a toast to the end of the conference, and to ourselves. Here's
Yes. Have I given you my card?
No - thanks very much. Here's mine.
Yes.
Thank you. I'll send you an email. And if you're ever in Singapore, you must look me
up.
We certainly will. And you have my number. When you're next in Sydney, give me a call
Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my flight.
Have a good flight home. Bon voyage.
Goodbye. For the final program in the series we're
looking at some of the phrases you may use when you're saying goodbye to someone - either
for a short time, or a long time. In our example, Victor is from another country, and he's about
to go back home. At a conference, he's met Sam and Lin.
It has been a great pleasure to meet you Sam and Lin.
We've enjoyed meeting you too Victor.
Yes, it's been great. What a pity you have to go home.
There are various phrases you can use to express how enjoyable it was to meet someone. Which
one you use depends on how well you got to know them. Practise some of these phrases
with Victor. It's been a great pleasure to meet you.
Nice to meet you. The phrase 'nice to meet you' would be used
after one short meeting. You can also use this phrase when you are introduced to someone.
What about the replies? Practise them with Lin.
It's been a pleasure to meet you. And you.
Glad to have met you. Glad to have met you too.
Notice that the reply should match the statement. So if someone says: I have enjoyed meeting
you, the reply can be, So have I.
If someone says, "It's been a pleasure to meet you," the reply can be, "A pleasure to
meet you too", or just "And you". Victor also says, "I'm sure we'll meet again."
Here are some useful phrases to do with meeting again. Practise them with Victor.
I hope we'll meet again soon. Notice again here that the reply should match
the statement, so if someone says, "I'm sure we'll meet again," then the reply also uses
'am': So am I. After the statement, "I hope we'll meet again", the reply should be, "So
do I".
Another part of saying goodbye can be wishing someone well for the future.
And good luck with your business. I'm sure it will go well.
And I wish you every success too. Sam proposes a toast. Watch how he does this.
Well, I think we should drink a toast to the end of the conference, and to ourselves. Here's
Cheers. This is an informal toast. Sam says, "I think
Another phrase he could use is 'Let's drink to'. For example, 'Let's drink to the end
of the conference' or 'Let's drink to our future meeting'. Then they clink their glasses
Here's another version of the toast: Let's drink to our next meeting.
Cheers And of course, the toast doesn't have to be
alcohol, it can be any kind of drink.
The next part of their conversation is about keeping in touch, or keeping in contact.
Yes. Have I given you my card?
No - thanks very much. Here's mine.
Yes.
Thank you. I'll send you an email. Repeat the phrases after Sam.
Do you have a card? The next part of their conversation is about
meeting again. Listen: And if you're ever in Singapore, you must
We certainly will. And you have my number. When you're next in Sydney, give me a call
- we'll have a drink. To 'look someone up' just means to arrange
a meeting. When Victor says, "You must look me up", he is inviting Sam and Lin to meet
him if they are in Singapore. This is more of a social invitation, than a business one.
Using the word 'must' is not like an order here - it suggests that Victor will be very
happy if Sam sees him in Singapore.
In the same way, Sam says, "Give me a call" to Victor. It sounds like an order, but in
fact it's an invitation. It's important to get the intonation - the way you say it - right,
so that it sounds like an invitation, and not an order.
You must look me up when you're in Singapore.
I'll never speak to you again! Practise these kinds of invitations with Victor.
You must look me up next time you're in town.
Why don't you give me a call when you're in town?
Ring me if you're in town. Finally let's look at how the three friends
say goodbye. Remember this is a semi-formal situation.
Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my flight.
Have a good flight home. Bon voyage.
Goodbye. There are a few ways of saying goodbye but
the simplest and best is simply 'good bye'. Sam says "bon voyage" - a French phrase which
is also quite common for someone who is travelling.
Now, let's review and practise some of the phrases we've learnt today.
It's been a pleasure to meet you.
Give me a call when you're in town.
I wish you every success for the future.
I hope you have a good flight home. The language you use in each situation may
be slightly different depending on how well you know the other people, and how friendly
you are with them. If the situation is social, and you have become quite friendly, you may
use slightly less formal language. But it's important not to forget the usual expressions
of good wishes - such as for a good flight home, and to say how you've enjoyed meeting
the other person. But don't go too far. Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my
So am I. What will we do without you?
Goodbye Victor - and bon voyage.
You forgot my card! Well, I've enjoyed helping you with The Business
of English, and I hope you've enjoyed learning some useful phrases and expressions in English