To start an email, open with a greeting that fits your relationship ("Hi [Name]," for most work emails, "Dear [Name]," for formal ones), then use your first sentence to connect or get straight to the point. The reader should know why you're writing by the end of the second line.
Below you'll find a quick template, a three-step method, and more than 180 greetings and opening lines sorted by situation, plus 14 openers to stop using.
Quick template: how to start a professional email
Subject: [Specific topic, e.g. "Question about the Q3 budget review"]
Hi [Name],
[Connection line, e.g. "Thanks for your time on Tuesday's call." or "[Mutual contact] suggested I reach out to you."]
I'm writing to [purpose in one sentence, e.g. "ask whether we can move the review to next Thursday"].
[Details or context in 1 to 3 short sentences.]
[Clear next step, e.g. "Could you let me know by Friday if that works?"]
Best regards,
[Your name]
[Title, company]
How to start an email in 3 steps
Step 1: Pick the greeting
Match the greeting to how well you know the person and how formal the setting is. When you're unsure, go one notch more formal than you think you need. You can always relax the tone once they reply.
Step 2: Write an opening line that earns the next sentence
A good first line does one of three things: it reminds the reader who you are ("Great meeting you at the Denver conference"), it thanks them for something specific, or it gets right to the point. Skip lines that could be pasted into any email to anyone.
Step 3: State your purpose early
The reader should know what you want by the end of the first or second sentence. "I'm writing to ask..." or "Quick question about..." works far better than a paragraph of background before the request.
Choosing the right greeting
| Situation | Good greeting | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Formal (new client, professor, official) | Dear [Name], / Dear Dr. [Last name], | Hey, / Yo, |
| Everyday work email | Hi [Name], / Hello [Name], | Dear Sir or Madam, |
| Your boss or manager | Hi [Name], | Hey boss, (unless that's your culture) |
| A group | Hi all, / Hello team, | Hey guys, |
| Name unknown | Dear Hiring Manager, / Hello [Company] team, | To whom it may concern, |
| Close coworker or friend | Hey [Name]! / Morning! | Dear [Full name], (feels cold) |
180+ ways to start an email
Each list below covers a different situation. The greetings go on the first line; the opening lines go right after.
Email greetings (13)
- Hi [Name],
- Hello [Name],
- Dear [Name],
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last name],
- Dear Dr. [Last name],
- Dear Professor [Last name],
- Good morning, [Name],
- Good afternoon, [Name],
- Good evening, [Name],
- Hi there,
- Hey [Name], (casual only)
- [Name], (for ongoing threads with people you work with daily)
- Greetings,
Formal ways to start an email (18)
Use these for professors, government offices, legal or financial matters, and new business contacts. For a full walkthrough, see our guide on how to write a formal email.
- I hope this email finds you well.
- I trust this email finds you well.
- I hope your week is going smoothly.
- I am writing to inquire about [topic].
- I am writing in reference to [topic or document].
- I am writing on behalf of [person or company].
- I am contacting you regarding [topic].
- Further to our earlier conversation, [point].
- Thank you for your letter dated [date].
- Thank you for contacting [company name].
- It is my pleasure to inform you that [news].
- I would like to request [item or action].
- Please allow me to introduce [colleague or project].
- [Contact's name] suggested I reach out to you regarding [topic].
- I am following up on the application I submitted on [date].
- I am reaching out to ask for your guidance on [topic].
- With reference to your recent inquiry, [answer].
- Thank you for your prompt response.
Professional ways to start an email (18)
These are polite but less stiff, and they fit most everyday work emails to colleagues, clients and partners.
- I'm reaching out about [topic].
- I'm writing to share [update].
- Quick update on [project]:
- Thanks for your email about [topic].
- Thanks for the quick reply.
- Following up on our call today, [point].
- As promised, here is [document].
- As discussed in [meeting], [point].
- I'd like to get your input on [topic].
- I could use your advice on [topic].
- I wanted to let you know that [news].
- Here's a summary of [meeting or project].
- I have a quick question about [topic].
- Great speaking with you earlier.
- It was a pleasure meeting you at [event].
- Thank you for your time on [day].
- I'm emailing to confirm [details].
- I'm reaching out because [reason that matters to them].
Friendly ways to start an email (15)
Warm but still work-appropriate. Good for clients you know, colleagues in other departments, and networking contacts.
- It's great to hear from you!
- Thanks for reaching out.
- How's your week going?
- I hope you had a great weekend.
- I hope you enjoyed your time off.
- How was [trip or event]?
- I enjoyed your recent post about [topic].
- This article made me think of you: [link]
- It was great to catch up at [event].
- Thanks so much for your help with [task].
- I hope [project] is going well.
- Congrats on [recent accomplishment]!
- I hope things are calmer now that [project] has wrapped.
- [Mutual contact] speaks very highly of you.
- I've been meaning to reach out since [event].
Informal ways to start an email (15)
Save these for friends, family and coworkers you're close with.
- Hey!
- Hi!
- Hi friend,
- Hiya,
- Howdy,
- Yo,
- Morning!
- How's it going?
- What's new?
- Long time no talk!
- It's been a while!
- Hope you're doing well.
- Hope all is good with you.
- Quick one for you:
- Could you help me with something?
Funny ways to start an email (36)
A light opener can make a routine email more pleasant to read, but only with people who already know you. Keep the joke short and get to the point right after it.
- Me again!
- Yep, it's me again.
- Hopefully you've had your coffee by now.
- I hope your morning coffee was as strong as mine.
- Have you had your coffee yet? You might want to before reading this.
- Are you surviving another workweek?
- Only [X] more days until Friday.
- Happy Not-Monday!
- Happy Friday Eve!
- Happy Hump Day!
- Happy Fri-YAY!
- I hope your week has been only mildly chaotic.
- Don't worry, I'll keep this brief.
- I promise this email is shorter than my last one.
- I promise this is the last email you'll get from me. This week.
- Sorry for sabotaging your inbox zero, but...
- Just what you wanted: another email.
- Adding one more email to your pile. Sorry in advance.
- I hope you're sitting down.
- Brace yourself: it's a spreadsheet email.
- Good news first, then the paperwork.
- I hope your Monday has been more coffee than meetings.
- Warning: this email contains action items.
- Plot twist: I actually have good news.
- Reporting live from my third meeting of the morning...
- TL;DR at the bottom, as is tradition.
- I come bearing [snacks / news / a favor].
- Greetings from the land of endless calendar invites.
- Can you believe it's already [month]?
- I'm back, and this time I brought an agenda.
- If this email were a meme, it would be "this is fine."
- [Your inside joke]
- You're a rockstar, and I'm about to ask you for something.
- Hope your weekend went by slower than mine did.
- Hello from the other side (of the office).
- No meetings were scheduled in the making of this email.
Fun ways to start an email other than "Dear" (10)
These playful greetings replace "Dear" on the first line. Use them only where the tone is already casual.
- Greetings and salutations,
- Ahoy, [Name]!
- Hello, friend,
- Well, hello there,
- Top of the morning, [Name],
- Hey hey,
- Hello, wonderful humans, (for a group)
- Bonjour, [Name],
- Hi team and fellow coffee drinkers,
- To my favorite [job title],
How to start an email to your boss or manager (12)
With your boss, "Hi [Name]," followed by the point works in most workplaces. Our guide to writing an email to your boss has full templates for requests, updates and tricky conversations.
- I've finished [task], and here's what's next:
- I'd like to get your approval on [item].
- Do you have 15 minutes this week to discuss [topic]?
- I wanted to flag an issue with [project] before it becomes a problem.
- Here's where things stand on [project]:
- I'd like to request time off from [date] to [date].
- Thanks for your feedback on [work]. I've made the changes below.
- I have an idea for [improvement] that I'd like to run by you.
- I'm running behind on [task] and wanted to let you know early.
- As discussed in our one-on-one, [follow-through].
- I'm looking forward to joining the team on [start date].
- I'm writing to formally request [request].
How to start an email to a recruiter (8)
Lead with the role and how you're connected to it. For complete examples, see how to email a recruiter.
- Thank you for reaching out about the [job title] role.
- I'm writing to apply for the [job title] position at [company].
- I'm interested in the [job title] opening I saw on [site].
- [Mutual contact] suggested I contact you about opportunities at [company].
- Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on [date].
- I'm following up on my application for the [job title] role, submitted on [date].
- I'm a [your role] with [X] years of experience in [field], and I'm exploring new opportunities.
- Thank you for the offer for the [job title] role.
Follow-up email opening lines (14)
Reference the earlier message so the reader doesn't have to dig for it. Our guide to follow-up emails after no reply covers timing and full templates.
- I'm following up on my email from [day] about [topic].
- I wanted to circle back on [topic].
- Just checking in on [topic].
- I'm bringing this back to the top of your inbox.
- In case this got buried, [request].
- Can you give me a quick update on [topic]?
- Did you get a chance to look at [item]?
- Following up on our meeting on [day], [point].
- As we discussed on our call, [point].
- Here's more information on [topic].
- I'd like to add something to what we discussed earlier.
- Are you still interested in [offer or topic]?
- With [deadline] coming up, I wanted to check on [item].
- Any thoughts on [proposal] since we last spoke?
Ways to start a reply (12)
- Thanks for your email.
- Thanks for getting back to me.
- Thanks for the update.
- I appreciate the quick response.
- Great to hear from you.
- Thanks for the heads-up.
- Thanks for sending this over.
- Good question. Here's the short answer:
- Thanks for flagging this.
- Apologies for the slow reply.
- Thank you for your patience while I looked into this.
- Happy to help with this.
Greetings when you don't know the person's name (9)
- Dear [Job title],
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Department] Team,
- Hello [Company name] team,
- Dear [Company name] [Job title],
- Hi [Department] team,
- Dear Customer Service Team,
- Dear Admissions Committee,
- Dear Selection Committee,
Greetings for a group email (8)
- Hi all,
- Hello everyone,
- Hi team,
- Good morning, team,
- Hi [Name] and [Name],
- Hello [Team name] team,
- Hi folks,
- Dear colleagues,
Sales and cold email opening lines (8)
In cold emails, the first line should prove you looked the person up. These icebreakers are a starting point; our list of cold email opening lines that get replies goes deeper.
- Congratulations on your new role as [role] at [company].
- I just read [Name]'s recommendation on your LinkedIn profile, and it says a lot about how you work.
- I enjoyed your talk at [event], especially the point about [topic].
- I saw [company] just [launched / raised / hired], congrats.
- Your post about [topic] stuck with me, especially [detail].
- [Mutual connection] mentioned you're the person to talk to about [topic].
- Your career path from [role] to [role] is impressive.
- I noticed [company] is hiring [roles], which usually means [relevant challenge].
That's 196 greetings and opening lines in total.
Example emails with strong openings
Starting a professional email to a new contact
Use this when someone referred you or you met briefly and you need something specific.
Subject: Intro from [Mutual contact]: question about [topic]
Hi [Name],
[Mutual contact] suggested I reach out to you. I'm [your role] at [company], and we're working on [project].
I'd love 20 minutes of your time to ask how your team handled [specific challenge]. Would [day] or [day] work for a quick call?
Thanks in advance,
[Your name]
[Title, company]
Starting an email to your boss
Use this for a status update or request where your manager needs the point fast.
Subject: [Project] update and one decision needed
Hi [Name],
Quick update on [project]: we're on track for the [date] deadline, and the [milestone] is done.
One decision I need from you: should we [option A] or [option B]? I'd recommend [option] because [one-line reason].
Can you let me know by [day]?
Thanks,
[Your name]
Email to your new boss before starting
Use this a week or two before your first day to introduce yourself and ask about prep.
Subject: Looking forward to starting on [start date]
Hi [Name],
I'm looking forward to joining the team on [start date]. Thank you again for the opportunity.
Is there anything you'd like me to read or set up before my first day? I'd also be glad to know what time to arrive and who I should ask for.
See you soon,
[Your name]
[Phone number]
Starting an email to a recruiter
Use this when you're reaching out about a specific open role.
Subject: [Job title] role: [Your name]
Hi [Recruiter name],
I'm interested in the [job title] opening at [company] that I saw on [site]. I'm a [your role] with [X] years of experience in [field], most recently at [company], where I [one concrete result].
I've attached my resume. Would you be open to a short call this week to see if I'd be a fit?
Best regards,
[Your name]
[Phone number] | [LinkedIn URL]
Formal email when you don't know the recipient's name
Use this for inquiries to an office, department or committee.
Subject: Inquiry about [topic]
Dear [Department] Team,
I am writing to inquire about [topic]. [One or two sentences of context, e.g. "I am a graduate student planning to apply for the fall program."]
Could you please let me know [specific question]?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Phone number]
Funny email to a coworker
Use this with a teammate you already joke with, for a low-stakes request.
Subject: Small favor (I come bearing coffee)
Hey [Name],
Me again! I promise this email is shorter than my last one.
Could you look over the [document] before [day]? Mostly checking [specific part].
Coffee is on me tomorrow.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Polite follow-up email
Use this when someone hasn't replied to an email that needs an answer.
Subject: Re: [Original subject]
Hi [Name],
I'm following up on my email from [day] about [topic]. In case it got buried, the short version is: [one-sentence request].
Would [specific date] work for you to get back to me?
Thanks,
[Your name]
14 ways to start an email you should avoid
Context matters, but these openers cause problems more often than not.
| Avoid | Why it hurts | Try instead |
|---|---|---|
| Hi [misspelled name], | Shows you didn't take care, and people notice. | Copy the spelling from their signature. |
| Dear [First Name], (unfilled placeholder) | Proves the email is a mass template. | Check merge fields before sending. |
| Dear Sir or Madam, | Feels dated and impersonal. | Dear [Name], or Dear [Job title], |
| To whom it may concern, | Signals you didn't look for a name. | Dear Hiring Manager, / Hello [Company] team, |
| Hey guys, | Too casual for formal settings and not everyone identifies with it. | Hi all, / Hi team, |
| Can you do me a favor? | Asks before giving any context or reason. | Explain the request and why it matters to them. |
| I know you're busy, but... | Sounds apologetic and assumes they will say no. | Get to the point in one sentence. |
| Let me introduce myself. | Wastes the first line on you, not them. | Lead with why you're contacting them. |
| My name is... | Your name is already in the "From" line. | Mention a shared connection or context. |
| I work for... | Signals a sales pitch before any rapport. | Start with something relevant to them. |
| Sorry to bother you... | Frames your email as a nuisance. | Thanks for your time on [topic]. |
| Did you know...? | Reads like an ad or a school essay. | Make the point directly. |
| Happy Monday! | Few people feel that way about Monday. | I hope your week is off to a good start. |
| Here's my cover letter. | A missed chance to make the first line count. | I'm applying for the [job title] role because... |
Checklist before you hit send
- The greeting matches the relationship and the setting.
- The name is spelled correctly, with no leftover placeholders.
- The first sentence connects or gets to the point.
- Your purpose is clear by the second sentence.
- Any joke fits the person and doesn't delay the point.
- The ending is as strong as the opening. Our guide on how to end an email covers sign-offs for every situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to start a professional email?
Use the person's name with a simple greeting such as "Hi [Name]," or "Dear [Name]," then state why you're writing in the first sentence. A short, specific opening line beats a generic pleasantry.
Is "I hope this email finds you well" still OK to use?
Yes, it is polite and safe in formal emails, but it is so common that readers skim past it. If you can reference something specific, such as a recent conversation or their work, that line will do more for you.
Should I start an email with "Dear" or "Hi"?
Use "Dear" for formal emails, people you have never met in a formal setting, and academic or government contacts. Use "Hi" for most everyday work emails, including emails to your boss and to clients you already know.
How do you start an email when you don't know the person's name?
Try to find the name first through the company website or LinkedIn. If you can't, address the role or team, such as "Dear Hiring Manager," or "Hello [Company] Support Team," instead of "To whom it may concern."
Do you put a comma after the greeting in an email?
Yes. In American English the standard format is "Hi [Name]," or "Dear [Name]," with a comma after the name, then the first sentence on a new line. A colon after the name, as in "Dear Dr. Lee:", is also correct for very formal letters.
Is it OK to start an email with something funny?
Only with people you already know well, such as close coworkers or long-time clients. With a new contact, a senior executive or anyone who is upset, start with a straightforward greeting instead.