200+ Simple English Sentences for Everyday Conversation

If you’re nervous about speaking English, don’t try to memorize complicated things.

Other people won’t be testing you on your grammar knowledge, and they probably won’t care if you use an impressive vocabulary word.

All you need to do is remember some very simple English sentences, and you’ll do just fine!

Below are over 200 simple English sentences you can use in different situations, even if you’re a beginner at learning English!

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Introducing yourself

• “Hi [name], nice to meet you.” Say this to someone you just met for the first time. Repeating their name will help you remember it.

• “Hello, my name is [name].”
• “I’m [full name], but my nickname is…”
• “I work in [company] as a [job position].”

Greetings 

• “Good morning/afternoon/night.” Say “good morning” until around noon. After noon, say “good afternoon.”
• “Hey, what’s up?”

• “How’s everything?/How’s it going?” These are more common ways to say “How are you?”—which, by the way, is really not used that often! You can find more ways to say hello in this blog post.

• “How was your weekend?/How did your weekend go?” It’s nice to ask on a Monday if someone’s weekend was nice or interesting.
• “How’s your week so far?” 

• “I’m doing fine, thanks./Not bad, thanks./Pretty good, thanks.” If someone asks you how you’re doing, you can respond this way. Remember that when people ask “how are you” as a hello, they usually don’t actually want a real answer. It’s just polite to ask!

Saying goodbye

• “See you later/tomorrow.” This is an informal but polite way of saying goodbye to someone.
• “Bye-bye!”
• “It was great catching up with you, take care!”

• “Good night.” If you are leaving in the evening or late afternoon, you can say “good night” as a way of saying goodbye.

• “Have a nice weekend.” When you’re leaving on Friday, it’s polite to tell people to enjoy their days off.

Learning English

• “I’m still learning English, so please speak slowly.” This is a polite way to ask someone to slow down when they’re speaking English.
• “Could you say that again, please?”
• “What does [word] mean?”
• “Can you recommend any English learning resources?”
• “I’m trying to build my English vocabulary.”

Small talk

Small talk is light conversation. It can be about the weather, food, anything that isn’t too serious. If you’re in the same room as someone, in an elevator together or just standing near each other and you aren’t working, making small talk can open the conversation and form friendships and connections. It also saves you from uncomfortable silences!

• “I love your (shoes/necklace etc.). Where did you get it/them?” Complimenting someone (saying something nice about a person) makes them feel good, and asking a question afterwards starts a conversation.
• “I can’t believe how hot/cold it is today!” The weather is always a safe topic for small talk. You can use this line for almost any kind of weather. If it’s a beautiful day, you can say “I can’t believe how nice it is today.”
• “How’s work/school going?”
• “Any fun trips/vacations coming up?”
• “Have you seen any good movies/interesting books lately?” 
• “Do you have any pets?”
• “Do you follow any TV shows or series?”
• “What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?”
• “Have you tried any new restaurants or cafes recently?”
• “What’s your favorite type of cuisine?”

Agreeing or disagreeing

• “I completely agree with you.”
• “That’s a great point.” 
• “You’re absolutely right.”
• “I see your point, and I agree.” 
• “That makes sense to me.”
• “I’m on board with that idea.”
• “I understand what you’re saying, but…”
• “I have a different perspective on this.”
• “I don’t agree because…”

Family and friends

• “I have [number] siblings.”
• “I’m really close to my brother/sister.”
• “How’s Mom/Dad doing?”
• “My family’s visiting next week.”
• “My [family member] works as a [job]…”
• “I went out for coffee with my friend yesterday.”
• “He/She is my best friend.”
• “We’ve been good friends for years.”
• “Let’s hang out soon.”
• “I’m so glad we’re friends.”
• “Can I rant/vent to you about something?”
• “Can you believe what happened yesterday?”

Work

• “So what do you do here?” If you haven’t met a person yet, you can ask them what their role at the office is.
• “Could you please send me the report by next week?”
• “Let’s schedule a team meeting to discuss the project.”
• “Let’s set up a video call to discuss the details.”
• “Can I have your input on this?”
• “Let’s brainstorm ideas for the upcoming campaign.”
• “If you have a moment, I would love your thoughts on this.” This is a polite way of asking your boss or coworker for input on your work.
• “I have the report/information you asked for.” This is just a simple way of saying you finished the job you had.
• “I’ll review the report then give feedback.”
• “Do you mind if I record this?” A good way to make sure you don’t miss anything important at a meeting is to record it so you can listen to it again later. Ask for permission first by using this sentence.
• “Excuse me, can you please speak up?” This is a polite way to ask someone to speak louder if you can’t hear them.
• “Do we still have that meeting after lunch?” Make sure you know when all the meetings are so you don’t miss them.
• “Where are we meeting?” If you are not sure where a meeting will be held, you can use this question.
• “Where can I find the (bathroom/coffee maker/[anything])?” Until you learn where everything is, you can use this sentence to ask. An even simpler way to ask would be “Where is the [bathroom, etc]?”
• “Where can I leave this?” Ask this when you don’t know where to put your coat, lunch, umbrella or something else you brought into work.

School

• “What time is our next class?”
• “Do we have any tests/homework coming up?”
• “What’s the due date for the essay?”
• “Can you explain this concept to me again?”
• “Do you want to be partners for the group project?”
• “The teacher is absent today, so we have a substitute.”
• “Excuse me, do you know where the library is?”
• “Does anyone have an extra sheet of paper?”
• “Can I borrow a pen, please?”
• “When is our next break?”
• “I have a question about the lesson.”
• “The school bus is waiting outside.”
• “I finished my assignment early.”
• “We have a field trip next month.”
• “I need to return these library books.”
• “I have soccer practice after school.”
• “Can I join the art club?”

Health

• “I’m feeling great today!”
• “How are you feeling today?”
• “Did you get a lot of sleep?”
• “I’m feeling a bit under the weather.”
• “I have a headache/stomachache/toothache.”
• “I’m feeling dizzy/nauseous.”
• “I need to take some medicine for my cold.”
• “Do you have any allergies?”
• “I’m allergic to…”
• “I’m going to see the doctor for a checkup.”
• “My friend is in the hospital.”
• “I’m going to the gym to work out.”

Weather

• “It’s hot and humid today.”
• “It’s going to be a bit chilly later.”
• “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.”
• “The forecast says it’ll be cloudy.”
• “It’s already drizzling outside.”
• “I don’t like when it’s too humid.”
• “I’m looking forward to warmer weather.”
• “The weather forecast is predicting thunderstorms.”

Saying thank you

• “Thank you so much for your help.”
• “I really appreciate what you did.”
• “Thanks a lot!”
• “Thank you for always being there for me.”
• “It means a lot to me, thank you.”

Apologizing 

• “I want to apologize for my mistake.”
• “I’m really sorry for being late.”
• “I’m sorry if my words came across the wrong way.”
• “I apologize for any confusion I may have caused.”
• “I want to make things right and apologize for my actions.”

Inviting to eat

• “Let’s get a coffee sometime.” This is a casual way to suggest meeting for a quick coffee and maybe having a nice conversation. It doesn’t have a specific time attached to it, it’s just a general idea for the future.

• “Let’s grab lunch.” You can use this phrase to suggest going out for a quick lunch.

• “I know a good place nearby.” Use this sentence if you want to suggest a nice place to eat lunch.
• “Let’s meet up for brunch this weekend.” 
• “How about going out for dinner tonight?” 
• “Let’s go out for a celebratory meal, you deserve it!”
• “I’m meeting some friends for drinks, would you like to join us?” 
  
• “There’s a new restaurant in town, want to check it out?” 

• “Want to order out?” If you don’t want to go out for lunch, this is how you ask if anyone wants to order delivery.

Eating at a Restaurant

• “Table for [number], please.”
• “Could I see the menu, please?” 
• “Are you ready to order?”
• “I’ll have a…”
• “Can I get a refill of my water?”
•  “I’d like to make a reservation for tonight.”
• “Could we have separate bills, please?”
• “How long is the wait for a table?”
• “Could I have a check, please?”
• “Do you have any vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free options?” 
• “Are there any nuts/dairy/[ingredient] in this dish?”
• “Do you have outdoor seating?”
• “Do you accept credit cards?”
• “Can I order takeout?”

Making appointments

• “What time works best for you?”
• “Are you available next week?”
• “Let’s set up a time to chat.”
• “I’d like to book an appointment for Thursday.”
• “Can we meet on Monday at 3 PM?”
• “Let’s plan a get-together this weekend.”
• “Are you free in the morning or afternoon?”
• “Can we reschedule our meeting for later this week?”
• “I’m flexible with the timing, so let me know what works for you.”
• “Can you make it on Wednesday?”

Technology

• “Can I add you on [Instagram/Twitter/other social media platforms]?”
• “I’m not that active on [social media platform] anymore.”
• “Sure, my account is []—what’s yours?”
• “What’s your email address?”
• “Let’s take a group selfie.”
• “I’ve created a group chat.”
• “Sorry, my phone signal is pretty bad right now.”
• “Sorry, my wifi is lagging.”
• “I just got a new phone.”
• “Can you send me the link to that article?”
• “My laptop is running really slow.”
• “I spend way too much time scrolling on social media.”
• “What’s the wifi password?”
• “Let’s have a video call?”
• “I’ll screenshare so I can show you what I’m working on.”

Travel 

• “Can you recommend any good restaurants in the area?”
• “Where is the nearest ATM?”
• “Is there a public restroom nearby?”
• “What’s the best way to get to the airport from here?”
• “Can I rent a bicycle/scooter in this city?”
• “Is there free Wi-Fi available here?”
• “I need a taxi to the airport, please.”
• “Could you take a photo of us, please?”
• “Where can I buy tickets?”
• “Is this seat taken?”
• “I’m lost. Can you help me find my way back to…?”
• “Is it safe to walk alone at night?”
• “What time is check-in/check-out?”
• “Can I request a late check-out?”
• “Is there an entrance fee?”
• “What’s the currency exchange rate?”
• “Is there a tourist information center nearby?”

Shopping

• “I’m looking for a new pair of jeans.”
• “I’ll take these two items, please.”
• “I’m just browsing at the moment.”
• “Do you have this dress in a smaller size?”
• “I need to find a gift for my friend’s birthday.”
• “How much does this cost?”
• “Can I try this on?”
• “Is there a sale or discount going on?”
• “Where can I find the fitting room?”
• “Can I get a receipt, please?”
• “Can I return this if it doesn’t fit?”
• “I’d like to return this item for a refund.”
• “Do you have this in stock?”
• “Are there membership benefits?”
• “Can I see some more options?”

Asking for help

• “I don’t understand this. Can you please explain it?” Don’t be afraid to ask this question. It’s better to understand everything completely than to think you understand and then waste time doing something the wrong way.

• “Let me see if I understand this.” Say this sentence, then repeat what you just heard. This is a great way to show that you were paying attention, and to make sure you understood everything correctly.

• “I’m having trouble with [something]. Do you know who can help me?” Before you ask someone for help, find out if they’re the right person for the type of problem you’re having.

• “Do you have a minute?” Before you ask for help, make sure the person isn’t busy.

• “Can you please repeat that?” If you didn’t hear something, you can ask the person to say it again. If you still don’t understand, you can also say, “Can you please rephrase that?” This question asks the speaker to say something again, but using different words. It may help you understand what they’re saying better.

• “Are there any rules I should know about?” Every job has its own rules and ways of doing things. Find out what they are so that you can follow them.

To cap off this list, here’s a video with 25 more English sentences that use slang or idioms: 

Bonus: Tips for speaking English

Now that you have a ton of English sentences to draw from, remember: 

• Tell people you’re learning English. They will usually be understanding. You might be surprised at how patient people are when they know you’re still learning English.

• Ask people to repeat things you don’t understand. Don’t be embarrassed to admit you didn’t understand something.

• Ask people to correct you. Work is a perfect place to improve your English. Ask to be corrected and you will be learning all day.

• Speak up. Sometimes when people are not sure of what they’re saying, they mumble or speak quietly. This just makes them harder to understand!

• Don’t worry about being “right,” just “understood.” It doesn’t matter if your sentence didn’t use perfect grammar, as long as the person you were speaking to understood what you meant. And if you’ve asked them to correct your English, you can try to get it right the next time.

• Be confident and be yourself. You’ll do fine!

Aside from practicing English conversations, you can also learn more everyday English phrases and sentences by immersing in English media, like songs, movies and podcasts. This is doable no matter your English level—for example, FluentU makes native English clips more approachable for all levels of learners.

 

Once you’re familiar with this list, you’ll find yourself picking up many other short sentences, too!

Start by using simple sentences in everyday situations, and you’ll be able to talk about tons of different topics while navigating the English-speaking world. Just keep it simple!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)