Cool MateGreet vs Hand-to-hands vs Welcome
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Greet
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Hand-to-hands
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Welcome
Top 1,000 (very common)A1exclamation
| Greet | Hand-to-hands | Welcome | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡriːt/","/ɡriːts/","/ˈɡriːtɪd/","/ˈɡriːtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡriːt/","/ɡriːts/","/ˈɡriːtɪd/","/ˈɡriːtɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hænd tə hænds//🇺🇸 //hænd tə hændz// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈwelkəm/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈwelkəm/"]/ |
| Meaning | To say hello to someone. | When people shake hands or touch hands. | Hello and nice to see you. |
| Example | I always greet my friends with a smile. | They exchanged hand-to-hands before starting their conversation. | Welcome home! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | verb | exclamation | |
| Collocations | cheerfully, enthusiastically, warmly, be there to, be waiting to, come to, with, greet somebody by name, enthusiastically, coolly, with | exchange hand-to-hands, share hand-to-hands, initiate hand-to-hands | a warm welcome, welcome message, welcome addition, welcome change, welcome party |
| Antonyms | ignore, snub | - | unwelcome, excluded, rejected |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'meet' — 'greet' is specifically about saying hello., Using 'greet' without an object — e.g., you should say 'greet him' or 'greet the guests'. | Incorrectly using 'hands-to-hands' instead of 'hand-to-hands'., Confusing this phrase with 'handshake', which means a specific type of greeting. | Using 'welcomed' instead of 'welcome' when greeting someone., Confusing 'welcome' with 'welcomed' in past tense situations., Not using it correctly in a sentence, like saying 'I welcome you here' instead of 'I welcome you'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'greet' when meeting someone or acknowledging their presence. More formal than 'say hi' but appropriate for most situations. Avoid using it in very casual contexts with friends. | Often used in informal contexts or to describe casual greetings. Less common in formal writing. | Used in greetings. Appropriate in most situations, formal and informal. In formal settings, you might say 'We welcome you to our event'. |
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Frequently asked questions: Greet vs Hand-to-hands vs Welcome
What's the difference between Greet, Hand-to-hands, and Welcome?
Greet: To say hello to someone. Hand-to-hands: When people shake hands or touch hands. Welcome: Hello and nice to see you.
Which is more advanced: Greet, Hand-to-hands, and Welcome?
Greet is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Greet: I always greet my friends with a smile. Hand-to-hands: They exchanged hand-to-hands before starting their conversation. Welcome: Welcome home!
Can I use Greet, Hand-to-hands, and Welcome interchangeably?
Not always. Greet, Hand-to-hands, and Welcome are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.