Email remains one of the most critical tools for business communication. But unlike face-to-face conversations, emails lack non-verbal cues — which often leads to misunderstandings or missed context.
That’s why the language you use matters. The right phrases can help you communicate clearly, set the right tone, and improve the chances of getting a response.
In this article, we’ll walk you through email phrases that make your message more effective, whether you’re setting context, asking for something, or closing the loop.
Table of Contents
- Start your email strong (with the right greeting and tone)
- Email Phrases for the Body of Your Message
- Phrases for making polite requests or inquiries
- How to respond professionally (with sample phrases)
- Apologizing via email without sounding defensive
- Polite follow-up email phrases that get replies
- Phrases to schedule or reschedule meetings
- Phrases that convey confidentiality in a respectful tone
- Email language to set expectations without sounding rigid
- Phrases to introduce and explain attachments
- Build rapport through small touches (especially with cold contacts)
- How to break bad news without ruining the relationship
- End contracts or vendor relationships on a good note
- Email sign-offs and closing lines that leave a lasting impression
- Start using Hiver today
- Get your emails read — and replied to
Start your email strong (with the right greeting and tone)
How you start your email sets the context for what you say next. Salutations and opening lines depend on your relationship with the recipient, the purpose of your message, and how formal or casual you want to be. Here are some ways to start a professional email:
Greetings that sound warm and polite
1. Hey/Hi/Hello [First Name],
2. Good morning/afternoon/evening [First Name],
It’s always best to do your research and know who you are writing to, but in case you don’t know the name of the recipient, you can start with:
3. Hey there,
4. Dear Sir/Madam,
5. To whom it may concern,
Friendly opening lines to make your message relatable
6. I hope this email finds you well.
7. I hope you’re having a great [day of the week]!
8. I hope you had an amazing start to the week.
9. I hope you had a great weekend.
10. Hope you had a restful weekend.
11. So glad to connect with/e-meet you, [First Name]!
12. It was great to meet you at the event/on [day of the week].
13. Hope you are having a two-mugs-of-coffee day instead of a five-mugs one.
Your subject line is the first impression—check out these high-performing email subject lines.
Email Phrases for the Body of Your Message
The body of your email is where clarity matters most. Whether you’re sending a quick follow-up or a detailed proposal, your message should be structured, purposeful, and easy to act on. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when writing the body of your email:
- Lead with intent. Open with a line that clearly states why you’re writing.
- Keep it scannable. Use short paragraphs or bullet points if you’re sharing multiple details — it helps your reader absorb information quickly.
- Match tone to context. For cold outreach, be professional but not stiff. A touch of personality can help you stand out in a crowded inbox.
- Avoid ambiguity. Use active voice and include a clear CTA so there’s no confusion about next steps.
- Polish before sending. Always proofread. Typos or grammatical errors can make your message seem careless — and reduce your chances of getting a reply.
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure how to phrase your message or just want a head start, try using our free AI email generator. It helps you craft professional, well-structured emails in seconds — so you can focus on getting your message across clearly.
Now, let’s take a look at some effective email phrases you can use depending on what you’re trying to convey:
Phrases for making polite requests or inquiries
We often reach out to our colleagues, partners, vendors, or even customers to help us with some information. Here’s how you can set the context when you’re making requests or inquiries:
14. I am writing to inquire about… [the purpose of the email]
15. It would be immensely helpful if you could help me with…[mention the ask]
16. I would appreciate it if you could provide me with…
17. Could you please help me with…
18. I was wondering if you could…
19. I would like to request you to…
20. Please help me with…
21. I wanted to get some information on…
How to respond professionally (with sample phrases)
Communication is not meant to be one-way. Sometimes, people will write to you first, making a request or wanting to clarify a concern. For such cases, here are some phrases to craft the perfect email response:
22. Thank you for reaching out.
23. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me.
24. Regarding your question/request…
25. I would like to address your concerns…
26. Here is some information on…
27. Please find attached/PFA the documents you requested.
28. Please let me know if you need any further information.
29. Please feel free to reach out in case you have any more questions/concerns.
30. I would be more than happy to answer any other questions you may have.
31. Do let me know if there are any more concerns on your end.
Apologizing via email without sounding defensive
To err is human. But not extending an apology for when you make mistakes is far from divine. Here are some phrases to extend an apology in a professional email:
32. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
33. Apologies for the late reply; I was [state the reason behind the delay]
34. I am sorry for any misunderstanding.
35. I understand the inconvenience this may have caused you, and I assure you that I am taking the steps necessary to resolve this issue.
36. Please let me know how I can make this right.
37. I assure you that this will not repeat in the future.
38. I would like to extend my heartfelt apology for…
If you’re working in a customer-facing team, such as customer support or customer success, you may often run into situations where you need to apologize to your customers.
Here’s how you can extend an apology in such cases:
39. I take full responsibility for what happened and assure you that this shall not happen again.
40. I deeply regret and apologize for the trouble you had to go through.
41. I apologize for any inconvenience caused and want to assure you that we are actively working to address the issue you’ve raised.
42. We deeply regret the negative experience you had with our product/service, and we are committed to making it right.
43. I apologize for any delays in resolving the matter. Rest assured, we are taking immediate action to rectify the situation and prevent any recurrence in the future.
44. As a token of our apology, we would like to offer you [compensation/offering/alternative solution] to help make up for the inconvenience caused.
When you are dealing with a particularly angry customer, keep these things in mind to resolve the complaint effectively and build a good rapport with the customer.
These customer service phrases can help your support emails land better
Polite follow-up email phrases that get replies
At times, people might be busy or might have missed your email, especially when it’s a cold outreach. Follow up emails are generally shorter than your initial emails. Here are some email phrases to remind them:
45. I wanted to touch base with you…
46. Just a friendly reminder that…
47. I wanted to follow up on our previous conversation about…
48. I understand you must be keeping busy, but I wanted to check in with you about…
49. I wanted to quickly check if you got a chance to look into…
50. Just wanted to remind you that the deadline for [task] is close, and it would be great if you could…
51. I wanted to circle back to our last conversation…
52. Just wanted to check if there are any updates on…
53. Would you please help me with the information I requested in my previous email?
54. Did you get a chance to check my last email?
Email templates that help you say the right things when following up with customers
Phrases to schedule or reschedule meetings
Sometimes, email exchanges don’t suffice — you need to meet them over a video call or even in person to discuss things at length. Here are some email phrases to help you set up a meeting:
55. Can we set some time aside this [week day] to discuss…
56. I would love to connect with you over a call and understand…
57. Would it be possible to arrange a meeting to…
58. Can I block some time on your calendar this [weekday] to…
59. Would you have half an hour on [day and date] to discuss this further?
60. Let’s set up some time to discuss/brainstorm…
61. I believe it would be best to get on a call and discuss…
62. Please let me know your availability for a call…
Phrases that convey confidentiality in a respectful tone
When you share certain documents or information solely meant for the eyes of the receiver, it’s important to convey that it’s confidential. Here’s how you can professionally convey the confidentiality of the information shared:
63. Please treat the information shared as confidential.
64. The documents attached to the email are only for your reference.
65. Just wanted to let you know that the information shared here is sensitive, so please keep this between us.
66. Please ensure that the information shared here remains confidential and is not shared with anyone else.
67. I’m sharing some confidential information in this email, so please treat it as such.
68. Just a heads up that the documents I am attaching to this email are strictly confidential.
69. Please keep in mind that this information is sensitive, so kindly keep this confidential for now.
Email language to set expectations without sounding rigid
Sometimes you might want to set some expectations when, for instance, you’re working on a project. To ensure all the stakeholders involved are on the same page and there are no surprises, use these email phrases:
70. To set clear expectations, I wanted to outline the following: [followed by bullet points on what you wish to convey]
71. Just so we are both on the same page, I wanted to highlight that…
72. I wanted to highlight the following so that we are clear on the expectations and the deadlines of the project:
73. I wanted to highlight the following so that we can both refer to it in the future: [followed by bullet points on what you wish to convey]
74. To avoid any misunderstandings, I wanted to give a quick rundown of what we have discussed so far: [followed by bullet points on what you wish to convey]
Phrases to introduce and explain attachments
Attaching documents to emails is a common practice — be it for review, reference, or exchange of information. Here are some email phrases to ensure that your recipient doesn’t miss your attachments:
75. Please find attached [document] for your review.
76. As per our last discussion, I am attaching [document] for your reference.
77. As requested, I have attached [document] for you to refer to.
78. Please take a look at the attachment at your earliest convenience.
79. PFA [document] to this email, and let me know if you have any questions.
80. For your convenience, I have attached [document] to this email.
81. Kindly take a look at the attached documents for more details.
82. I have attached the required/requested documents for your records.
83. PFA the documents for your perusal, and let me know if there is anything else you need from my end.
Build rapport through small touches (especially with cold contacts)
Building a good rapport with your recipient is of utmost importance. Be it your client, colleague, customer, or vendor – it’s important to thank them and show gratitude when necessary. Good communication results in better rapport. Here are some email phrases to build a good relationship over professional emails:
84. I appreciate your continued support and collaboration in this project.
85. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
86. Thank you for all your valuable time and feedback so far.
87. I wanted to take a moment and extend my gratitude for the insights you have shared with me.
88. It’s great to have your continued enthusiasm and prompt feedback. We wouldn’t be here without you.
89. I wanted to thank you for all your hard work and support. It’s been a pleasure working with you.
Sometimes you need to be persistent with cold contacts. Here are best practices and sample emails that can help you follow up with potential clients (without making you sound pushy).
How to break bad news without ruining the relationship
Breaking bad news is never a cakewalk. If the bad news is conveyed in a cold or abrupt manner, it can hurt the recipient and damage your relationship with them. When you are trying to craft an email that can convey bad news with empathy, use these email phrases:
90. I am sorry to inform you that…
91. Unfortunately, I have some bad news to share with you…
92. I deeply regret to inform you that…
93. I understand that this may be difficult to hear, but…
94. I am afraid I have some bad news to deliver…
95. I am sorry to have to share this news with you, but I assure you that I am here to help in any way possible.
96. This may not be the best news to hear, but I wanted to let you know as soon as I could…
97. Please know that I will do my best to help you in any way possible in this situation.
Avoiding the wrong phrases is just as important—here’s a list of email phrases to steer clear of.
End contracts or vendor relationships on a good note
If you are writing an email to notify a vendor or a company to terminate your ongoing subscription or contract with them, here are some email phrases you can use:
98. I regret to inform you that we are canceling our contract/vendor subscription with [Company Name], effective from [desired cancellation date].
99. Kindly proceed with the cancellation of our contract/vendor subscription with [Company Name] as of [desired cancellation date].
100. Requesting the termination of our contract/vendor subscription with [Company Name], effective from [desired cancellation date].
101. This email serves as our official notice to cancel the contract/vendor subscription with [Company Name], effective from [desired cancellation date].
102. As per our previous communication, kindly proceed with the cancellation of our contract/vendor subscription with [Company Name] from [desired cancellation date].
Detailed email templates that help you communicate cancellation of services
Email sign-offs and closing lines that leave a lasting impression
Closing lines and sign-offs are equally important as the content in the body of your email. They convey your final gratitude and professionalism to your recipient. As they say, “All’s well that ends well.”
It is important to consider the level of formality when deciding how to conclude your email. For instance, when you are writing to a colleague or stakeholder with whom you have an established relationship, you might just end your email with phrases like:
103. Cheers
104. See you soon
105. Have a good one
106. Best
107. Until next time
But with those you are writing to for the first time or have a formal business relationship with, you would want to convey a clear sense of respect and go with phrases like:
108. Yours sincerely
109. Regards
110. With gratitude
111. Thanks again
112. All my best
Before you sign off, make sure that you leave the door open for them to write back to you in case they need any assistance from your end, and express your gratitude with phrases like:
113. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
114. I look forward to hearing back from you.
115. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
116. I appreciate your time and consideration.
117. If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
118. I hope this information proves useful to you.
119. Once again, thank you for your support and cooperation. I look forward to our continued partnership.
Start using Hiver today
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Get your emails read — and replied to
How you say something in an email is just as important as what you say.
The right email phrases help you set expectations, sound confident without being pushy, and build trust — whether you’re resolving a complaint, sending a reminder, or making a request.
But the real secret? Matching your tone to the context.
- If you’re writing a business email, you need to be polite, professional, and to the point.
- Writing to a colleague or friend? A warmer, more casual tone works — as long as you respect their time.
- Sending a newsletter or pitch? Clarity, creativity, and audience awareness go a long way.
And no matter who you’re writing to — being clear, respectful, and human always wins.
✅ Need a quick refresher before you hit send? Check out our guide to email etiquette rules — it’ll help you strike the right tone every time.
