Greetings in the beginning of an email



In my language, when I write an email to my professor, boss, etc, there is a greeting part in the first part of email right after "Dear prof. ..."(in my language of course), e.g. "How are you", "I hope everything is alright" and so on.


But I don't have any idea how can I write a proper email with such a greeting in English?


Or do I have to ignore it because the email is kinda formal?



Answer



I almost always start formal e-mails with



Dear Professor _,


I hope this note finds you well.



Some guidelines will suggest ending your salutation with a colon rather than a comma, but in many circumstances a comma is acceptable. If the person's title is "professor," you should spell it out (not "prof.") and begin it with a capital letter when it precedes the person's name (as it would in your example).


"I hope this note (or letter) finds you well" politely establishes a friendly connection between you and the recipient of your letter and in most circumstances is a great way to start it. Especially if you're asking for something, it's good to indicate your concern for the person you're writing to. For the same reason, it's a good idea to end the letter with a phrase or sentence that will similarly show interest in their work or their well-being. "Best regards," is fine, but if you can tailor it in a way that's a bit more thoughtful, it's better. "I hope your book/project continues to go smoothly." (This can be followed by a "Best regards.") If this is a person you don't know, you may have to settle for a generic "Best regards" alone.


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