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wikiHow to Write an Email to a Friend

Two Methods:Sending a Basic EmailReconnect With a FriendCommunity Q&A

In addition to sending text messages or Facebook messages, writing an email to a friend is a great way to stay in touch. This article will provide you with basic advice for composing an email to a friend.

1
Sending a Basic Email

  1. 1
    Type your friend's email address in the box labeled "To."
  2. 2
    Add a subject. Think of a few words or a short sentence that describe the topic you want to cover in your email. If the email is informal, you can just write "Hey" or "What's up?"
  3. 3
    Write a greeting in the top left corner of the large box below the subject bar.
    • You can simply write "Hi (friend's name)" for informal emails.
    • You can also write "Dear (friend's name)" if you want to be more formal.
  4. 4
    Skip a line and start your message. Starting by focusing on the other person is courteous.
    • For example, ask "How are you?" or "What have you been doing?"
  5. 5
    Skip a line and start a new paragraph. Write some information about yourself, keeping it short and succinct.
    • If you have no news to share, then you can start writing about the subject of your email.
  6. 6
    Personalize your message with a few emoticons and perhaps changing the fonts and colors within the email.
    • A list of emoticons can be found here.
    • Try the toolbar at the top of your screen or at the top of your email box and experiment with adding in different elements.
  7. 7
    Close with some parting words.
    • Some good examples of parting words include "Goodbye", "Have a nice day" and "See you soon."
  8. 8
    Sign "Your friend, (your name)."

2
Reconnect With a Friend

  1. 1
    Type in their email address and your subject.
  2. 2
    Start by asking how the recipient is.
    • Write a sentence such as, "It's been a long time since we've talked."
    • Discuss what the person was doing the last time you talked. For example, "You were planning an overseas trip the last time we spoke."
    • Ask thoughtful questions. For instance, "Are you still working for company XYZ?"
  3. 3
    Tell your friend what you have been doing lately.
    • Try to keep your news limited to 1 paragraph so that you aren't focusing the email on yourself.
  4. 4
    Tell your friend that you would like to hear from him or her soon.
    • You can also make a statement such as, "I want to do a better job of staying in touch."
  5. 5
    Sign your email "Sincerely, (your name)."

Community Q&A

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  • How can I write an email to my friend about summer vacation?
    Just write something like this: "Hey [friend's name], I hope you are doing well and enjoying your summer. I went to Shimla with my family. We took a train. The weather in Shimla was very nice. We stayed there for about a week. We played a lot of games. I'm having a great summer, but I miss you very much. Give my regards to your parents. Your friend, [your name]."
  • Can I just write "Hey!" in the subject line?
    wikiHow Contributor
    If it's a casual e-mail, that's perfectly fine. However, if you mean business, stay away from that type of line.
  • How do I write a friendly email to a friend about a new product I bought?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Start by saying hello, then talk about your experience with the product and sign your name at the bottom.
  • I need an example of a formal email. Can you help?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Open with a greeting and use the recipient's proper title (Dear Dr., Ms., Mrs., Mr., etc.). I always preface my message with "I hope this email finds you well." If I am asking for a favor, then I always make the last line before closing something like "Thank you for your help, consideration, etc." Break up paragraphs every time the subject changes, in order to make the content digestable. Make sure to end with "Sincerely,Your Full Name".
  • How do I write an e-mail on a phone?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Download the Gmail app or the app you use for sending e-mails. Simply go to the "compose" area of your app and type away.
  • How can I email my grandfather?
    wikiHow Contributor
    You do pretty much the same as you friend but instead you write dear Grand father.
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Tips

  • Match the tone and look of your email to your relationship with your friend.
  • Make sure that your email is easy to read. Don't let emoticons and flashy fonts distract from the message that you want to send.
  • Add a post-script (P.S.) if you forget something. Add the P.S. below your signature.
  • You can find a variety of sites to sign up for a free email account. Test out some of the popular free email websites such as Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo! Mail.

Warnings

  • Adding too many emoticons and decorations to an email can be overwhelming.
  • Don't make the email too hard to read by adding too many colors or bright colors.

Article Info

Categories: Email and Instant Messaging | Enjoying Friendship

In other languages:

Français: écrire un e‑mail à un ami, Español: escribir un correo electrónico a un amigo, Português: Escrever um E mail para um Amigo, Deutsch: Eine E Mail an einen Freund oder eine Freundin schreiben, Italiano: Scrivere un'Email ad un Amico, Русский: написать электронное письмо другу, Bahasa Indonesia: Menulis Email untuk Teman, Nederlands: Een e–mail schrijven aan een vriend of kennis

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 542,800 times.

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