Do You Use a Comma with Dear, Hello, and Hi? (2024)

Do Not Use a Comma After "Dear"

There is no comma after the word "Dear" when it is used at the start of a letter or an email. You should, however, use a comma after the salutation. For example:

For more formal correspondence, you could follow your salutation with a colon. For example:

The word "Dear" is an adjective. It describes the noun it precedes. Putting a comma after "Dear" would be as bad as putting one after "red" in "red bus."

A Comma with "Hi" or "Hello"

When the salutation in your letter or email starts with "Hello" or "Hi," then you should put a comma before the name of the person you're addressing. It is also standard practice to put a comma after the name of the person you're addressing. For example:

Using a colon (instead of a comma) after such an informal salutation would be unusual. You could also use an exclamation mark if you wanted to emphasize an emotion (like surprise).

It's All about the Vocative Case

In English, when you address someone (or something) directly, the name you use is offset with a comma (if it's at the start or end of the sentence) or two commas (if it's in the middle). When you address someone directly, their name is said to be in the vocative case. In the examples below, the words in the vocative case are shaded:

End Your Salutation with a Comma, Then Start Afresh

With letters and emails, there's a quirk. Even when your salutation ends with a comma, the next sentence (which starts below the salutation) starts with a capital letter. (It is as though the salutation did not exist.) For example:

So, you can happily end your salutation with a comma and start the next sentence afresh.

For some people, this is too illogical, and they prefer to end the salutation with a colon as opposed to a comma. However, a comma is fine. In fact, it is the most common way to end a salutation.