How do I start a casual message to a colleague in English?

"Hey" plus the name works in most teams. "It's been a while" is a natural way to reconnect, more natural than "long time no talk" in writing.

Is it fine to use emojis in a casual Slack message?

Usually yes, if your team uses them. When in doubt, mirror the other person: if they use emojis with you, one or two are fine.

How to check in with a colleague on Slack, with examples

A casual message is where non-native English most often sounds stiff. Keep it short, use the person's name and ask one real question.

By Rubens JrUpdated October 16, 2026

How it looks in Slack

Write the draft the way it comes out, in any language. Press the BetterSend button in the composer, pick a tone, and the draft is replaced before you send.

Your draft

hi, how are you? long time no talk, how is going the new project?

Message Ana Souza

Improve

What you send🙌 Casual

@ Ana Souza

Hey Ana, it's been a while. How's the new project going? I'd love to hear how the team is settling in.

What changed

The message uses the name and contractions, replaces the textbook "how are you" with a real question about the project and ends with genuine interest.

Do this inside Slack

The Slack app on Mac and Windows

The BetterSend desktop app puts its icon in the composer of the native Slack app. Double-click a message from a colleague to translate it or have it explained.