I say "Hi_____". Sometimes the person will say "How did you know it was me?".

I say hello? even when I know who it is with caller ID.
Some habits are just hard to break....and I got burned once and am now gun shy.
A few years ago (before caller ID) our DD and SIL were in Italy for 3 years. She would call from a phone on the base and it was always early in the morning for us. (mid afternoon for her) I'd be half asleep yet and be greeted with this robust BON JOURNO!!! After about 5 or 6 times of this the phone rang early one Saturday and I thought I'll beat her to it this time. I picked up the receiver and gave it my best BON JOURNO!!! This very timid, elderly, voice on the other end asks "hello?" It was a potential new client! I briefly explained the circumstances. She politely asked about my services and rates. I never heard from her again. Oh well.

Ron

I answer with HELLO, but it was funny that she said "let me take my hearing aide out"
She's such a special person, we call her "giggles" cause she laughs at everything.

Guess I'll listen to giggles all the way to luncheon :o)

I have Caller ID, yet I always just say hello and wait for the other person to say who they are. I never really thought about it before? Seems like when I call someone, they do the same and it would throw me for them to answer "Hello Teresa".

LOL, I don't give the phone company any more money than I have to, but sometimes...

I answer the phone with Guten Morgen, or Guten Tag!

Somehow, I usually nail it on the head, with a phone call from my German girlfriend. But other times... I just laugh, and repeat myself in American English with Good Morning, and Hello. :)

Moni

I have Callwave, but it does not apply to person I was calling. Nite

Sometimes I say "Hi, ___________." Sometimes, I break right into conversation, never saying hello or acknowledging who it is since I know who it is, much like your friend did.

I just say "hello".Sometimes when it's one of my kids or grands I'll answer with,"What do you want! or Yeeeees or HUH! Or Mule barn,which J A$$ do you want to talk to?LOL"

Jack-saa resident here.

o j

It all depends who it is, sometimes I will say 'Hello so and so' or I just 'yea'or it depends on the caller I may just 'what do you want now'!
Deb

I do the same as Linda.

Funny you should ask - I find more and more I look at the Call Display and start speaking with the person without a hello, or I say 'Hello, Joan', or whoever it is...most on the other end seem so amazed that I know it's them...lol. As many of them are my tenants, I think it's great that they think I am so 'all knowing'...lol.
Suzan J

When I'm expecting a response from a Friend I answer with a question. Like:

What did the Doc say?
What did you decide on?

When my Son calls.
"Well its about time you called your Mama".
"It's my Itty Bitty Baby Boy!" (6'3", 202#)

Gayle

I answer our business phone "Chrome Horse" but if I recognize the name on the caller ID I say Well Good morning or Good afternoon______ how are you?. They always get a kick out of it.

I don't have caller ID but do have an answering machine so we screen calls that way. We get so many telemarketers, etc. When I pick up I say "Hello" 2 or 3 times so they don't think it is still the answering machine and hang up.
Clare