The phrase “you had me at ‘Hello’” means that the speaker was completely won over or convinced by someone from the very first moment of their interaction. This phrase comes from the iconic line in the movie “Jerry Maguire”. In simpler terms, it can be interpreted as “you had my attention from the start”.
Here are two examples in sentences:
Example 1:
When Anna heard the opening note of the song, she said, “You had me at ‘Hello’“, because she instantly loved it.
Example 2:
After hearing the restaurant’s owner talk passionately about the quality of their food, Sarah said, “You had me at ‘Hello’“, to indicate she was convinced to dine there.
Here are two examples in conversation:
Example 3:
Mark: The moment I saw the ocean view from the room, I was sold.
Sue: So, basically, the resort had you at ‘Hello’.
Example 4:
Tom: The first time I met her, she was so kind and sweet.
Mike: Sounds like she had you at ‘Hello’.
So, when someone says “you had me at ‘Hello'”, they’re expressing the idea that they were immediately convinced or won over by something or someone from the very beginning. It’s a way of showing how instant and strong an impact was made.
