The article contains an overview of the situations and linguistic contexts that shape emotions as an element of social communication processes, and not just a private, individually experienced mental state dependent on the neurophysiology of the brain and the play of hormones. Emotions are the reason for interaction and are the result of interacting with others. Negotiating the meanings of the behavior of people, all social and physical objects through emotional expressions is essential for social contacts, emotions result from relationships and shape these relationships. They are a phenomenon of social life expected in typical situations of everyday life and in situations of specific cultural rituals in which participants are obliged to appropriate emotional expressions.