How to say hello in different Languages: 80 options

Understanding How to say hello in different languages is not just a cool party trick; it's a tool for building bridges between people from different corners of the world. It's a small effort with a big impact, breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of unity. In our diverse and interconnected world, being able to greet someone in their native language isn't just polite; it's a gesture of genuine interest and respect.

Saying Hello Around the World

Spanish: Hola

• Pronunciation: oh-la
• Example: "¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?" (Hello, How are you?)

French: Bonjour

• Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
• Example: "Bonjour, comment ça va?" (Buenos días qué tal)

German: Hallo

• Pronunciation: hah-loh
• Example: "Hallo, wie geht es dir?" (¿Hola, cómo estás?)

Italian: Ciao

• Pronunciation: chow
• Example: "Ciao, come stai?" (¿Hola, cómo estás?)

Portuguese: Olá

• Pronunciation: oh-lah
• Example: "Olá, tudo bem?" (¿Hola todo bien?)

Chinese: 你好 (Nǐ hǎo)

• Pronunciation: nee how
• Example: "你好, 请问您贵姓？" (Hello, may I ask for your name?)

Japanese: こんにちは (Konnichiwa)

• Pronunciation: kon-nee-chee-wah
• Example: "こんにちは、元気ですか？" (Hello, how are you?)

Korean: 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo)

• Pronunciation: ahn-nyeong-ha-se-yo
• Example: "안녕하세요, 만나서 반갑습니다." (Hello, nice to meet you.)

Russian: Привет (Privet)

• Pronunciation: pree-vyet
• Example: "Привет, как дела?" (Hello, how are you?)

Arabic: السلام عليكم (As-salamu alaykum)

• Pronunciation: ass-sa-lam-mu ah-lay-kum
• Example: "السلام عليكم, كيف حالك؟" (Hello, how are you?)

Hindi: नमस्ते (Namaste)

• Pronunciation: nah-mas-tay
• Example: "नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं?" (Hello, how are you?)

Swahili: Jambo

• Pronunciation: jahm-boh
• Example: "Jambo, habari yako?" (Hello, how are you?)

Greek: Γεια σας (Gia sas)

• Pronunciation: yah sas
• Example: "Γεια σας, τι κάνετε;" (Hello, how are you?)

Turkish: Merhaba

• Pronunciation: mehr-hah-bah
• Example: "Merhaba, nasılsınız?"  (Hello, how are you?)

Dutch: Hallo

• Pronunciation: hah-loh
• Example: "Hallo, hoe gaat het met je?" (Hello, how are you?)

Swedish: Hej

• Pronunciation: hey
• Example: "Hej, hur mår du?" (Hello, how are you?)

Polish: Cześć

• Pronunciation: cheshch
• Example: "Cześć, jak się masz?" (Hello, how are you?)

Hebrew: שלום (Shalom)

• Pronunciation: sha-lom
• Example: "שלום, איך אתה?" (Hello, how are you?)

Thai: สวัสดี (Sawasdee)

• Pronunciation: sah-was-dee
• Example: "สวัสดี, คุณเป็นอย่างไร?" (Hello, how are you?)

Vietnamese: Xin chào

• Pronunciation: sin chow
• Example: "Xin chào, bạn khỏe không?" (Hello, how are you?)

Finnish: Hei

• Pronunciation: hey
• Example: "Hei, mitä kuuluu?" (Hello, how are you?)

Indonesian: Halo

• Pronunciation: hah-loh
• Example: "Halo, apa kabar?" (Hello, how are you?)

Romanian: Salut

• Pronunciation: sah-loot
• Example: "Salut, ce mai faci?" (Hello, how are you?)

Czech: Ahoj

• Pronunciation: ah-hoy
• Example: "Ahoj, jak se máš?"  (Hello, how are you?)

Malay: Selamat sejahtera

• Pronunciation: seh-la-mat say-jah-ter-ah
• Example: "Selamat sejahtera, apa khabar?"  (Hello, how are you?)

Bengali: নমস্কার (Nomoskar)

• Pronunciation: no-mo-skar
• Example: "নমস্কার, আপনি কেমন আছেন?" (Hello, how are you?)

Filipino: Kumusta

• Pronunciation: koo-mus-ta
• Example: "Kumusta, kamusta ka?" (Hello, how are you?)

Icelandic: Halló

• Pronunciation: hah-loh
• Example: "Halló, hvernig hefur þú það?" (Hello, how are you?)

Lithuanian: Labas

• Pronunciation: lah-bahs
• Example: "Labas, kaip tu?" (Hello, how are you?)

Latvian: Sveiki

• Pronunciation: svei-ki
• Example: "Sveiki, kā jums iet?" (Hello, how are you?)

Slovak: Ahoj

• Pronunciation: ah-hoy
• Example: "Ahoj, ako sa máš?" (Hello, how are you?)

Albanian: Përshëndetje

• Pronunciation: per-shen-de-tye
• Example: "Përshëndetje, si jeni?" (Hello, how are you?)

Bulgarian: Здравейте (Zdraveyte)

• Pronunciation: zdra-vei-te
• Example: "Здравейте, как сте?" (Hello, how are you?)

Mongolian: Сайн байна уу? (Sain baina uu?)

• Pronunciation: sah-in by-na oo
• Example: "Сайн байна уу, юу байна?" (Hello, how are you?)

Hausa: Sannu

• Pronunciation: sah-noo
• Example: "Sannu, yaya kake?" (Hello, how are you?)

Georgian: გამარჯობა (Gamardjoba)

• Pronunciation: ga-mar-joh-ba
• Example: "გამარჯობა, როგორ ხარ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Yoruba: Bawo ni

• Pronunciation: bah-woh nee
• Example: "Bawo ni, se dada ni?" (Hello, are you well?)

Lao: ສະບາຍດີ (Sabaidi)

• Pronunciation: sah-bai-dee
• Example: "ສະບາຍດີ, ທ່ານໄດ້ສາລະບາດບໍ?" (Hello, have you had a good day?)

Kurdish: سڵاو (Slaw)

• Pronunciation: sla-ow
• Example: "سڵاو, چۆنیت؟" (Hello, how are you?)

Maltese: Bongu

• Pronunciation: bon-goo
• Example: "Bongu, kif int?" (Hello, how are you?)

Burmese: မင်္ဂလာပါ (Mingalabar)

• Pronunciation: min-ga-la-ba
• Example: "မင်္ဂလာပါ, သင်္ဘောသာလား?" (Hello, how are you?)

Tamil: வணக்கம் (Vaṇakkam)

• Pronunciation: va-na-kam
• Example: "வணக்கம், நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கின்றீர்கள்?" (Hello, how are you?)

Nepali: नमस्ते (Namaste)

• Pronunciation: na-mas-te
• Example: "नमस्ते, तिमीलाई कस्तो छ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Khmer: ជំរាបសួរ (Chum reap suor)

• Pronunciation: chum ree-up sue-ah
• Example: "ជំរាបសួរ, តើអ្នកដូចម្តេចទេ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Slovenian: Zdravo

• Pronunciation: zdra-vo
• Example: "Zdravo, kako ste?" (Hello, how are you?)

Esperanto: Saluton

• Pronunciation: sa-loo-ton
• Example: "Saluton, kiel vi fartas?" (Hello, how are you?)

Pashto: سلام (Salaam)

• Pronunciation: sa-lam
• Example: "سلام, څنګه یی؟" (Hello, how are you?)

Kannada: ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ (Namaskāra)

• Pronunciation: na-mas-kaa-ra
• Example: "ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಾ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Uyghur: ياخشىمۇسىز (Yaxşimusiz)

• Pronunciation: yahkh-shi-moo-seez
• Example: "ياخشىمۇسىز, قالايمىسىز؟" (Hello, how are you?)

Mandarin (Wu): 吴语 (Ngu)

• Pronunciation: ngoo
• Example: "吴语, 你好吗?" (how are you?)

Ukrainian: Привіт (Pryvit)

• Pronunciation: prih-vit
• Example: "Привіт, як справи?" (Hello, how are you?)

Igbo: Kedu

• Pronunciation: kay-doo
• Example: "Kedu, kedu ka ị mere?" (Hello, how are you?)

Bosnian: Zdravo

• Pronunciation: zdrah-vo
• Example: "Zdravo, kako ste?"

Nahuatl: ¿Niltze? (informal)

• Pronunciation: neel-tseh
• Example: "¿Niltze, tlanextia?" (Hello, how are you?)

Kikuyu: Wawerũ

• Pronunciation: wah-weh-roo
• Example: "Wawerũ, ũno ndũ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Armenian: Բարեւ (Barev)

• Pronunciation: bah-rev
• Example: "Բարեւ, ինչպես ես?" (Hello, how are you?)

Kyrgyz: Саламатсыздарга (Salamatsyzdarga)

• Pronunciation: sa-la-mat-syz-dar-ga
• Example: "Саламатсыздарга, кандайсыздар?" (Hello, how are you?)

Kannada: ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ (Namaskāra)

• Pronunciation: na-mas-kara
• Example: "ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನೀವು ಹೇಗಿದ್ದೀರಾ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Somali: Salaam

• Pronunciation: sah-lahm
• Example: "Salaam, sidee tahay?"

Hawaiian: Aloha

• Pronunciation: ah-lo-ha
• Example: "Aloha, pehea ʻoe?" (Hello, how are you?)

Chichewa: Moni

• Pronunciation: moh-nee
• Example: "Moni, muli bwanji?" (Hello, how are you?)

Telugu: హలో (Halo)

• Pronunciation: ha-lo
• Example: "హలో, మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు?" (Hello, how are you?)

Fijian: Bula

• Pronunciation: boo-lah
• Example: "Bula, se sega ni macala?" (Hello, is everything okay?)

Tajik: Салом (Salom)

• Pronunciation: sah-lom
• Example: "Салом, шумо чӣ хел доред?" (Hello, how are you?)

Twi: Maakyè

• Pronunciation: mah-chay
• Example: "Maakyè, wo ho te sɛn?" (Hello, how are you?)

Tigrinya: ሰላም (Selam)

• Pronunciation: se-lam
• Example: "ሰላም, እንደምን አደራችሁ?" (Hello, how are you?)

Bislama: Halo

• Pronunciation: ha-lo
• Example: "Halo, yu stap gut?" (Hello, are you well?)

Bambara: I ni ce

• Pronunciation: ee nee chay
• Example: "I ni ce, ka tiga la?" (Hello, how are you?)

Oromo: Akkam

• Pronunciation: ak-kam
• Example: "Akkam, maaloo?" (Hello, how are you?)

Tsonga: Avuxeni

• Pronunciation: ah-voo-shay-nee
• Example: "Avuxeni, u njhani?" (Hello, how are you?)

Luxembourgish: Moien

• Pronunciation: mwah-en
• Example: "Moien, wéi geet et dir?"

Bamileke: Mbote

• Pronunciation: m-boh-te
• Example: "Mbote, o sane?"

Gujarati: હેલો (Helo)

• Pronunciation: heh-lo
• Example: "હેલો, તમે કેમ છો?" (Hello, how are you?)

Corsican: Bonghjornu

• Pronunciation: bon-jor-noo
• Example: "Bonghjornu, cumu stai?"

Assamese: নমস্কাৰ (Nomoskar)

• Pronunciation: no-mo-skar
• Example: "নমস্কাৰ, আপুনি কেমন আছো?" (Hello, how are you?)

Frisian: Hallo

• Pronunciation: hah-loh
• Example: "Hallo, hoe giet it mei dy?"

Kinyarwanda: Muraho

• Pronunciation: moo-rah-ho
• Example: "Muraho, amakuru yawe?"

Nauruan: Ia Orana

• Pronunciation: ee-ah o-ra-na
• Example: "Ia Orana, e a haere mai?" (Hello, are you well?)

Sesotho: Lumela

• Pronunciation: loo-meh-la
• Example: "Lumela, o kae

Haitian Creole: Alo

• Pronunciation: ah-lo
• Example: "Alo, kijan ou ye?" (Hello, how are you?)

How to say hello in different languages: Final thoughts

It's clear that knowing how to say hello in different languages is more than just a linguistic skill—it's a key to unlocking doors of understanding and building connections. Learning these simple yet powerful words in various tongues is like having a passport to the hearts of people from around the globe.

Saying hello in someone's native language is a genuine sign of respect. It shows that you acknowledge and appreciate their culture, creating an immediate bridge of understanding. This shared gesture helps break down barriers, making conversations more comfortable and relationships more authentic.

FAQ 

 Why should I learn how to say hello in different languages?

Learning how to say hello in different languages is a simple yet powerful way to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. It fosters cultural understanding, breaks down communication barriers, and enriches your social interactions. Plus, it's a fun and accessible entry point into the world of language learning.

How can I remember greetings in so many languages?

Start small and gradually expand your repertoire. Focus on a few languages at a time, practice regularly, and use mnemonic devices or repetition to reinforce your memory. Language learning apps and flashcards can also be helpful tools to make the process more manageable.

Is it really necessary to learn how to say hello in different languages, or can I just rely on English?

While English is widely spoken, making the effort to greet someone in their native language shows respect and interest in their culture. It enhances your ability to connect on a personal level, making conversations more enjoyable and meaningful.

I'm not good at languages. Can I still learn how to say hello in different languages?

Absolutely! Learning greetings doesn't require fluency. Start with phonetic pronunciations, practice gradually, and focus on the joy of cultural exploration. Language apps, online resources, and language exchange opportunities can provide support and encouragement.

How can saying hello in different languages benefit me personally and professionally?

Personally, it broadens your perspective, introduces you to new cultures, and enhances your ability to communicate while traveling or meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Professionally, it can be a valuable skill in a globalized world, fostering positive relationships in international business or multicultural work environments.

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