Here’s How to Greet Yourself in 11 Languages (and How to Pronounce It)
Whether you are going on a vacation or meeting someone who speaks a foreign language, a kind thing to do is to greet them in their culture. In English, we say anything from "hello" to "how are you?" Meanwhile, some cultures prefer a variation of "welcome," and others even wish peace.
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Curious to learn how to say hello in some of the most common languages? Below, we gathered popular greetings from around the world and how to pronounce them.
1. Spanish
Hello: Hola (oh-la)
Good morning: Buenos días (bweh-nohs dee-ahs)
Good afternoon: Buenos tardes (bweh-nohs tahr-days)
Also read about: 5 Unexpected Words to Learn on Big Word Day
2. Mandarin
Hello (formal): Ni hao (nee-how)
Morning (casual): Zao (zah-oh)
3. French
Good day: Bonjour (bohn-zhoor)
Good evening: Bonsoir (bohn-swahr)
Hello (casual): Coucou (coo-coo)
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4. Hindi
Greetings: Namaste (nah-mah-stay)
Hello: Halo (hah-lo)
Good afternoon: Subha dina (shoob den)
5. Arabic
Peace be upon you: As-salamu alaykum (ah-sah-lah-moo ah-lay-koom)
Welcome: Marhaba (marr-ha-bahn)
Also read about: Polish Up on Your Second Language With These 5 Apps
6. Korean
Hello (formal): Annyeonghaseyo (ahn-yong-ha-say-yo)
Hello (casual): Annyeong (ahn-yong)
7. Italian
Hello (casual): Ciao (chow)
Buongiorno: Good morning (bwon-johr-no)
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8. German
Hello (casual): Hallo (hah-lo)
Good day: Guten tag (goo-ten tahg)
Also read about: These Are the 7 Types of Love (According to Ancient Greek Philosophy)
9. Yoruba
Welcome: Eku abo (eh-koo ah-bo)
How are you: E ku sa? (eh koo sah)
10. Tagalog
How are you?: Kumusta? (koo-moos-tah)
Hey (casual): Hoy (ho-ee)
You can also say "hello" as you would in English!
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11. Portuguese
Hello (formal or casual): Óla (oh-la)
Hi (casual): Oi (oy)
Good morning: Bom dia (bahm dee-ah)
Good afternoon: Boa tarde (boh-ah tahr-day)
Struggling to decide what foreign language to learn? Click HERE to discover the five that are easiest to learn for native English speakers.