How to Say Hello in 100 Different Languages

Learn how to say hello in different languages! Master 100 unique greetings from around the world and make every encounter more meaningful.

Hello in different languages

Greeting someone in their native language can create an instant connection and make you more memorable.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to a lot of countries, and one thing I’ve learned is the immense value of being able to say “hello” in the local language. No matter where I’ve been, that simple gesture has opened doors, sparked smiles, and helped me connect with people on a personal level.

Learning just a few basic words before arriving in a new place has become an essential part of my travel routine, and it’s something I’d encourage any traveler to try. The best place to start is “hello”.

Knowing how to say “hello” in different languages opens doors to new cultures and shows respect to people from diverse backgrounds. In this guide, you’ll find greetings from around the world, each alphabetized for easy reference.

Hello in 100 Languages

Below, you’ll find how to say “hello” in 100 languages from around the world, along with pronunciation guidance and a brief introduction to the language.

LanguageFormal HelloInformal HelloRegion/Where Spoken
AfrikaansGoeie dagHalloSouth Africa, Namibia
AlbanianPërshëndetjeTungjatjetaAlbania, Kosovo
AmharicSelamSelamEthiopia
ArabicMarhabanSalamMiddle East, North Africa
ArmenianBarev DzezBarevArmenia
AzerbaijaniSalamSalamAzerbaijan
BasqueKaixoKaixoBasque Country (Spain, France)
BelarusianDobry dzieńPryvitBelarus
BengaliNomoshkarHālōBangladesh, India (West Bengal)
BosnianZdravoĆaoBosnia and Herzegovina
BulgarianZdraveyteZdrastiBulgaria
BurmeseMingalabaNoneMyanmar
CantoneseNéih hóuNéihHong Kong, Macau, Southern China
CatalanHolaEiCatalonia (Spain), Andorra
CebuanoMaayong adlawHāloPhilippines
ChichewaMoniMoniMalawi, Zambia
Chinese (Mandarin)Nǐ hǎoHāiChina, Taiwan, Singapore
CroatianDobar danBokCroatia
CzechDobrý denAhojCzech Republic
DanishGod dagHejDenmark
DutchGoedendagHoiNetherlands, Belgium
DzongkhaKuzuzangpo laNoneBhutan
EnglishHelloHiWorldwide
EstonianTere päevastTereEstonia
FinnishHyvää päivääHeiFinland
FrenchBonjourSalutFrance, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland
GeorgianGamarjobaGamarjobaGeorgia
GermanGuten TagHalloGermany, Austria, Switzerland
GreekKaliméraYiaGreece, Cyprus
GujaratiNamasteHāloIndia, Pakistan
Haitian CreoleBonjouSaliHaiti
HausaSannuBarkaNigeria, Niger
HebrewShalomHeyIsrael
HindiNamasteHālloIndia, Fiji, Nepal
HungarianJó napotSziaHungary
IcelandicGóðan daginnHallóIceland
IgboNdewoKeduNigeria
IndonesianSelamat siangHaiIndonesia
IrishDia dhuitHaighIreland
ItalianBuongiornoCiaoItaly
JapaneseKonnichiwaJapan
JavaneseSugeng siangHaloIndonesia (Java)
KannadaNamaskaraHāloIndia (Karnataka)
KazakhSalemetsiz beSalemKazakhstan
KhmerSuosteiSuosteiCambodia
KinyarwandaMurahoBiteRwanda
KoreanAnnyeonghaseyoAnnyeongSouth Korea
KurdishSilavSilavKurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria)
KyrgyzSalamatsyzbySalamKyrgyzstan
LaoSabaideeNoneLaos
LatvianLabdienČauLatvia
LithuanianLaba dienaLabasLithuania
LuxembourgishMoienSalutLuxembourg
MacedonianZdravoĆaoNorth Macedonia
MalagasyManao ahoanaSalamaMadagascar
MalaySelamat tengahariHaiMalaysia, Brunei, Singapore
MalayalamNamaskaramHāiIndia (Kerala)
MalteseBonġuHawnMalta
MaoriKia oraKia oraNew Zealand
MarathiNamaskarHāloIndia (Maharashtra)
MongolianSain uuNoneMongolia
NepaliNamasteHālloNepal
NorwegianGod dagHeiNorway
PashtoSalaamSalaamAfghanistan, Pakistan
PersianSalamSalamIran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan
PolishDzień dobryCześćPoland
PortugueseOláOiPortugal, Brazil
PunjabiSat sri akaalHelloIndia, Pakistan
QuechuaRimaykullaykiNapaykullaykiPeru, Bolivia
RomanianBună ziuaSalutRomania, Moldova
RussianZdravstvuytePrivetRussia, Belarus
SamoanTalofaMaloSamoa
SerbianZdravoĆaoSerbia, Montenegro
ShonaMhoroMhoroZimbabwe
SinhalaAyubowanNoneSri Lanka
SlovakDobrý deňAhojSlovakia
SlovenianDober danŽivijoSlovenia
SomaliSalaanHelloSomalia, Ethiopia
SpanishHolaQué talSpain, Latin America
SwahiliHujamboJamboEast Africa (Kenya, Tanzania)
SwedishGod dagHejSweden
TagalogMagandang arawKamustaPhilippines
TamilVanakkamHaloIndia (Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka, Malaysia
TeluguNamaskaramHāiIndia (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana)
ThaiSawasdeeNoneThailand
TibetanTashi delekTashi delekTibet, China, Nepal
TurkishMerhabaSelamTurkey, Cyprus
TurkmenSalamSalamTurkmenistan
UkrainianDobryi denPryvitUkraine
UrduAssalamu AlaikumHelloPakistan, India
UzbekSalomSalomUzbekistan
VietnameseXin chàoChàoVietnam
WelshHeloSut maeWales
WolofSalaam aleekumSalaamSenegal, Gambia
XhosaMoloMoloSouth Africa
YiddishSholem aleichemSholemJewish communities worldwide
YorubaẸ káàárọ̀Bawó niNigeria, Benin
ZuluSawubonaYeboSouth Africa

Afrikaans

Afrikaans, a West Germanic language, evolved from Dutch settlers in South Africa. It’s also spoken in Namibia.

  • How to say hello: Hallo
  • How to pronounce it: HAH-loh
  • Where to say it: South Africa, Namibia

Albanian

Albanian, one of Europe’s oldest languages, has unique dialects across Albania and Kosovo.

  • How to say hello: Tungjatjeta
  • How to pronounce it: toon-jah-TYEH-tah
  • Where to say it: Albania, Kosovo

Amharic

Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, spoken by over 22 million. It’s written in the Ge’ez script.

  • How to say hello: Selam
  • How to pronounce it: seh-LAHM
  • Where to say it: Ethiopia

Arabic

Arabic is a widely spoken language across the Middle East and North Africa. As one of the oldest and most complex languages, it has many regional variations, each with unique greetings.

  • How to say hello: Salam
  • How to pronounce it: sah-LAHM
  • Where to say it: Middle East, North Africa

Armenian

Armenian is the official language of Armenia, with a distinct script and ancient heritage. It is one of the oldest recorded languages, with a unique phonetic system and rich literary history.

  • How to say hello: Barev
  • How to pronounce it: BAH-rehv
  • Where to say it: Armenia

Azerbaijani

Azerbaijani, part of the Turkic language family, is spoken in Azerbaijan and Iranian regions with cultural influence.

  • How to say hello: Salam
  • How to pronounce it: sah-LAHM
  • Where to say it: Azerbaijan, Iran

Basque

Basque is unrelated to any other language, spoken by the Basque people in Spain and France.

  • How to say hello: Kaixo
  • How to pronounce it: kai-SHOH
  • Where to say it: Spain (Basque Country), France

Bengali

Bengali, known for its poetic heritage, is the official language of Bangladesh and widely spoken in India’s West Bengal. It’s celebrated for its expressive sounds and deep cultural roots.

  • How to say hello: Nomoskar
  • How to pronounce it: no-MO-skar
  • Where to say it: Bangladesh, India (West Bengal)

Bosnian

Bosnian is one of the standardized languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, similar to Serbian and Croatian.

  • How to say hello: Zdravo
  • How to pronounce it: ZDRAH-voh
  • Where to say it: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgarian

Bulgarian, one of Europe’s oldest languages, is the official language of Bulgaria and uses the Cyrillic script.

  • How to say hello: Zdravey
  • How to pronounce it: zdrah-VEY
  • Where to say it: Bulgaria

Burmese

Burmese, Myanmar’s official language, has a unique script that is part of the Brahmic writing family.

  • How to say hello: Mingalaba
  • How to pronounce it: MIN-gah-lah-BAH
  • Where to say it: Myanmar

Cantonese

Cantonese is a Chinese language variety spoken mainly in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong, with complex tonal qualities.

  • How to say hello: Nei hou
  • How to pronounce it: nay-HOH
  • Where to say it: Hong Kong, Macau, Southern China

Catalan

Catalan, a Romance language, is spoken in Catalonia, Spain, with influences from both Spanish and French.

  • How to say hello: Hola
  • How to pronounce it: OH-lah
  • Where to say it: Spain (Catalonia), Andorra

Cebuano

Cebuano, spoken in the Philippines’ central regions, is named after Cebu island and has many Spanish loanwords.

  • How to say hello: Kumusta
  • How to pronounce it: koo-MOOS-tah
  • Where to say it: Philippines

Chichewa

Chichewa is widely spoken in southeastern Africa, particularly Malawi, and reflects the region’s rich oral traditions.

  • How to say hello: Moni
  • How to pronounce it: MOH-nee
  • Where to say it: Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique

Chinese (Mandarin)

Mandarin is the most widely spoken language globally, primarily used in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Known for its tonal sounds, Mandarin has four distinct tones that change word meanings.

  • How to say hello: Nǐ hǎo
  • How to pronounce it: NEE how
  • Where to say it: China, Taiwan, Singapore

Czech

Czech is a Slavic language spoken mainly in the Czech Republic. Known for its complex sounds and grammar, it has a rich literary history and strong regional dialects.

  • How to say hello: Ahoj
  • How to pronounce it: ah-HOY
  • Where to say it: Czech Republic

Danish

Danish, a North Germanic language closely related to Norwegian and Swedish, is Denmark’s official language.

  • How to say hello: Hej
  • How to pronounce it: hi
  • Where to say it: Denmark

Dutch

Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands and Belgium, with similarities to both English and German.

  • How to say hello: Hallo
  • How to pronounce it: HAH-loh
  • Where to say it: Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname

Dzongkha

The official language of Bhutan, Dzongkha is a Sino-Tibetan language used throughout the country.

  • How to say hello: Kuzu zangpo la
  • How to pronounce it: KOO-zoo zang-POH lah
  • Where to say it: Bhutan

English

One of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, English boasts around 2 billion speakers across the globe and serves as a common lingua franca.

  • How to say hello: Hello
  • How to pronounce it: huh-LOH
  • Where to say it: English-speaking countries, globally recognized

Estonian

Estonian, a Finno-Ugric language, shares roots with Finnish and has many loanwords from German and Swedish.

  • How to say hello: Tere
  • How to pronounce it: TEH-reh
  • Where to say it: Estonia

Finnish

Finnish is Finland’s primary language and is known for its challenging grammar and unique vocabulary.

  • How to say hello: Hei
  • How to pronounce it: hay
  • Where to say it: Finland

French

French is one of the world’s most influential languages, spoken in many parts of Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

  • How to say hello: Bonjour
  • How to pronounce it: bon-ZHOOR
  • Where to say it: France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Africa

Fula

Fula, a widely spoken language in West Africa, reflects the rich cultural heritage of the Fulani people.

  • How to say hello: N’bona
  • How to pronounce it: n-BOH-nah
  • Where to say it: Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria

Georgian

Georgian is the official language of Georgia and uses a unique script with ancient origins.

  • How to say hello: Gamarjoba
  • How to pronounce it: gah-mar-JOH-bah
  • Where to say it: Georgia

German

German, one of Europe’s major languages, is widely spoken across central Europe with distinct regional dialects.

  • How to say hello: Hallo
  • How to pronounce it: HAH-loh
  • Where to say it: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein

Greek

Greek, with its roots in ancient civilization, has a long literary and historical legacy.

  • How to say hello: Yia sas
  • How to pronounce it: YAH sahs
  • Where to say it: Greece, Cyprus

Guarani

Guarani is an official language of Paraguay, with indigenous roots and deep cultural importance.

  • How to say hello: Mba’eichapa
  • How to pronounce it: m-bah-EY-chah-pah
  • Where to say it: Paraguay, parts of Argentina and Brazil

Gujarati

Gujarati is a major language in India, with millions of speakers in the Gujarati diaspora worldwide.

  • How to say hello: Kem Cho
  • How to pronounce it: KEM-choh
  • Where to say it: India (Gujarat), United Kingdom, United States

Haitian Creole

Haitian Creole, influenced by French, African languages, and indigenous Taíno, is widely spoken in Haiti.

  • How to say hello: Bonjou
  • How to pronounce it: bon-ZHOO
  • Where to say it: Haiti

Hawaiian

Hawaiian, an indigenous language of Hawaii, has seen revitalization efforts to preserve its cultural heritage.

  • How to say hello: Aloha
  • How to pronounce it: ah-LOH-hah
  • Where to say it: Hawaii, USA

Hebrew

Hebrew, with its ancient roots, was revived as a modern language and is now Israel’s official language.

  • How to say hello: Shalom
  • How to pronounce it: shah-LOHM
  • Where to say it: Israel

Hindi

Hindi, one of the primary languages of India, is derived from Sanskrit and is spoken by millions.

  • How to say hello: Namaste
  • How to pronounce it: nah-MAH-stay
  • Where to say it: India, Nepal, Fiji

Hmong

Hmong is spoken by the Hmong people in China, Vietnam, Laos, and diaspora communities globally.

  • How to say hello: Nyob zoo
  • How to pronounce it: nyaw-zoh
  • Where to say it: China, Laos, Vietnam, United States

Hungarian

Hungarian is an isolated Finno-Ugric language with unique grammar and vocabulary, spoken mainly in Hungary.

  • How to say hello: Helló
  • How to pronounce it: HEH-loh
  • Where to say it: Hungary

Icelandic

Icelandic, derived from Old Norse, has changed little since medieval times, retaining many old linguistic features.

  • How to say hello: Halló
  • How to pronounce it: HAH-loh
  • Where to say it: Iceland

Igbo

Igbo is one of Nigeria’s major languages, known for its distinct dialects across southeastern Nigeria.

  • How to say hello: Ndewo
  • How to pronounce it: N-deh-woh
  • Where to say it: Nigeria

Indonesian

Indonesian, based on Malay, serves as the unifying language in Indonesia, a country of vast linguistic diversity.

  • How to say hello: Halo
  • How to pronounce it: hah-LOH
  • Where to say it: Indonesia

Irish Gaelic

Irish Gaelic, with ancient Celtic roots, has seen a resurgence as Ireland works to preserve its linguistic heritage.

  • How to say hello: Dia dhuit
  • How to pronounce it: DEE-ah gwit
  • Where to say it: Ireland

Italian

Italian, a Romance language with rich cultural history, is spoken in Italy and regions influenced by Italian heritage.

  • How to say hello: Ciao
  • How to pronounce it: chow
  • Where to say it: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City

Japanese

Japanese, unique among world languages, uses three scripts and has influences from Chinese and indigenous languages.

  • How to say hello: Konnichiwa
  • How to pronounce it: kon-NEE-chee-wah
  • Where to say it: Japan

Javanese

Javanese is one of Indonesia’s largest local languages, widely spoken on the island of Java.

  • How to say hello: Sugeng
  • How to pronounce it: soo-GENG
  • Where to say it: Indonesia (Java)

Kannada

Kannada, an ancient Dravidian language, is primarily spoken in the Indian state of Karnataka.

  • How to say hello: Namaskara
  • How to pronounce it: nah-MAH-skah-rah
  • Where to say it: India (Karnataka)

Kazakh

Kazakh is spoken in Kazakhstan and is related to other Central Asian Turkic languages.

  • How to say hello: Salemetsiz be
  • How to pronounce it: sah-LEH-met-siz beh
  • Where to say it: Kazakhstan

Korean

Korean, the official language of both North and South Korea, has a unique script called Hangul.

  • How to say hello: Annyeonghaseyo
  • How to pronounce it: ahn-YEONG-ha-say-yoh
  • Where to say it: South Korea, North Korea

Kurdish

Kurdish, spoken by the Kurdish people, has several dialects, with Kurmanji and Sorani being the most prominent.

  • How to say hello: Slaw
  • How to pronounce it: slah-W
  • Where to say it: Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Syria

Lao

Lao is the official language of Laos and shares similarities with Thai due to their common roots.

  • How to say hello: Sabaidee
  • How to pronounce it: sah-bye-DEE
  • Where to say it: Laos

Latvian

Latvian is the official language of Latvia, known for its unique phonetics and rich folklore.

  • How to say hello: Sveiki
  • How to pronounce it: svay-kee
  • Where to say it: Latvia

Lithuanian

Lithuanian is one of the oldest languages in Europe, closely related to Sanskrit.

  • How to say hello: Labas
  • How to pronounce it: LAH-bahs
  • Where to say it: Lithuania

Macedonian

Macedonian, a South Slavic language, has distinct features and uses the Cyrillic alphabet.

  • How to say hello: Zdravo
  • How to pronounce it: zdrah-VOH
  • Where to say it: North Macedonia

Malay

Malay is spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, with variations in dialect across the regions.

  • How to say hello: Hai
  • How to pronounce it: HAI
  • Where to say it: Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei

Maltese

Maltese is the national language of Malta, a unique blend of Arabic, Italian, and English influences.

  • How to say hello: Bongu
  • How to pronounce it: BONG-goo
  • Where to say it: Malta

Maori

Maori is the indigenous language of New Zealand, deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of the Maori people.

  • How to say hello: Kia ora
  • How to pronounce it: kee-AH-or-ah
  • Where to say it: New Zealand

Marathi

Marathi is a major language in India, primarily spoken in the state of Maharashtra, and has a rich literary tradition.

  • How to say hello: Namaskar
  • How to pronounce it: nah-MAH-skar
  • Where to say it: India (Maharashtra)

Mongolian

Mongolian has a unique script and reflects the rich nomadic culture of Mongolia.

  • How to say hello: Sain bainaa
  • How to pronounce it: s-INE bye-NAH
  • Where to say it: Mongolia

Nepali

Nepali, the official language of Nepal, has roots in Sanskrit and serves as a unifying language in a diverse country.

  • How to say hello: Namaste
  • How to pronounce it: nah-MAH-stay
  • Where to say it: Nepal

Norwegian

Norwegian has two official forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk, and is influenced by its Nordic roots.

  • How to say hello: Hei
  • How to pronounce it: HAY
  • Where to say it: Norway

Pashto

Pashto, spoken in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, is known for its rich oral tradition and poetry.

  • How to say hello: Salaam
  • How to pronounce it: sah-LAHM
  • Where to say it: Afghanistan, Pakistan

Persian (Farsi)

Persian, or Farsi, is an Indo-European language with a rich literary history, spoken mainly in Iran.

  • How to say hello: Salam
  • How to pronounce it: sah-LAHM
  • Where to say it: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan

Polish

Polish is a West Slavic language known for its complex grammar and pronunciation.

  • How to say hello: Cześć
  • How to pronounce it: chesht
  • Where to say it: Poland

Portuguese

Portuguese is a global language with a rich literary tradition, spoken in Portugal and Brazil.

  • How to say hello: Olá
  • How to pronounce it: oh-LAH
  • Where to say it: Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola

Punjabi

Punjabi is spoken in Punjab, India, and Pakistan, known for its vibrant culture and music.

  • How to say hello: Sat Sri Akal
  • How to pronounce it: sat sree ah-KAAL
  • Where to say it: India, Pakistan

Romanian

Romanian is a Romance language with Latin roots, spoken primarily in Romania and Moldova.

  • How to say hello: Bună
  • How to pronounce it: BOO-nah
  • Where to say it: Romania, Moldova

Russian

Russian, a Slavic language, is known for its complex grammar and is one of the six official languages of the UN.

  • How to say hello: Zdravstvuyte
  • How to pronounce it: zdrah-STVOO-tee
  • Where to say it: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan

Samoan

Samoan is a Polynesian language rich in oral traditions, primarily spoken in Samoa and American Samoa.

  • How to say hello: Talofa
  • How to pronounce it: tah-LOH-fah
  • Where to say it: Samoa, American Samoa

Serbian

Serbian is a South Slavic language that uses both Cyrillic and Latin scripts.

  • How to say hello: Zdravo
  • How to pronounce it: zdrah-VOH
  • Where to say it: Serbia, Montenegro

Slovak

Slovak is a West Slavic language, closely related to Czech and spoken primarily in Slovakia.

  • How to say hello: Ahoj
  • How to pronounce it: ah-HOY
  • Where to say it: Slovakia

Slovenian

Slovenian is a South Slavic language known for its dialectical variety across Slovenia.

  • How to say hello: Zdravo
  • How to pronounce it: zdrah-VOH
  • Where to say it: Slovenia

Spanish

Spanish is a Romance language with global reach, widely spoken in Spain and Latin America.

  • How to say hello: Hola
  • How to pronounce it: OH-lah
  • Where to say it: Spain, Mexico, most of Central and South America

Swahili

Swahili is a Bantu language spoken in many East African countries and serves as a lingua franca.

  • How to say hello: Jambo
  • How to pronounce it: JAM-boh
  • Where to say it: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Swedish

Swedish, a North Germanic language, is spoken in Sweden and has similarities with Danish and Norwegian.

  • How to say hello: Hej
  • How to pronounce it: hey
  • Where to say it: Sweden

Tamil

Tamil is a classical language with ancient roots, spoken in India, Sri Lanka, and among global Tamil communities.

  • How to say hello: Vanakkam
  • How to pronounce it: vah-NAHK-kahm
  • Where to say it: India (Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka

Thai

Thai is the national language of Thailand, known for its complex tonal system.

  • How to say hello: Sawasdee
  • How to pronounce it: sah-wah-DEE
  • Where to say it: Thailand

Turkish

Turkish is the most widely spoken Turkic language, known for its vowel harmony and agglutinative grammar.

  • How to say hello: Merhaba
  • How to pronounce it: MER-ha-bah
  • Where to say it: Turkey, Cyprus

Ukrainian

Ukrainian is a Slavic language with roots in Old East Slavic and has a rich cultural history.

  • How to say hello: Pryvit
  • How to pronounce it: prih-VEET
  • Where to say it: Ukraine

Urdu

Urdu, an Indo-Aryan language, shares much vocabulary with Persian and Arabic, spoken mainly in Pakistan and India.

  • How to say hello: Assalam-o-Alaikum
  • How to pronounce it: ah-sah-LAHM-oh ah-LAI-kum
  • Where to say it: Pakistan, India

Vietnamese

Vietnamese, a tonal language, has been influenced by Chinese and French over centuries.

  • How to say hello: Xin chào
  • How to pronounce it: seen-CHOW
  • Where to say it: Vietnam

Welsh

Welsh is a Celtic language spoken in Wales, known for its unique sounds and extensive literary tradition.

  • How to say hello: Helo
  • How to pronounce it: HEL-oh
  • Where to say it: Wales

Xhosa

Xhosa is one of South Africa’s official languages, rich in clicks and known for its cultural heritage.

  • How to say hello: Molo
  • How to pronounce it: MOH-loh
  • Where to say it: South Africa

Yoruba

Yoruba is a Niger-Congo language, widely spoken in Nigeria and among the Yoruba diaspora.

  • How to say hello: Bawo
  • How to pronounce it: BAH-woah
  • Where to say it: Nigeria, Benin, Togo

Zulu

Zulu is a Bantu language spoken primarily in South Africa, known for its click sounds.

  • How to say hello: Sawubona
  • How to pronounce it: sah-oo-BOH-nah
  • Where to say it: South Africa

Why Learning Greetings Matters

When you greet someone in their native language, you show cultural awareness and open the door to new friendships. Each culture has unique ways of welcoming others, and by learning these greetings, you deepen your appreciation for languages worldwide.

Even if your pronunciation isn’t perfect, locals usually appreciate the effort and are often more open to helping or sharing their world with you as a result. It’s a small but powerful way to show respect for the culture and to start new conversations and connections.

Conclusion: Say Hello!

Learning how to say hello in different languages opens doors to meaningful connections and richer travel experiences. A simple greeting shows respect, curiosity, and a willingness to engage with people from diverse cultures. Whether you’re navigating a bustling city or visiting a quiet village, knowing how to greet others in their language can break the ice and help with communication.

As you explore new places, don’t underestimate the power of a well-placed “hello” — it’s often the first step in making unforgettable memories and genuine connections around the world. So, next time you travel, try out a few of these greetings and see the reaction you get!

James Prior

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