Have you ever wondered how people say “hello” in different parts of the world? It’s such a simple word, yet it carries so much meaning connection, warmth, and the start of a conversation.
You’re planning to travel, learning a new language, or just curious about different cultures, knowing how to greet someone properly can make a big difference. It’s often the first impression you give, and it can instantly make interactions feel more friendly and respectful.
That’s exactly why I’ve put together this guide for you. Here, you’ll discover how to say hello in different languages from around the world, along with a better understanding of how these greetings are used in real life.
How to Say “Hello” in 60 Different Languages
United States
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Friendly and polite greeting
Example:
Hello, how are you?
Hello, nice to meet you.
United Kingdom
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: huh-lo
Uses: Common everyday greeting
Example:
Hello, are you okay?
Hello, welcome!
Canada
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Casual and polite greeting
Example:
Hello, my friend.
Hello, good morning.
Australia
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hello, how is your day?
Hello, nice to see you.
New Zealand
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Simple greeting
Example:
Hello, welcome here.
Hello, how are things?
Ireland
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Informal and polite greeting
Example:
Hello, good to meet you.
Hello, how are you today?
France
Word: Bonjour
Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
Uses: Polite and formal greeting
Example:
Bonjour, comment ça va?
Bonjour, madame.
Spain
Word: Hola
Pronunciation: oh-la
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hola, amigo.
Hola, buenos días.
Portugal
Word: Olá
Pronunciation: oh-lah
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Olá, tudo bem?
Olá, bom dia.
Germany
Word: Hallo
Pronunciation: hah-lo
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Hallo, wie geht’s?
Hallo, schön dich zu sehen.
Italy
Word: Ciao
Pronunciation: chow
Uses: Friendly and informal greeting
Example:
Ciao, come stai?
Ciao, a presto.
Netherlands
Word: Hallo
Pronunciation: hah-lo
Uses: Everyday greeting
Example:
Hallo, hoe gaat het?
Hallo, welkom.
Belgium
Word: Hallo
Pronunciation: hah-lo
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Hallo, goede dag.
Hallo, fijn je te zien.
Switzerland
Word: Grüezi
Pronunciation: groo-et-see
Uses: Polite greeting in daily life
Example:
Grüezi, wie geht’s?
Grüezi, willkommen.
Austria
Word: Servus
Pronunciation: sair-voos
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Servus, wie geht’s?
Servus, schön dich zu sehen.
Sweden
Word: Hej
Pronunciation: hey
Uses: Informal greeting
Example:
Hej, hur mår du?
Hej, välkommen.
Norway
Word: Hei
Pronunciation: hi
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Hei, hvordan går det?
Hei, hyggelig å møte deg.
Denmark
Word: Hej
Pronunciation: hi
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Hej, hvordan går det?
Hej, god dag.
Finland
Word: Hei
Pronunciation: hay
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hei, mitä kuuluu?
Hei, mukava tavata.
Iceland
Word: Halló
Pronunciation: hah-lo
Uses: Everyday greeting
Example:
Halló, hvernig hefurðu það?
Halló, gaman að sjá þig.
Poland
Word: Cześć
Pronunciation: chesh-ch
Uses: Informal greeting
Example:
Cześć, co słychać?
Cześć, miło cię widzieć.
Czech Republic
Word: Ahoj
Pronunciation: ah-hoy
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Ahoj, jak se máš?
Ahoj, rád tě vidím.
Hungary
Word: Szia
Pronunciation: see-ya
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Szia, hogy vagy?
Szia, örülök neked.
Greece
Word: Yassas
Pronunciation: yah-sas
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Yassas, ti kanete?
Yassas, kalimera.
Turkey
Word: Merhaba
Pronunciation: mehr-ha-bah
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Merhaba, nasılsın?
Merhaba, hoş geldin.
Russia
Word: Zdravstvuyte
Pronunciation: zdrah-stvooy-tyeh
Uses: Formal greeting
Example:
Zdravstvuyte, kak dela?
Zdravstvuyte, rad vas videt.
Ukraine
Word: Pryvit
Pronunciation: pruh-veet
Uses: Informal greeting
Example:
Pryvit, yak spravy?
Pryvit, radi tebe bachyty.
China
Word: Nǐ hǎo
Pronunciation: nee how
Uses: Common polite greeting
Example:
Nǐ hǎo, pengyou.
Nǐ hǎo, hen gaoxing renshi ni.
Japan
Word: Konnichiwa
Pronunciation: kon-nee-chee-wah
Uses: Polite daytime greeting
Example:
Konnichiwa, ogenki desu ka?
Konnichiwa, hajimemashite.
South Korea
Word: Annyeong haseyo
Pronunciation: ahn-nyong ha-se-yo
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Annyeong haseyo, jal jinaess-eoyo?
Annyeong haseyo, bangapseumnida.
Thailand
Word: Sawasdee
Pronunciation: sah-wah-dee
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Sawasdee, sabai dee mai?
Sawasdee, yin dee ton rap.
Vietnam
Word: Xin chào
Pronunciation: sin chow
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Xin chào, bạn khỏe không?
Xin chào, rất vui gặp bạn.
Indonesia
Word: Halo
Pronunciation: hah-lo
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Halo, apa kabar?
Halo, senang bertemu.
Malaysia
Word: Hai
Pronunciation: hi
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hai, apa khabar?
Hai, gembira jumpa awak.
Singapore
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Hello, how are you?
Hello, nice to meet you.
Philippines
Word: Kumusta
Pronunciation: koo-moos-tah
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Kumusta, kaibigan.
Kumusta, magandang araw.
India
Word: Namaste
Pronunciation: nah-mas-tay
Uses: Polite and respectful greeting
Example:
Namaste, aap kaise ho?
Namaste, aapse milkar khushi hui.
Pakistan
Word: Assalam o Alaikum
Pronunciation: ah-sah-lam o ah-lay-kum
Uses: Respectful greeting
Example:
Assalam o Alaikum, kaise ho?
Assalam o Alaikum, khush aamdeed.
Bangladesh
Word: Assalamu Alaikum
Pronunciation: ah-sah-la-mu ah-lay-kum
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Assalamu Alaikum, kemon achen?
Assalamu Alaikum, apnake dekhe bhalo laglo.
Sri Lanka
Word: Ayubowan
Pronunciation: ah-yoo-bo-wan
Uses: Respectful greeting
Example:
Ayubowan, kohomada?
Ayubowan, hari sathutui.
Nepal
Word: Namaste
Pronunciation: nah-mas-tay
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Namaste, tapai kasto hunuhunchha?
Namaste, bhet bhayo.
Israel
Word: Shalom
Pronunciation: shah-lom
Uses: Greeting and farewell
Example:
Shalom, ma shlomcha?
Shalom, nice to meet you.
Saudi Arabia
Word: Salam Alaikum
Pronunciation: sah-lam ah-lay-kum
Uses: Respectful greeting
Example:
Salam Alaikum, kayf halak?
Salam Alaikum, ahlan wa sahlan.
United Arab Emirates
Word: Marhaba
Pronunciation: mar-ha-bah
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Marhaba, kayf al hal?
Marhaba, tasharrafna.
Egypt
Word: Ahlan
Pronunciation: ah-lan
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Ahlan, izzayak?
Ahlan, ahlan bik.
Morocco
Word: Salam
Pronunciation: sah-lam
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Salam, labas?
Salam, marhba bik.
Nigeria
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Hello, how are you today?
Hello, welcome here.
Ghana
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hello, how is your day?
Hello, nice to meet you.
Kenya
Word: Jambo
Pronunciation: jam-bo
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Jambo, rafiki.
Jambo, karibu.
Tanzania
Word: Mambo
Pronunciation: mam-bo
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Mambo, vipi?
Mambo, karibu sana.
Uganda
Word: Hello
Pronunciation: heh-lo
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Hello, how are you?
Hello, good to see you.
Rwanda
Word: Muraho
Pronunciation: moo-rah-ho
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Muraho, amakuru?
Muraho, nejejwe kukubona.
South Africa
Word: Howzit
Pronunciation: how-zit
Uses: Informal greeting
Example:
Howzit, how are you?
Howzit, good to see you.
Ethiopia
Word: Selam
Pronunciation: seh-lam
Uses: Common greeting
Example:
Selam, dehna neh?
Selam, enkwan dehna metah.
Senegal
Word: Salam
Pronunciation: sah-lam
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Salam, naka nga def?
Salam, jamm rekk.
Côte d’Ivoire
Word: Bonjour
Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
Uses: Formal greeting
Example:
Bonjour, comment ça va?
Bonjour, bienvenue.
Cameroon
Word: Bonjour
Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
Uses: Polite greeting
Example:
Bonjour, comment allez-vous?
Bonjour, enchanté.
Brazil
Word: Olá
Pronunciation: oh-lah
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Olá, tudo bem?
Olá, prazer em conhecer você.
Mexico
Word: Hola
Pronunciation: oh-la
Uses: Casual greeting
Example:
Hola, ¿cómo estás?
Hola, mucho gusto.
Argentina
Word: Hola
Pronunciation: oh-la
Uses: Friendly greeting
Example:
Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hola, encantado de conocerte.
Conclusion
Learning how to say hello in different languages helps you show respect, kindness, and interest in other cultures. A simple greeting can connect people, build friendships, and make communication easier around the world.
