Hello in Different Languages- List| Weird Greetings

There are various kinds of weird greetings in every regions and countries. Some greetings could be funny, unique or unusual.  The type of greetings that is practiced differs because of culture and tradition.

Let’s not forget that greetings are the act of social communication between individuals or group of people we meet.

Here’s Hello in different languages- list!

1)  Maori Greetings

Maori greetings saying “Kia Ora” (Hello)

Hongi a traditional Maori greetings in New Zealand, by pressing nose and forehead (as in picture of US airman and a Maori warrior exchanging hongi greetings during a Powhiri ceremony or welcoming ceremony).

2) Eskimo Kissing (same with Maori)

The Inuit people (Eskimo) way of greetings, is similar to Hongi greetings of Maori in New Zealand, by pressing their nose and upper lips against the cheeks or foreheads and breathing-in, as to inhale the skin or hair of the person they greet.

3) Pacifica Welcome Greetings (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Niue and Cook Islands)

Different Pasifica greetings: “Talofa lava”; “Fakalofa lahi Atu”; “Malo e lelei”; “Ni sa bula vinaka”; “Kia orana !”

The Chamorro say Hufa Vinaka,  meaning hello.

4) Hawaii

Soon the visitors or friends arrive, they  meet and hand a  lei garlands to welcome visitors  and say Aloha, which means “hello and goodbye”.

Micronesia or Yapese greetings

5) Jamaica Greetings

The Jamaican (home for ‘ ya Mon’), commonly welcome their visitors by saying ” Waapun“, meaning ‘What is happening!’

6) Ghana, Africa Greeting

The Ghanaian commonly greet  their friends and visitor by saying ” Akwaaba” (welcome). The Twi tribes in Ghana’s way of greeting is saying : ” eh ti zain” meaning “how is your soul seeing the world? “Eyeh” meaning ‘everything’ should be the answer, which means you are happy in everything around you.

7)   Botswana, Africa

In Botswana, one should  greet a friend with a handshake without gripping.  Momentary contact with palms and fingers; and ask each other: “How did you wake up?”

8)  Mozambique Greetings

In Mozambique, they clap their hands three times  before saying hello.

9)  Benin, Nigeria

In Benin, they snap fingers  before shaking hands as greetings, and say Nde Ewo (hello).

Hausa greetings : Ina Uni (hello)

Nigers

The Kanouri tribe shake a fist at head level and greet friends; Wooshay ! Wooshay! ( hello, hello)!

Sierra Leone

Rubbing the chin of a friend or to welcome visitor, is the traditional greetings of the Mende people in Sierra Leone.

10) Germany

The German shake hand is their polite greetings to friends they meet, and greet a simple Hallo or Guten Tag !

11) Greece

 

In Greece, their greeting constitutes of slapping the back of another person and saying Yeia Sas (formal greetings) or Yeia Sou (informal, especially to closest friends or relatives).

12) Italy

 

In Italy, the common greetings is Ciao (informal), Salve (semi formal), or Boungiorno / Bounasera (formal).

France and European Countries

Kissing the hand of a Lady as a social greetings and respect according to social status of the person.

13) Romania Greetings

The Romanians common hello or hi, is salut! salut! And when they welcome visitors or greet  friends they say, ‘Bine ati venit! Bine ati vinet!‘

14) Finland Greetings

‘Hei‘, ‘Terve‘, Hyvaa huomenta/ paiva/ iltaal (formal)

Holland Greetings

Dutch Greetings : a simple “Hallo”.

Iceland / Faroe Island

 

Greeting of Hae (hello) the formal and simple way of greetings in Iceland.

15)   Russia traditional Greetings

Russian traditional greetings, welcome visitors by offering “kleb da sol” (bread and salt) or “khlebosolny“: Bread is a Russian hospitality culture, bread is the most respected food in Russia and the salt  symbolizes, “long friendship” as the host say in Russian; “To eat a food of salt” (together with someone).

16) Middle East

Right handshake and 2 or 3 slight cheek to cheek kiss, is the traditional greetings among Saudi nationals, but of course they should be of the same genders. Or say Assalamu alaikum (Peace be upon you), and reply with Wa alaykum as-salam (And upon you be peace).

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, the usual greetings is right-handshake with friendly hug, done with the same genders.

Iran ( Persia)

In Iran a simple greeting of Salam which means (Peace, Health and Peace upon you) will do.

Turkey

In Turkey just a simple ” Selam“( hello or hi), will do, as greetings as sign of respect too.

17) India

In India, Nepal, Cambodia and Thailand have similarity of greeting gestures. In India they greet Namaste or Pranam  as sign of respect.

The Anjali, is a Sanskrit salutation and a “reverence gesture”, salutation and benediction, which means to honor or celebrate. And Mudra  is salutation seal or seal or sign.

Pranama or Charana-sparsa, is the touching of the feet in India cultures as sign of respect especially among children to their elders.

18) Thailand, Cambodia and Tibet

The Thailand greeting gestures is called Wai, and say Sawat-dee (hello) or Sawat-dee kap/ kha.

Cambodia ( Sampeah)

Bhutan

Tibet

Kow Tow, is the traditional greeting gestures in among Tibetans.

China

The China way of greeting is to hold own hand, left over right hand, raised on the chest level, as a salutation and respect, and say Ni Hao Ma (hello).

Vietnam

Laos People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)

A simple greeting of Chao (hello) is appropriate, and their hands like a praying gestures (same with Thai (Wai), Cambodia (Sampeah) or India’s Namaste.

19) Japanese

The Japanese culture and traditional greetings is bowing, as a sign of respect for individual and their elders. Most of the time the bowing gesture is accompanied by saying the word Ohayo.

Korea

Korean have the same way of greeting their friends by bowing before them and say A-nyeong Haseyo (hello or good day).

20) Philippines

Marinduque is one region in the Philippines, where they practice the Putong or “crowning” their visitors with garlands or bouquet and say Mabuhay. The common greetings of hi and hello in the Philippines is Kumusta or Maligayang Pagdating sa Pilipinas.

Kissing hand of Elderly in the Philippines and Chamorro and some Asian cultures:

In the Philippines the “social way” of greeting friends is the cheek to cheek kiss or commonly known as beso beso  (kiss, kiss).