How to Say Hello in Different Languages
Have you ever stopped to consider how many people are saying "hello" to each other today and in how many different languages? If you wanted to say "hello" to everyone on the planet, you would have to learn at least 2,796 languages and say "hello" to at least 6,500,000,000 (six and a half thousand million) people, (or six and a half billion, in numbers used in the US). Here are some of the ways of saying "hello" around the world.

[edit] InstructionsLook up the language in which you would like to say, "welcome". You will find suggestions on that line. Pronounce the suggested wording.




[edit] StepsArmenian- Barev or Bavarien ches
English - Hello (formal), Hi (informal), What's up? (very informal - slang)
French - Salut (informal, silent "T"), Bonjour (formal, 'n' is a nasal vowel), Bonsoir (good evening, 'n' is a nasal vowel), Bonne Nuit (good night). There is also "Ca Va", but this is moreso used as "How are you?"
Bahamas - Hello (formal), Hi and heyello (informal), What you sayin Buyh (very informal - slang)
German - Hallo (informal), Guten Tag (formal) pronounced Gu-ten (like goo)-tan Tag like Prague, Tag (very informal). The G in "Tag" is pronounced like Tah-ckh. The A makes an Ah-sound. _
Guamanian- Hafa Adai(hello/what's up?), Hafa??(informal), Howzzit bro/ bran/prim/che'lu?(informal), Sup(informal)and all other Hello's in english work.
Bavarian and Austrian German - Grüß Gott (Gruess Gott), Servus (informal, also means "goodbye", pronounced zair-voos)
Northern German - Moin Moin
Spanish - Hola (pronounced without the H sound, ola), Que Onda (South America)(very informal, like What's up, pronounced Ke Onduh)&#8211, Que Hay, (also) Que pasa (Spain, informal); Buenos Días (good morning), Buenas Tardes (afternoon and early evening), Buenas Noches (late evening and night). These three forms can be made informal by saying 'Buenas'.
Slovak - Dobrý bodyeny] (formal), ahoj [ahoy], čau [chow] and dobri (informal)
Welsh - North Wales = Shwmai (Pronounced shoe-my) Optional throughout Wales = Twll Din Pob Saes (Pronounced - too-ll dean pobe saees)
Tsonga (south Africa) - Minjhani (when greeting adult people)- Kunjhani (when greeting your peer group or below your age)
Japanese - Ohayou gozaimasu (O-HA-YOH GO-ZA-EE-MAS); Konnichi wa (KOHN-NI-CHEE-wa) (Daytime or Afternoon); Konban Wa (KOHN-BAHN-Wa)(Evening); Moshi Moshi (MO-SHE MO-SHE) (When answering the phone); Doumo (DO-MO) (Informal way of greeting, but means countless other things as well, only use when context makes sense)
Italian - Ciao (informal), Salve, Buon giorno (Morning, formal), Buon pomeriggio (Afternoon, formal), Buona sera (Evening, formal)
Swedish - Hej (informal), God dag (formal)
Arabic-based languages - As-salaam-aleykum (Peace be on you) or Marhabah (Hello)
Arabic - Sabbah-el-Khair (Good morning) Masaa-el-Khair (good evening); note that (Kh) is pronounced from the back of the throat. Marhaba (Hello!)
Persian - Salaam or Do-rood (see note above - Salaam is an abbreviation, the full version is As-salaam-o-aleykum in all Islamic societies)
Hindi - Namaste (pronounced Na-mus-thei), kaise hain (a little formal), kaise ho (more informal, familiar)
Korean - Ahn nyeong ha se yo (formal), Ahn nyeong (informal. Can also be used as "Goodbye")
Dutch - Hoi (very informal), Hallo (informal), Goedendag (formal)
Russian- Pree-vyet (informal), Zdravstvuyte (formal, pronounce: ZDRA-stvooy-tyeh)
Romanian is Buna (bu-nhuh)
Chinese, Mandarin - Ni hao (pronounced knee how)
Chinese, Cantonese - Nei Ho
Hebrew - Shalom (which means hello, goodbye and peace) Hi (informal)
Norwegian - Hei (Hi), Hallo (Hello), Heisan(Hi there), Halloisen (very informal)
Portuguese - "Oi", "Boas", "Olá" or "Alô" (informal), Bom dia (good morning), Boa tarde (good afternoon), Boa Noite (good evening)
Danish - Hej (informal), God dag (formal), God aften (evening - formal), Hejsa (very informal).
Burmese - Mingalarbar
Turkish - Merhaba (Formal) Naber? (Informal)
Lithuanian - Laba diena (formal) Labas, Sveikas (informal male) Sveika (female) Sveiki (plural)
Tagalog (Philippines) - Mabuhay (Welcome);Kumusta Ka (How are you); Magandang Umaga (Good Morning); Magandang Hapon (Good Afternoon); Magandang Gabi (Good Evening/Good Night)
Esperanto - Saluton
Telugu - Namaskaram
Tamil - Vanakkam
Swahili - Jambo
Sinhala - A'yubowan (Aa-yu-bo-wan) means "long live"
Lingala - Mbote
Indonesian - Selamat Pagi (Good Morning), Selamat Siang (Good Afternoon), Selamat Malam (Good Evening)