Saying “hello” is the first step to building connections anywhere in the world. Whether you’re traveling, learning a new language, expanding your cultural knowledge, or simply curious, knowing how to greet someone properly makes a powerful first impression.
In this guide, you’ll discover how to say hello in different languages, covering 100 widely spoken and culturally important languages. This complete resource helps you explore “hello” translations, understand greetings around the world, and learn the correct pronunciation in a simple, easy-to-read format.
How to Say Hello in 100 Different Languages
| Language / Country | Native Phrase | Pronunciation |
| English | Hello | heh-LOH |
| Spanish | Hola | OH-lah |
| French | Bonjour | bon-ZHOOR |
| German | Hallo | HAH-loh |
| Italian | Ciao | chow |
| Portuguese | Olá | oh-LAH |
| Dutch | Hallo | HAH-loh |
| Russian | Привет | pree-VYET |
| Mandarin Chinese | 你好 | nee-HOW |
| Japanese | こんにちは | kon-nee-chee-wah |
| Korean | 안녕하세요 | an-nyong-ha-se-yo |
| Arabic | مرحبا | mar-ha-BA |
| Hindi | नमस्ते | na-mas-TAY |
| Bengali | হ্যালো | hae-LO |
| Turkish | Merhaba | MEHR-ha-bah |
| Greek | Γειά σου | ya-SOO |
| Swedish | Hej | hay |
| Norwegian | Hei | hay |
| Danish | Hej | hi |
| Finnish | Hei | hay |
| Polish | Cześć | cheshch |
| Czech | Ahoj | ah-HOY |
| Slovak | Ahoj | ah-HOY |
| Hungarian | Szia | SEE-yah |
| Romanian | Salut | sah-LOOT |
| Bulgarian | Здравей | ZDRA-vey |
| Serbian | Zdravo | ZDRA-vo |
| Croatian | Bok | boh-k |
| Slovenian | Živjo | ZHEEV-yo |
| Ukrainian | Привіт | pree-VEET |
| Hebrew | שלום | sha-LOM |
| Persian (Farsi) | سلام | sa-LAAM |
| Urdu | السلام علیکم | as-sa-lam-u-A-lai-kum |
| Thai | สวัสดี | sa-wat-dee |
| Vietnamese | Xin chào | sin CHOW |
| Indonesian | Halo | HAH-lo |
| Malay | Hai | hi |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Kumusta | koo-MOOS-tah |
| Swahili | Habari | ha-BA-ree |
| Zulu | Sawubona | sah-woo-BOH-nah |
| Afrikaans | Hallo | HAH-lo |
| Icelandic | Halló | HAH-lo |
| Irish | Dia dhuit | dee-ah gwit |
| Scottish Gaelic | Halò | ha-LO |
| Welsh | Helo | HEH-lo |
| Albanian | Përshëndetje | per-shen-DEH-tyeh |
| Armenian | Բարեւ | ba-REV |
| Georgian | გამარჯობა | ga-mar-JO-ba |
| Azerbaijani | Salam | sa-LAM |
| Kazakh | Сәлем | sa-LEM |
| Uzbek | Salom | sa-LOM |
| Mongolian | Сайн уу | sign oo |
| Nepali | नमस्ते | na-mas-TAY |
| Sinhala | ආයුබෝවන් | ah-yu-BO-wan |
| Tamil | வணக்கம் | va-NAK-kam |
| Telugu | నమస్కారం | na-mas-KA-ram |
| Kannada | ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ | na-mas-KAR |
| Malayalam | നമസ്കാരം | na-mas-KA-ram |
| Punjabi | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ | sut sree ah-KAAL |
| Marathi | नमस्कार | na-mas-KAR |
| Gujarati | નમસ્તે | na-mas-TAY |
| Khmer | សួស្តី | soo-ah-sday |
| Lao | ສະບາຍດີ | sa-bai-dee |
| Burmese | မင်္ဂလာပါ | min-ga-la-ba |
| Amharic | ሰላም | se-LAM |
| Somali | Salaan | sa-LAAN |
| Yoruba | Bawo | BA-wo |
| Igbo | Ndewo | n-DEH-wo |
| Hausa | Sannu | SAN-noo |
| Malagasy | Salama | sa-LA-ma |
| Haitian Creole | Bonjou | bon-ZHOO |
| Latvian | Sveiki | SVEH-ee-kee |
| Lithuanian | Labas | LAH-bas |
| Estonian | Tere | TEH-reh |
| Maltese | Bongu | BON-goo |
| Macedonian | Здраво | ZDRA-vo |
| Bosnian | Zdravo | ZDRA-vo |
| Belarusian | Прывітанне | pri-vee-TAN-ye |
| Catalan | Hola | OH-lah |
| Basque | Kaixo | KAI-sho |
| Galician | Ola | OH-lah |
| Luxembourgish | Moien | MOY-en |
| Pashto | سلام | sa-LAAM |
| Tajik | Салом | sa-LOM |
| Turkmen | Salam | sa-LAM |
| Kyrgyz | Салам | sa-LAM |
| Tatar | Сәлам | sa-LAM |
| Kurdish | Silav | si-LAV |
| Maori | Kia ora | kee-ah OR-ah |
| Samoan | Talofa | ta-LO-fa |
| Hawaiian | Aloha | ah-LO-ha |
| Fijian | Bula | BOO-lah |
| Greenlandic | Aluu | ah-LOO |
| Navajo | Yá’át’ééh | yah-at-eh |
Why Learning “Hello” in Different Languages Matters
Understanding how to say hello in all languages helps you:
- Build instant rapport while traveling
- Show cultural respect
- Improve language learning skills
- Create better international business relationships
- Expand global awareness
Conclusion
Learning how to say hello in different languages is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to connect across cultures. Whether for travel, business, education, or curiosity, knowing greetings around the world strengthens communication and builds trust.
This list of 100 languages is part of the broader collection of 804+ hello translations, helping you confidently greet people anywhere in 2026 and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do you say hello in most languages?
Many languages use simple greetings like Hola (Spanish), Bonjour (French), Hallo (German), and Ciao (Italian).
2. What is the most universal greeting?
“Hello” and variations of “Salam” are widely recognized across many cultures.
3. Is “Namaste” only used in India?
No. While common in India, Nepal also widely uses “Namaste.”
4. How can I remember greetings in different languages?
Practice daily, use flashcards, and repeat pronunciations aloud for better retention.
5. Why do some languages share similar greetings?
Languages often share roots, cultural connections, or historical influences, leading to similar words for greetings.