Are you planning a trip to another country and want to be able to communicate, even on a basic level. Kick off your journey by learning how to say hello in different languages.
I have to confess, I’m really bad at learning new languages which is even worse because I grew up in Cyprus and Germany. We lived on an Army base and everything around me was in English so I just didn’t need to learn. Plus I was a kid so it wasn’t something I even thought about.
It’s a massive regret that I didn’t use that experience to become fluent in another language so now I always try to learn some of the language for all of the countries I travel to.
We get the kids involved in this and do it together as a family. We keep it simple and stick to basic phrases like thank you, bye, please, yes and no or counting 1 – 10.
Being able to speak even a few phrases in their language shows respect and immerses you into the culture you’re visiting. The kids really enjoy getting to speak a different language and it’s a great way to get kids involved in the planning for a trip. We’ve always received a warm welcome from locals, especially when it’s the kids saying bonjour or hola.
What’s in this post?
In this post you can learn how to say hello in different languages. From French to Mandarin we cover the spelling and pronunciation so you can be totally prepared for your travels.
Did you know that there are more than 7000 languages and over half of the world’s population speak just 23 of them? We’ve cut this list down to 12 popular languages to learn according to the 2024 Duolingo Language Report, Babbels article on the 10 most spoken languages in the world, and the most spoken languages worldwide according to Statista.
If there’s a language on this list you need to learn first you can skip straight there by clicking on that section in the contents below. If you’re just interested in learning different languages, then scroll down to learn how to say hello in different languages.
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Arabic: marhabaan
When saying hello in Arabic, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Marhabaan”. As with most languages there are multiple ways to greet people so you can also use “As-salāmu ʿalaykum” meaning “peace be upon you.” The traditional way to reply to this is by saying “Wa ʿalaykum as-salām” meaning “and upon you be peace.”
Arabic is spoken by more than 310 million native speakers, primarily across North Africa and the Middle East, with Modern Standard Arabic being most widely used in writing and formal speech.
How to pronounce Marhabaan: mar-ha-ban
Bengali: hyālō
When saying hello in Bengali (or Bangla), one of the most commonly used phrases is “Hyālō”. However, you can also use “Nomoskar” or “Nomoshkar” which is used in more formal settings or if you’re trying to be more respectful.
Bengali is spoken by more than 230 million people worldwide, primarily in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
How to pronounce Hyālō: ha-lo
English: hello
When saying hello in English, one of the most commonly used phrases is “hello”, however, there are many ways to greet people in the English language. You can say “hi” or “hey” in a more informal setting. If you want to be more formal you can also use “good morning”, “good afternoon” or “good evening” depending on the time of day.
English is spoken by over 1.5 billion people worldwide. It’s the most widely spoken and recognised language in the world so learning basic phrases in English can be useful in communicating with different people around the world.
How to pronounce Hello: heh-lo
French: bonjour
When saying hello in French, one of the most commonly used phrases is “bonjour”. However, you can also use “bonsoir” in the evening or “salut” for a more informal greeting.
French is spoken by more than 275 million people worldwide, widely spoken across France, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Canada, and many countries in Africa.
How to pronounce Bonjour: bon-zh-oor
German: hallo
When saying hello in German, one of the most commonly used phrases is “hallo”. However, you can also use “guten tag” meaning good day, “guten morgen” meaning good morning, or “guten abend” meaning good evening
German is spoken by more than 95 million people worldwide, primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Belgium and Luxembourg.
How to pronounce Hallo: Hah-lo
Hindi: namaste
When saying hello in Hindi, one of the most commonly used phrases is “namaste”. However, you can also use “namaskar”.
Hindi is spoken by over 600 million people worldwide, primarily in northern and central India, but due to Bollywood and Indian communities around the world its influence is global.
How to pronounce Namaste: nah-mas-tey
Italian: ciao
When saying hello in Italian, one of the most commonly used phrases is “ciao” which is a common greeting for hello and goodbye making it the perfect greeting!
Italian is spoken by around 67 million people worldwide, primarily in Italy and parts of Switzerland.
How to pronounce Ciao: ch-ow
Japanese: kon’nichiwa
When saying hello in Japanese, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Kon’nichiwa”. However, you can also use “ohayō gozaimasu” for good morning, or “Konbanwa” for good evening.
Japanese is spoken by over 125 million people almost exclusively in Japan. Japanese culture places a lot of importance on politeness and respect so if you’re not sure which greeting to use it’s best to observe and follow the lead of how the locals greet each other.
How to pronounce Kon’nichiwa: con-nich-ee-wa
Korean: annyeonghaseyo
When saying hello in Korean, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Annyeonghaseyo”. However, you can also use the shortened “Annyeong” in more informal settings with friends or colleagues.
Korean is spoken by more than 77 million people worldwide, mostly spoken across South and North Korea but also in Korean communities around the world.
How to pronounce Annyeonghaseyo: an-you-as-sey-oh
Mandarin Chinese: nǐ hǎo
When saying hello in Mandarin, one of the most commonly used phrases is “nǐ hǎo”which translates to “you good”.
Mandarin is spoken by over 920 million people worldwide. Although it’s primarily spoken in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. and is the most spoken language in the world.
How to pronounce Nǐ hǎo: nee-how
Portuguese: olá
When saying hello in Portuguese, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Olá”. However, you can also use “oi” for a more informal greeting.
Portuguese is spoken by more than 220 million people worldwide and is mostly spoken in Portugal and Brazil with a few other countries
How to pronounce Olá: oh-la
Spanish: hola
When saying hello in Spanish, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Hola”. You can also use “Buenos días” for good day, “Buenas tardes” for good afternoon, or “Buenas noches” for good evening/night.
Spanish is spoken by more than 485 million people making it the second most spoken language by native speakers. It’s widely spoken across not only Spain but also South and Central America including Mexico, Argentina and Puerto Rico.
How to pronounce Hola: oh-la
Summary : hello in different languages
We find learning even small basic parts of a new language as a family a rewarding experience and as a plus it makes travel more engaging and educational for your kids.
It doesn’t take much effort but it’s so worth it because it shows respect for the culture in the country you’re visiting.
Saying “hello” might seem like a small gesture, but mastering a few local greetings is a small effort that makes a big impact when traveling.
