Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| saluut | |
| gegroet | /ɣəˈɣrut/ |
The phrase is used as a formal way of saying "hello". Other common Dutch greetings include the formal Goedenavond (Good evening) used in the evening or at night, and the informal Hallo (Hello) used throughout the day. For even more casual settings, Hoi (Hi) is used among close friends or family. In the evening or at night, you might also hear the informal Goeienavond (Good evening) or the colloquial Goeiemiddag (Good afternoon) used informally between friends and colleagues. The informal Goeiemorgen is a shortened form of Goedemorgen (Good morning).
What does it mean word for word?
The word gegroet is the past participle of the verb groeten (to greet), which means it is literally "greeted".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Gegroet is a formal or even slightly archaic way to say hello, often used in literature or highly stylized speech. In contrast, Hallo is informal and Hoi is a casual version used among close friends or family.
When do people say it?
When greeting friends and family, Dutch greetings are often accompanied by a kiss on the cheek. Additionally, the phrase Hartelijk gegroet is a common formal way to end a letter or an email, similar to "Kind regards" in English.
Did you know?
- The French word salut originally meaning 'salvation' or 'safety' is the direct ancestor of the Dutch saluut.
- The formal expression Hartelijk gegroet uses the word hartelijk, which literally means 'heart-ly' and relates to the heart, similar to the English word 'cordially'.
- The term saluut can also be used as a command or a toast, similar to how an English speaker might say 'Salute!' or 'Cheers!' during a drink.
Examples in context
- Gegroet!Greetings!This example shows the exclamation gegroet.Tatoeba #7484887 by Micsmithel, translation #1130106 by cntrational
- Gegroet.Greetings.This example shows a period after gegroet.Tatoeba #11759498 by Slam4, translation #11129883 by ddnktr
- Hartelijk gegroet.Many greetings.This example uses the phrase Hartelijk gegroet.Tatoeba #8640947 by Micsmithel, translation #1130973 by cntrational
- Goedemiddag! Hoe gaat het met u?Good afternoon! How are you?
Example conversation
Emma and Noah meet at a formal ceremony.
- EmmaSaluut, meneer Noah.Greetings, Mr. Noah.
- NoahSaluut, mevrouw Emma.Greetings, Ms. Emma.
- EmmaHet is een eer u te zien.It is an honor to see you.
- NoahInsgelijks, Emma.Likewise, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “greetings” translations and entries saluut, gegroet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gegroet, saluut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
