tung
/tuŋ(ɡ)/
The English phrase "hello and goodbye" is expressed in Albanian as tung.
tung is a casual greeting used both when arriving and when leaving.
Which one should you use?
While tung works for both arrival and departure, other terms are more specific. Përshëndetje is a more formal way to say hello, and mirupafshim is used exclusively for leaving. Additionally, Mirëdita is a way to say "Good day" (used until around 5 p.m.) and Natën e mirë means "Good night".
How do you pronounce it?
/tuŋ(ɡ)/
Did you know?
- The word tung is actually a shortened version of tungjatjeta, which literally means 'may your life be long'.
- In some regions, it is common to repeat the greeting as tung tung when leaving, which adds a softer and more affectionate tone to the departure.
- While tung is used for both arriving and leaving, using the full tungjatjeta is almost exclusively a way to say goodbye.
Examples in context
- Tung!Hello!
- Tung, si je?Hello, how are you?
- Tung, shihemi më vonë.Goodbye, see you later.
Example conversation
Majlinda and Ervin meet briefly on the street.
- MajlindaTung, Ervin!Hello, Ervin!
- ErvinTung, Majlinda, si je?Hello, Majlinda, how are you?
- MajlindaMirë, faleminderit.Fine, thank you.
- ErvinTung, shihemi nesër.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tung, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
