Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| नमस्ते | namaste | /nə.məs.t̪eː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| नमस्कार | namaskār | /nə.məs.kɑːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) /nə.məʃ.kɑːɾ/ |
|
| सलाम | salām | /sə.lɑːm/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| हेलो | helo | /ɦeː.loː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| हलो | halo | /ɦə.loː/ (Hindi, Standard) | alternative form |
| आदाब | ādāb | /ɑː.d̪ɑːb/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| सत श्री अकाल | sat śrī akāl | /sət̪ ʃɾiː ə.kɑːl/ (Hindi, Standard) | Sikh |
The primary way to say hello in Hindi is नमस्ते, which is the most common and widely used greeting and can be used at any time of the day. Other greetings like सलाम, आदाब and सत श्री अकाल are used in specific social or religious contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The word नमस्ते is a combination of nama (bow or salutation) and te (to you), literally meaning 'I bow to you'.
Which one should you use?
While नमस्ते is the standard greeting, नमस्कार is an elevated version used for extra respect. In contrast, नमस्ते is more common and slightly less formal than नमस्कार.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a standard greeting, use नमस्ते. For more formal, professional or highly respectful settings, use नमस्कार. The greeting आदाब is a highly polite and formal option often used in Urdu-influenced Hindi contexts. In informal or Muslim-influenced social contexts, सलाम is a common choice.
Is it said differently in some regions?
सत श्री अकाल is the traditional greeting used by Sikhs.
How do you pronounce it?
The three-syllable word नमस्ते is pronounced /nə.məs.t̪eː/.
When do people say it?
When saying नमस्ते, it is often accompanied by a slight bow with your palms pressed together at chest level.
Did you know?
- The greeting सलाम is a linguistic relative of the Hebrew word 'shalom'. Both derive from the same root meaning 'peace'.
- When using आदाब, the traditional gesture involves raising the right hand toward the forehead instead of pressing palms together.
- The greeting सत श्री अकाल contains the word अकाल, which literally translates to 'timeless' or 'deathless'.
Examples in context
- सलाम, टॉम।Hello, Tom.This example shows how to use सलाम to greet someone.Tatoeba #6829775 by aboi, translation #54604 by Zifre
- फिर से, नमस्ते।Again, hello.This example demonstrates the use of नमस्ते in a sentence.Tatoeba #8876374 by simranbansal, translation #2095633 by gleki
- नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं?Hello and how are you?This example shows how to use नमस्ते when asking a question.Tatoeba #2336256 by RadiumCat, translation #1674421 by garydale
- नमस्ते, कैसे हो?Hello, how are you?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya meet at a coffee shop.
- आदित्य Adityaनमस्ते, प्रिया!Namaste, Priya!Hello, Priya!
- प्रिया Priyaनमस्ते, आदित्य। आप कैसे हैं?Namaste, Aditya. Aap kaise hain?Hello, Aditya. How are you?
- आदित्य Adityaमैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद।Main theek hoon, dhanyavaad.I am fine, thank you.
- प्रिया Priyaबहुत अच्छा।Bahut achha.Very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries नमस्ते, नमस्कार, सलाम, हेलो, हलो, आदाब, सत श्री अकाल, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अकाल, नमस्कार, नमस्ते, श्री, सत, सत श्री अकाल, सलाम, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
