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 |
Hindi offers various greetings that reflect different levels of formality and religious or cultural backgrounds. While नमस्ते is a standard greeting, others like नमस्कार or आदाब provide different nuances of respect and grace.
Which one should you use?
नमस्ते is a general greeting, whereas नमस्कार is slightly more formal. सलाम is a common greeting used in informal or Muslim-influenced social contexts. आदाब is a highly formal and polite greeting often used in Urdu-influenced or sophisticated social settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
नमस्ते is a formal way to say hello. For a highly formal and polite greeting, use आदाब. In contrast, सलाम is considered an informal greeting. The English loanwords हेलो and its alternative spelling हलो are also available in the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
सत श्री अकाल is the traditional greeting used by Sikhs.
How do you pronounce it?
namaste (nə.məs.t̪eː, 3 syllables)
When do people say it?
When saying नमस्ते, it is customary to place your palms together at chest level in a prayer-like gesture.
Did you know?
- The word सलाम is a linguistic cousin to the Hebrew greeting 'shalom', as both words trace back to the same ancient root meaning 'peace'.
- In some highly traditional contexts, a younger person may touch the feet of an elder while saying नमस्ते as a sign of extreme respect.
- While many people use नमस्ते to say hello, the word literally translates to 'I bow to you' in its Sanskrit origins.
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 to say hello again.Tatoeba #8876374 by simranbansal, translation #2095633 by gleki
- नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं?Hello and how are you?This example uses नमस्ते to say hello and ask how someone is.Tatoeba #2336256 by RadiumCat, translation #1674421 by garydale
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amit and Priya see each other at a cafe.
- अमित Amitनमस्ते, प्रिया।namaste, Priya.Hello, Priya.
- प्रिया Priyaनमस्ते, अमित। आप कैसे हैं?namaste, Amit. aap kaise hain?Hello, Amit. How are you?
- अमित Amitमैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद।main theek hoon, dhanyavaad.I am fine, thank you.
- प्रिया Priyaयह जानकर खुशी हुई।yeh jaankar khushi hui.I am glad to hear that.
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.
