сайн байна уу?
sajn bajna uu?/sæːɴ̟ pæːn ˈʊː/word by wordCyrillic
Hello in Mongolian is said as сайн байна уу? (sajn bajna uu?) Wiktionary also lists сайн уу? (sajn uu?) and сайн байцгаана уу? (sajn bajcgaana uu?).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Mongolian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| сайн байна уу? | sajn bajna uu? | /sæːɴ̟ pæːn ˈʊː/ (word by word) | Cyrillic |
| сайн уу? | sajn uu? | /sæːɴ̟ ˈʊː/ (word by word) | Cyrillic, informal |
| сайн байцгаана уу? | sajn bajcgaana uu? | Cyrillic, plural |
Depending on the form chosen, they translate to 'Are you well?' or 'Are you good?'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase сайн байна уу? literally translates to 'Are you well?' or 'Are you good?'
Which one should you use?
The form сайн уу? is the shortened, informal version of the greeting, whereas сайн байна уу? is the standard polite form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
сайн уу? is an informal greeting. сайн байна уу? is a formal way to greet someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form сайн байцгаана уу? is used when greeting a group of people, translating to 'Are you (all) well?'
How do you pronounce it?
sajn bajna uu?
Did you know?
- While сайн байна уу? is the standard greeting, it is common in Mongolia to avoid direct eye contact when saying it to a superior as a sign of respect.
- The word сайн (good/well) shares the same root as the word for 'virtue' or 'excellence' in many Mongolic dialects.
- Mongolian culture places such importance on the greeting that failing to use the formal сайн байна уу? with an elder can be seen as a serious social transgression.
Example sentences for Mongolian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet on the street.
- Оюункая OyunkayaСайн байна уу, Төмөр?Sain baina uu, Tomor?Hello, Tomor?
- Төмөр TumurСайн, Оюункая, сайн байна уу?Sain, Oyunkaya, sain baina uu?I'm well, Oyunkaya, hello?
- Оюункая OyunkayaБи сайн байна.Bi sain baina.I am doing well.
- Төмөр TumurУулзсандаа баяртай байна.Uulzsandaa bayartai baina.I am glad to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (сайн, байна, уу) and can differ in connected speech.
