wes hāl
The English phrase hello is translated into Old English as wes hāl.
In Old English, wes hāl is used as an interjection to greet someone. Rather than being a simple social call, the phrase functions as a sincere wish for the listener's well-being.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb wes (be) and the adjective hāl (whole, healthy or uninjured), literally meaning 'be whole/healthy'.
Did you know?
- The word hāl is also the root of the English word 'holy', suggesting that in Old English, spiritual purity and physical health were linguistically linked.
- Because wes hāl was a wish for health, it could be used both when arriving and when departing, similar to how 'stay well' functions today.
- If you were greeting more than one person, you would change the phrase to wesað hāle, as Old English had distinct plural forms for the imperative verb.
Examples in context
- Wes hāl, þū mīn lēofa.Hello, my dear one.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet on a village path.
- GodricWes hāl, Eadgyth!Hello, Eadgyth!
- EadgythWes hāl, Godric!Hello, Godric!
- GodricHū færst þū?How are you?
- EadgythIc fare wel.I am doing well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
