Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bună | [ˈbunə] (narrow) | |
| salut | /saˈlut/ | |
| noroc | [noˈrok] (narrow) | informal |
| bună ziua | [ˌbu.nə ˈzi.wa] (narrow) | formal |
| servus | /ˈser.vus/ /ˈse.rus/ |
Bună ziua is the standard polite way to say hello during daylight hours, meaning 'good day'. The word salut is a common way to say 'hi' or 'hello' and can also function as a noun meaning 'a greeting'. For a more casual greeting, you can use bună, which is equivalent to the English 'Hi'. Noroc literally means 'luck', but it is used colloquially among friends as a greeting or a toast, similar to 'cheers'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bună ziua literally means 'good day'.
Which one should you use?
While bună is a casual greeting, bună ziua is the standard polite way to say hello during daylight hours. Salut and bună are more informal, whereas bună ziua is used for formal settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use bună ziua, which translates to 'Good day'. In informal settings among friends or peers, you can use salut, bună or noroc.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Romania, particularly in Transylvania, you may hear the greeting servus. Also in Transylvania, the formal greeting Sărut mâna is used, which literally means 'I kiss your hand'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word bună is the feminine form of 'good' and is used as a casual 'hello' primarily when addressing a woman or in general informal settings. The word salut can function as both an interjection for 'hello' and as a noun meaning 'a greeting'.
When do people say it?
In Transylvania, the formal greeting Sărut mâna ('I kiss your hand') is used. When meeting someone in a formal capacity, you might also say Îmi pare bine să vă cunosc to mean 'It's nice to meet you'. In casual conversations, people often follow a greeting with Ce faci?, which means 'How are you?'
Did you know?
- The word salut is a doublet of the word săruta, meaning 'to kiss'.
- In the Transylvania region, you might hear the Latin-derived greeting servus used to say hello.
Examples in context
- Am vrut să o salut.I wanted to say hello to her.This sentence uses the noun form of salut to show an intention to greet someone.Tatoeba #9020182 by elenacristina260, translation #3907332 by CH
- Tom l-a salutat pe vecinul său.Tom said hello to his neighbor.This sentence uses salut to show the act of greeting a neighbor.Tatoeba #12773076 by ridisegnandone, translation #8769999 by Hybrid
- Salutare tuturor! Cum vă merge vouă?Hello everyone! How's it going with you?This sentence uses the greeting Salutare to address a group of people.Tatoeba #13930987 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13930985 by Ioan_Cristian
- Bună ziua, sunt Maria.Good day, I am Maria.
- Salutare, mă bucur să vă cunosc.Greetings, nice to meet you.
- Îmi pare bine să vă cunosc, domnule Popescu.It's nice to meet you, Mr. Popescu.
- Bună! Eu sunt Alex.Hi! I am Alex.
- Încântat de cunoștință, Maria.Nice to meet you, Maria.
- Sărut mâna, doamnă Popescu.I kiss your hand, Mrs. Popescu.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Stefan meet at a local coffee shop.
- ElenaBună, Ștefan!Hello, Stefan!
- StefanBună, Elena! Ce faci?Hello, Elena! How are you?
- ElenaBine, mersi. Tu?Good, thanks. You?
- StefanȘi eu sunt bine.I am fine too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries bună, salut, noroc, bună ziua, servus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bună, bună ziua, noroc, salut, ziua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
