नमस्ते
namaste[nʌmʌst̪e]
In Nepali, the phrase "hey" is represented by नमस्ते (namaste).
While नमस्ते is a common way to greet someone, it is actually a formal or neutral greeting that translates to "I bow to you". If you are looking for an informal way to ask "How are you?" or "What's up?", you can use K cha? Another informal way to ask "How is everything?" is Sanchai cha?
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
Which one should you use?
The English word "hey" is informal, but the default Nepali form नमस्ते (namaste) is actually a formal or neutral greeting. For a much closer equivalent to the informal English "hey" when trying to get someone's attention, one might use ओई, though this is a different register.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
नमस्ते is a formal greeting. Namaskar is also a formal way to greet someone, meaning "salutations to you". For informal situations, you can use K cha? or Sanchai cha? The word ओई is informal and used to get attention, but it can be perceived as rude or aggressive.
How do you pronounce it?
namaste
When do people say it?
The greeting नमस्ते is accompanied by a slight bow with hands clasped together in front of the chest.
Did you know?
- The gesture of joining palms during नमस्ते is not just a greeting but symbolizes the meeting of two souls and the acknowledgment of the divine in the other person.
- In many Nepali households, a younger person will not say नमस्ते to an elder without also performing a slight bow or touching the elder's feet as a sign of reverence.
- The greeting नमस्ते has roots in the ancient liturgical language of Sanskrit, making it a bridge between modern conversational Nepali and ancient spiritual traditions.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, कस्तो छ?namaste, kasto cha?Hey, how are you?
Example conversation
Srijana meets Dipesh on the street.
- सृजना Srijanaनमस्ते दिपेश, कस्तो छ?namaste dipesh, kasto cha?Hey Dipesh, how are you?
- दिपेश Dipeshनमस्ते सृजना, म ठिक छु।namaste srijana, ma thik chu.Hey Srijana, I am fine.
- सृजना Srijanaतिमी कहाँ जाँदै छौ?timi kaha jandai chau?Where are you going?
- दिपेश Dipeshम बजार जाँदै छु।ma bajar jandai chu.I am going to the market.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry नमस्ते, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries नमस्ते, CC BY-SA 4.0.
