नमस्ते
namaste/nə.məs.t̪eː/
नमस्ते (namaste) is the Hindi way to say hello or goodbye.
नमस्ते functions as both a hello and a goodbye, used when arriving or departing. While it is a standard respectful greeting, you may also encounter Namaskar, which is a slightly more formal variation used in similar contexts.
Meaning: a greeting (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a combination of namas (bow/salutation) and te (to you), meaning "I bow to you".
Which one should you use?
नमस्ते is the standard respectful greeting, whereas Namaskar is a slightly more formal variation used in similar contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
नमस्ते is a polite and respectful greeting suitable for formal or semi-formal situations. For even higher levels of respect or reverence, you can use the formal greeting Pranam (प्रणाम).
How do you pronounce it?
namaste (nə.məs.t̪eː). The word has 3 syllables.
When do people say it?
Depending on the cultural context, you may also hear Aadaab (आदाब), a traditional greeting commonly used by people of Indian Muslim descent.
Did you know?
- The greeting नमस्ते is frequently used in yoga studios worldwide, but in India, it is a general social greeting used in markets and offices, not just for spiritual practices.
- While नमस्ते is used widely today, in some traditional Indian households, a younger person might express the same respect by touching the feet of an elder instead of just bowing their head.
- In a spiritual context, नमस्ते is often interpreted as 'the divine light in me bows to the divine light in you', moving the meaning beyond a simple 'hello'.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं?namaste, aap kaise hain?Namaste, how are you?
- नमस्ते, मेरा नाम राहुल है।namaste, mera naam rahul hai.Namaste, my name is Rahul.
- नमस्ते, क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं?namaste, kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain?Namaste, can you help me?
Example conversation
Anjali and Amit meet at a community gathering.
- अंजलि Anjaliनमस्ते, अमित!namaste, amit!Namaste, Amit!
- अमित Amitनमस्ते, अंजलि। आप कैसी हैं?namaste, anjali. aap kaisi hain?Namaste, Anjali. How are you?
- अंजलि Anjaliमैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद।mein theek hoon, dhanyavad.I am fine, thank you.
- अमित Amitयह सुनकर अच्छा लगा।yeh sunkar achha laga.It is good to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “namaste” translations and entries नमस्ते, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
