Greetings in Hindi

Q: What is the most common greeting in Hindi?

नमस्ते (namaste) is by far the most common and the safest greeting. It works at any time of day, with anyone, and means both hello and goodbye. Say it with palms pressed together at the chest.

Q: What is the difference between namaste and namaskar?

Both are respectful Hindi greetings. नमस्कार (namaskar) is slightly more formal and is common in news broadcasts, speeches, and writing, while नमस्ते (namaste) is the everyday spoken form. Either is polite.

Q: How do you say good morning in Hindi?

Good morning is सुप्रभात (suprabhat), literally a blessed dawn. It is a little formal and literary; in casual speech many people simply use नमस्ते throughout the day instead.

Q: How do you say goodbye in Hindi?

The classic word is अलविदा (alvida), but it carries a sense of a long or final farewell. For everyday parting, फिर मिलेंगे (phir milenge, see you again) or simply नमस्ते are warmer and more common.

How to say hello and goodbye in Hindi — from the all-purpose नमस्ते (namaste) to time-of-day wishes and warm farewells — with the gesture, the register, and the right moment for each.

A greeting is the first thing anyone hears from you, and in Hindi a single word covers most of life: नमस्ते (namaste). It works morning, noon and night, with strangers and friends, and serves as both “hello” and “goodbye”. Pair it with the folded-hands gesture — palms pressed together at the chest, a slight bow of the head — and you have already made a good impression anywhere in the Hindi-speaking world.

Beyond नमस्ते, the words you choose signal warmth and respect. Hindi marks register: आप (aap) is the polite, formal “you” for elders, strangers and anyone you respect; तुम (tum) is the friendly, informal “you” for friends and peers; तू (tu) is intimate and best avoided until you know it fits. The tables below group greetings by situation so you can reach for the right one.

Meeting someone

Use these when you arrive, are introduced, or pass someone you know. नमस्ते is the universal safe choice; the others carry regional or community flavour.

General greetings for meeting people, with notes on who uses them.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Hello / greetings (any time)	नमस्ते	namaste
Greetings (more formal)	नमस्कार	namaskar
Hello (regional, North India)	राम राम	ram ram
Greetings (Muslim, respectful)	आदाब	aadaab
Peace be upon you (Muslim)	सलाम वालेकुम	salaam waalekum
Welcome	स्वागत है	swaagat hai

Time-of-day wishes

A little formal and literary; you will see them in messages and hear them on the radio, though many people just say नमस्ते all day.

Morning, evening and night greetings.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Good morning	सुप्रभात	suprabhaat
Good afternoon / day	शुभ दिन	shubh din
Good evening	शुभ संध्या	shubh sandhya
Good night	शुभ रात्रि	shubh raatri

Asking how someone is

Follow your greeting with one of these. The आप form is polite; the तुम form is for friends.

Asking after wellbeing — formal and informal.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
How are you? (formal)	आप कैसे हैं?	aap kaise hain?
How are you? (to a woman, formal)	आप कैसी हैं?	aap kaisi hain?
How are you? (informal)	तुम कैसे हो?	tum kaise ho?
What's up? / How's it going?	क्या हाल है?	kya haal hai?
I'm fine, thank you	मैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद	main theek hoon, dhanyavaad
And you?	और आप?	aur aap?

Saying goodbye

Use these when you leave. अलविदा feels like a long or final farewell, so for everyday partings the warmer phrases are better.

Partings, from casual to formal.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Goodbye (formal / final)	अलविदा	alvida
See you again	फिर मिलेंगे	phir milenge
I'll take my leave (m. speaker)	चलता हूँ	chalta hoon
I'll take my leave (f. speaker)	चलती हूँ	chalti hoon
Take care	अपना ख्याल रखना	apna khyaal rakhna
See you tomorrow	कल मिलते हैं	kal milte hain

The folded-hands gesture. Say नमस्ते with both palms together at chest height and a small bow — the namaste gesture itself. It signals respect, is never wrong, and lets you greet warmly without shaking hands. With elders, a slight bow of the head adds extra deference.

A note on etiquette. Match the other person's register. Default to the formal आप with anyone older than you, with shopkeepers, officials and new acquaintances; you can relax to तुम once a friendship is clear. Greetings tied to a community — आदाब and सलाम वालेकुम among Muslims, राम राम in rural North India — are warmly received when used in the right setting, but नमस्ते is the one greeting that fits absolutely everyone.

Translate your own greeting

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Frequently asked

What is the most common greeting in Hindi?

नमस्ते (namaste) is by far the most common and the safest greeting. It works at any time of day, with anyone, and means both hello and goodbye. Say it with palms pressed together at the chest.

Does namaste mean both hello and goodbye?

Yes. नमस्ते is used for both arriving and leaving, much like the Italian ciao. You can greet someone with namaste and also part from them with the same word.

What is the difference between namaste and namaskar?

Both are respectful greetings. नमस्कार (namaskar) is slightly more formal and common in news broadcasts, speeches and writing, while नमस्ते (namaste) is the everyday spoken form. Either is polite.

How do you say good morning in Hindi?

Good morning is सुप्रभात (suprabhaat), literally a blessed dawn. It is a little formal and literary; in casual speech many people simply use नमस्ते throughout the day instead.

How do you say goodbye in Hindi?

The classic word is अलविदा (alvida), but it carries a sense of a long or final farewell. For everyday parting, फिर मिलेंगे (phir milenge, see you again) or simply नमस्ते are warmer and more common.