Basic greetings

Foreign Languages

Definition

Basic greetings are the foundational phrases used to say hello, goodbye, and exchange pleasantries when meeting someone in a foreign language. They are typically the first expressions taught in any language course and often vary by time of day and level of formality.

Examples

  • Spanish: '¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?' (Hello! How are you? — informal).
  • French: 'Bonjour, comment allez-vous?' (Hello, how are you? — formal).
  • Chinese: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is the standard greeting for any time of day.

Related Terms

Formal and informal greetings Introductions Self-introduction Polite expressions

Study This Concept

Practice basic greetings with free review games in these units:

French 1-2 Unit 1: Salutations and Introductions Mandarin Chinese 1 Unit 2: Greetings and Numbers Spanish 1-2 Unit 1: Greetings and Introductions