How to say “Hello” around the world

If you are a traveler, one of the most important things you can possess is the ability to say a confident “hello” and proper greeting in the language and custom of the country you are visiting. Trying to impose your country’s way of saying hello on your foreign friends could likely backfire and get your relationships off to a rocky start.

Many frequent global travelers say that they've found the best way to get off on the right foot in a foreign country is to surprise your hosts with an unaccented “hello” and a few words in their local language. It may take a bit of practice to get it just right, but the payoff is definitely worth it. Try it when you travel and you’ll see!

If you need a little help starting off you can always use apps like Google Translate or TripLingo, but be sure to hone your accent with a native speaker if possible.

Last week The London Speaker Bureau released an extremely helpful infographic to assist all the travelers around the world in making a good first impression.

Keep in mind that an infographic like this is by no means the ultimate authority when it comes to peoples local customs, so be sure to do more research. Have you been to, or are you from any of the countries mentioned here? And did they get it right?

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Written By: Christine Romans