Sunrise Etiquette: 'Good Morning' Expressions in Various Languages

Sunrise Etiquette: ‘Good Morning’ Expressions in Various Languages

Every day it’s a fresh start. Why not treat it properly? If you’re traveling to many different countries, it can prove useful to knowhow to say “good morning” in different languages. Starting the day with a smile and greeting those around you can boost your mood and the way people relate to you. Here’s how to say “good morning” in the 10 of the most popular languages on Earth:

Spanish:Buenos días
German:Guten Morgen
French:Bonjour
Portuguese:Bom dia
Italian:Buongiorno
Japanese:おはようございます
Chinese:早上好
Arabic:صباح الخير
Russian:Доброе утро
Hindi:सुप्रभात

Good morning is – along with hello – one of the most common travel words around the world. Nothing breaks the cultural ice like a respectful greeting in the local language. This is why the ability to say good morning in different languages is a life skill that is well worth learning. Let’s dive in!

1. Good morning in Spanish:¡Buenos días!

Buenos días literally means “good days”, but it is used to say “good morning” in Spanish. Suitable for all social contexts, this greeting can be used with both friends and strangers. If you want to mix things up, you can also add_hola_ and say “hola, buenos días” as it is a very standard and friendly salutation. If you want to say goodbye in the morning, you can say “adiós, buenos días” which is a nice way to wish someone a good day.

It is also important to note that in some countries from South America it’s common to say “buen día” which is literally the singular form of “buenos días”. However, if you go to Spain, it’s best to stick with “buenos días”.

2. Good morning in French:Bon matin !

Remember this: in European French, there is no exact translation for the phrase “good morning”. Therefore, in France, you should always use “bonjour” instead of “bon matin” if you want to “good morning” in French.

On the other hand, in Quebec, “bon matin” is the preferred greeting usually until around 10 or 11 a.m.

Both “bonjour” and “bon matin” are appropriate in both formal and informal settings and can be used with friends and strangers alike.

3. Good morning in German:Guten Morgen!

To say “good morning” in German, you can use the phrase “Guten Morgen”. This is a common and polite way to greet someone until noon. It can be used with both friends and strangers which makes it appropriate in both formal and informal social contexts.

As you probably know, Germans like to be efficient, so sometimes greetings tend to be kept short. Therefore, in informal situations, you can simply say “Morgen!”.

4. Good morning in Italian:Buongiorno!

Everyone is familiar with the Italian “ciao” which means “hi”. It has become so popular, that it is often used between friends in countries all around the world. However, if you want to say “good morning” in Italian, the word you are looking for is “buongiorno”.

Literally meaning “good day”, “buongiorno” can safely be used in all kinds of social contexts from morning until after lunch.

5. Good morning in Portuguese:Bom dia!

In Portuguese, “bom dia” is how you say “good morning”. Literally translated as “good day”, this greeting is commonly used between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

It’s important to note that the pronunciation of “bom dia” may vary depending on the country. In Brazil, it is pronounced “bom GEE-a”, while in Portugal it is pronounced “bom DEE-a”.

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6. Good morning in Russian:Доброе утро!

To say “good morning” in Russian , you can use the phrase “доброе утро” which is pronounced “Dobroye utro”. This is the most popular way to greet people in the morning.

Like all morning greetings on this list, “доброе утро” can safely be used in all kinds of social contexts with both friends and strangers.

Additionally, if you want to go the extra mile, it is considered polite to ask about the person’s well-being after greeting them. For example, “как дела?”_(kak dela?)_ which means “how are you?” is often used in conjunction with “доброе утро”_(dobraye utro)_ . This makes the greeting more friendly and personal.

7. Good morning in Chinese:早上好！

早上好_(Zǎoshang hǎo)_ is how you normally say “good morning” in Chinese. However, if you want to keep it short and sound more like a native, you can just simply say 早_(zǎo)_ .

The same as the English “good morning”, 早 (zǎo) can be used in most social settings provided it’s morning, of course.

8. Good morning in Japanese:おはようございます！

When greeting someone in the morning hours before 10:00 a.m. in Japanese, おはようございます_(Ohayōgozaimasu)_ is the most appropriate choice. It is considered more formal than こんにちは_(Konnichiwa)_ or “hello” and is safe to use with people you are not familiar with or in formal settings such as with your boss or teacher.

In addition to being used as a way to say “hello”, おはようございます_(Ohayōgozaimasu)_ can also be used as a way to say “goodbye”.

9. Good morning in Arabic:صباح الخير!

The most common way to say “good morning” in Arabic is_صباح الخير (_ Sabah alkhayr) . The usual response to this is صباح النور_(Sabah an-noor)_ which means “morning of light”. Isn’t that just beautiful?

Other morning greetings in Arabic include يسعد صباحكم_(_ Yaseed sabahkom) which translates to “may you have a nice morning”, صباح الياسمين_(_ Sabah al Yasmine) meaning “a morning full of jasmine”, and صباح أل عشت_(_ Sabah al ishta) which is “a morning full of cream”.

Careful though! As beautiful as they sound, these last examples can only be used with friends or people who are very close to your heart.

10. Good morning in Hindi:सुप्रभात!

To say “good morning” in Hindi , you can use the phrase सुप्रभात_(Suprabhaat) _ . This is a common and polite way to greet someone in the morning and it is appropriate for both formal and informal settings.

If you want to ask about the person’s well-being after greeting them, you can add क्या हाल है?(kya haal hai?) which means “how are you?”.

Bonus: Good morning in Romanian:bună dimineața!

Easy enough! The most straightforward way to say “good morning” in Romanian is “bună dimineața”. While the diacritics may look weird, they are quite easy to pronounce. You will pronounce “ă” like “uh” or the last sound in the word “the”. “Ț”, on the other hand, is similar to the sound you make when you say “ts”.

If you’re meeting a close friend and want to sound more like a native, you can just say “neața”.

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