What this dictionary covers
The first thing most people need when traveling or meeting someone from another culture is a simple greeting and a thank-you. This dictionary collects hello, thank you, and a note on greeting etiquette for 14 major languages across Asia, Europe, and beyond.
A note on pronunciation
Each entry pairs the native spelling with a simple phonetic rendering. Actual pronunciation varies with accent and intonation, so pairing this with a pronunciation app or a native speaker's audio before you travel is a good idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is knowing hello and thank you enough to get by?
Knowing how to greet someone and say thank you goes a long way toward making a good first impression, even without holding a full conversation in that language. For anything beyond that, a phrasebook or language-learning app is worth pairing with the basics.
Why does greeting etiquette vary so much from country to country?
Greeting customs grew naturally out of each country's history, religion, and cultural background, so the specific way respect and warmth get expressed — a bow, a handshake, a kiss on the cheek — has developed differently from culture to culture.