A three-part handshake is part of a typical hello in Botswana. It may look complicated, but visitors can easily learn it. The practice starts by extending the right arm while supporting the right elbow with your left hand. Clasp hands like an American handshake, but then change to an arm wrestling grip, then back to the grip of a typical American handshake.

The Russian expression “kleb da sol” means “bread and salt,” and an offering of the two foods is a traditional way of formally inviting guests into one’s home. When presented, the guest should break off a piece of bread, dip it into the salt, then eat it. The practice is still common in official receptions, and at some traditional Russian weddings, parents welcome their in-laws into the family by sharing bread and salt.

The Maori greeting of hongi, which means "sharing of breath," is performed when two people touch their noses and foreheads. It’s related to a Maori legend of the creation of life, and it’s a common modern practice in New Zealand. In greeting each other this way, the participants are sharing breath and sharing life. It is an intimate and powerful greeting, often used between close friends and heads of state.

The language of the former Aztec Empire, Nahuatl is still spoken by nearly 2 million Nahua peoples, mainly in central Mexico. Many Nahuatl words have made their way into the Mexican language. Pozolli was a stew of meat and hominy, now known as pozole. “Chilpoktli” referred to chili peppers that had been dried by being smoked, now called chipotle. Tamal is corn masa wrapped in a corn husk and steamed.

Common in the Philippines, pagmamano is the practice of greeting an elder by touching one’s forehead to the back of the elder’s hand. Afterward, a person might say, “mano po.” The word “mano” is Spanish for “hand,” and “po” is a Filipino word indicating respect.

“As-salaam-alaikum” means “may peace be upon you” in Arabic. The traditional response is "wa-alaikum-salaam," meaning, "and also with you." The exchange is a common Muslim greeting, especially in Arabic countries where Islam is the dominant religion. Another Arabic greeting — with less religious influence — is “ahlan,” simply meaning hello.

The “wai” (pronounced “why”) is a traditional bow in Thailand. It is usually a slight bowing of the head, not bowing at the waist, with palms pressed together in front of the chest, touching nose to fingers as you bow. In addition to greetings, the “wai” is also performed when apologizing, saying thank you, or saying goodbye.

“Ohayou gozaimasu” means “good morning” in Japanese. It is often shortened to “ohayou,” pronounced similarly to the U.S. state of Ohio. “Ohayou” can be an informal way of greeting someone in the morning. In the afternoons and in more formal situations, “konnichiwa” (pronounced: "kon-nee-chee-wah") is best used to say hello.

Sticking out one’s tongue has been a tradition in Tibet since the ninth century, because a king named Lang Darma allegedly had a black tongue. People started showing one another their tongues to prove they were not the reborn spirit of the unpopular ruler. In time, the greeting became a show of respect, and it continues today.

“Hallo” and “Hoi” in Dutch sound much like “hello” and “hi,” and the words’ meanings are the same, too. Quite a few Dutch words are similar to English, including “sorry,” which means the same thing in Dutch as it does in English. The word “dag” literally means “day,” but it evolved and became a casual way of saying "hello" or "goodbye."

In India, a practice called padasparshan is done to show respect to elders, including parents, grandparents, teachers, and spiritual leaders. As a way of asking for a blessing, a younger person bends down and stretches out their arms to touch the feet of the elder person. Then, the elder person touches the top of the bowing person’s head with one hand as a blessing.

Swahili is one of the official languages of Kenya (English being the other), and the words “jambo” and “hujambo” mean “hi” or “hello.” Swahili (sometimes called Kiswahili) is also spoken in Tanzania, as well as parts of several East African countries, including Comoros, Rwanda, and Zambia. The other answer options here are useful Swahili words, too: “Sawa” means “OK,” “asante” means “thank you,” and “hapana” means “no.”

“La bise” refers to the French greeting of exchanging kisses on the cheek. Both women and men exchange “la bise” with family and friends. “Une bise” refers to a greeting with a kiss on the cheek, while “un bisou” more generally refers to kisses, including those of the romantic variety. Both words can be used to say goodbye, too — “bises” or “grosses bises” is similar to using “XOXO,” while “bisous” is a more affectionate goodbye to a loved one.

The Hawaiian word “aloha” can be used for many situations — as a greeting, as a farewell, or even to describe the spirit of “the Aloha State” itself. “Aloha” is also used to indicate love, kindness, or peace. Other Polynesian cultures have similar words with multiple meanings. However, the Hawaiian word for “thank you” is “mahalo.”

In many Cantonese-speaking areas of China (as well as in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines), it’s common to ask, “Have you eaten?” as a greeting instead of, “How are you?” And in some areas, the question specifically asks, “Have you eaten rice yet?” since rice is a central part of the cuisine in East Asia.

“Oi” is the Portuguese version of saying “hi.” The casual greeting is commonly used in Brazil, while in Portugal, “olá” is more common. “Bom dia” means good day, and the phrase is generally used like “good morning.” In Brazilian Portuguese, “dia” is pronounced like “jee-ah.”

Yoga practitioners recognize “namaste” as a common greeting at the yoga studio. The word comes from Sanskrit, the ancient, classical literary language of Hinduism. “Namaste” is a combination of the word “namaḥ,” meaning bow, and “te,” meaning you. Whether used as a greeting or a goodbye, “namaste” is used as a show of respect. It is usually accompanied by a short bow of the head with two palms pressed together over the heart.

The word “howdy” is often associated with American cowboys and Southerners. Its roots go back further, though, first appearing in print in 17th-century England. The formal phrase “how do you do” was shortened to “howd’ye,’” then “how dee,” before becoming “howdy.” After the word lent its name to the puppet character Howdy Doody in 1947, it became more common in the U.S.

There are dozens of languages and dialects spoken in China, but Mandarin is the most common. In fact, Mandarin is the most widely spoken native language in the world. “Ni hao” (pronounced “nee haow”) means hello in Mandarin. Cantonese is China’s second-most widely spoken language; it is more common in eastern China, Macau and Hong Kong. The slightly different “neih hou” (pronounced "nay hoe") means hello in Cantonese.

"Ciao" (pronounced like “chow”) is a casual way to say "hello" or "goodbye" in Italian. “Pronto” means “ready,” and is used when answering the phone. “Buongiorno” means “good day.” "Prego" literally means “I pray,” and while it has many uses, “hello” isn’t one of them. "Prego" can mean “you’re welcome,” “please,” “after you,” or “pardon me.”