Hindi

Interjection

नमस्ते • ‎(namaste) ‎(Urdu spelling نمستے)

1. A salutation; a greeting used for most purposes including hello, good morning/afternoon, and goodbye

Usage notes

नमस्ते ‎(namaste) is a secular greeting but it can also be seen by some as a Hindu greeting. Sikh speakers in formal situations may prefer to use सत श्री अकाल ‎(sat śrī akāl) when greeting other Sikhs, and Muslim speakers employ सलाम अलैकुम ‎(salām alaikum) when greeting other Muslims. It is often considered gracious to greet someone in their religion’s greeting.

In modern Hindi urban usage, the English hi and hello are also common.

Synonyms

• सत श्री अकाल ‎(sat śrī akāl)
• सलाम अलैकुम ‎(salām alaikum)

Noun

नमस्ते • ‎(namaste) f ‎(Urdu spelling نمستے)

1. greeting, salutation, an instance of the interjection namaste

References

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “नमस्ते”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press

Nepali

Interjection

नमस्ते • ‎(namaste)

1. A salutation; a greeting used for most purposes including hello, good morning/afternoon, and goodbye

See also

• नमस्कार (namaskār)

Sanskrit

Etymology

From नमस् ‎(namas, “a bow, obeisance”) +‎ ते ‎(te, “to you”).

Interjection

नमस्ते • ‎(namaste)

1. hello

Descendants