How to Say Good Morning in Different Languages: Simple Phrases for Every Culture

Now that we understand the origins and background of the greeting, let’s look into a few ways to say good morning in different languages:

A. Japanese:Ohayo gozaimasu

In Japan, if you are greeting someone before 10:00 am, ‘ohayo gozaimasu’ is the right choice. The term ‘ohayo’ means early and reflects a cultural appreciation of promptness and getting a good, early start to the day. 

The greeting is accompanied by a bow, which reflects the mutual respect and relationship between speakers. Also, it is interesting to note that this greeting can sometimes be used in the afternoon or evening if you are meeting someone for the first time. 

B. Arabic:Sabah al-khayr

The greeting ‘sabah al-khayr’ translates to ‘morning of goodness’ or ‘good morning’. Unlike English, Arabs reply to sabah al-khayr with ‘sabah an-noor’, which means ‘morning of light’. This exchange goes beyond the simple greeting and turns it into a wish for goodness and illumination. 

The greeting is universal across all regions. However, the different regional dialects, similar to different language conventions in English, can have minor pronunciation differences for good morning in Arabic. 

C. Korean:Jal-jat-ssuh-yo?

Koreans have a very nice way of greeting. Instead of saying good morning, they say ‘jal-jat-ssuh-yo?’ which translates to ‘did you sleep well?’While the casual way of greeting someone at the start of the day in Korea is ‘joh-eun achim’, ‘jal-jat-ssuh-yo’ is more commonly used by Koreans.  

The Koreans use this to make the greeting more polite, which helps build connections. 

D. Navajo:Ya at eeh abini

The Navajo are native American people from the Southwestern United States. The phrase means good morning. To break it down, ‘ya at eeh’ translates to ‘good’ and ‘abini’ means ‘morning.’ The greeting reflects a deep connection to the natural world. Furthermore, it serves as a wish for goodness and harmony from the outset of the day. 

The language is one of the indigenous languages and must be preserved for its emphasis on culture through these greetings. UNESCO’s Indigenous Languages Decade is aimed at protecting these languages. 

E. Irish Gaelic:Dia duit ar maidin

Another language that adds more meaning to the morning greeting, the Irish Gaelic greeting translates to ‘God be with you in the morning.’ The greeting sheds light on the influence of religion in Irish culture and daily life. 

Dia duit (God be with you) is a general greeting in Ireland and can be used at any time of the day. Ar maidin (in the morning) is used in the morning for specificity. 

F. Swahili:Habari za asubuhi

The literal translation for this greeting is ‘How is the news of the morning?’ or ‘What’s the news of the morning?’ As you can see, the greeting is not a statement; it is a question. It acts as a great way to start a conversation.

The general response to this question can be either Nzuri (good) or Nzuri sana (very good). It helps build a sense of community by talking about each other’s well-being and sharing their start of the day. 

While English is considered the official language of Australia , there are many more languages spoken in the country. Now, the question is, why should you learn how to greet good morning in different languages? Let’s answer that in the following section.