Hey in Different Languages
Discover 'Hey' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Hey
Afrikaans hey | ||
Albanian hej | ||
Amharic ሄይ | ||
Arabic مهلا | ||
Armenian հեյ | ||
Assamese হেৰা | ||
Aymara chhuy | ||
Azerbaijani hey | ||
Bambara hee | ||
Basque aizu | ||
Belarusian гэй | ||
Bengali আরে | ||
Bhojpuri अरे | ||
Bosnian hej | ||
Bulgarian хей | ||
Catalan ei | ||
Cebuano uy | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 嘿 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 嘿 | ||
Corsican hey | ||
Croatian hej | ||
Czech ahoj | ||
Danish hej | ||
Dhivehi އައްސަލާމް ޢަލައިކުމް | ||
Dogri बै | ||
Dutch hallo | ||
English hey | ||
Esperanto hej | ||
Estonian hei | ||
Ewe hee | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) hey | ||
Finnish hei | ||
French hey | ||
Frisian hey | ||
Galician ei | ||
Georgian ჰეი | ||
German hallo | ||
Greek γεια | ||
Guarani nde | ||
Gujarati હેય | ||
Haitian Creole alo | ||
Hausa sannu | ||
Hawaiian ʻā | ||
Hebrew היי | ||
Hindi अरे | ||
Hmong hav | ||
Hungarian hé | ||
Icelandic hæ | ||
Igbo hey | ||
Ilocano hoy | ||
Indonesian hei | ||
Irish hug | ||
Italian hey | ||
Japanese ねえ | ||
Javanese he | ||
Kannada ಹೇ | ||
Kazakh эй | ||
Khmer អេ | ||
Kinyarwanda yewe | ||
Konkani आरे | ||
Korean 야 | ||
Krio eh | ||
Kurdish hey | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) سڵاو | ||
Kyrgyz эй | ||
Lao ເຮີ້ຍ | ||
Latin heus | ||
Latvian hei | ||
Lingala eh | ||
Lithuanian ei | ||
Luganda nkulamusizza | ||
Luxembourgish hey | ||
Macedonian еј | ||
Maithili नमस्कार | ||
Malagasy hey | ||
Malay hey | ||
Malayalam ഹേയ് | ||
Maltese ħej | ||
Maori hey | ||
Marathi अहो | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯍꯦ | ||
Mizo hey | ||
Mongolian хөөе | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ဟေး | ||
Nepali हे! | ||
Norwegian hei | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) hei | ||
Odia (Oriya) ହେ | ||
Oromo akkam | ||
Pashto اوه | ||
Persian سلام | ||
Polish hej | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) ei | ||
Punjabi ਓਏ | ||
Quechua yaw | ||
Romanian hei | ||
Russian привет | ||
Samoan ei | ||
Sanskrit भो | ||
Scots Gaelic hey | ||
Sepedi hei | ||
Serbian хеј | ||
Sesotho hey | ||
Shona hesi | ||
Sindhi اي | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) ඒයි | ||
Slovak hej | ||
Slovenian zdravo | ||
Somali haye | ||
Spanish oye | ||
Sundanese hé | ||
Swahili hujambo | ||
Swedish hallå | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) hay nako | ||
Tajik эй | ||
Tamil ஏய் | ||
Tatar эй | ||
Telugu హే | ||
Thai เฮ้ | ||
Tigrinya ሰላም | ||
Tsonga heyi | ||
Turkish hey | ||
Turkmen hey | ||
Twi (Akan) hei | ||
Ukrainian привіт | ||
Urdu ارے | ||
Uyghur ھەي | ||
Uzbek hey | ||
Vietnamese chào | ||
Welsh hei | ||
Xhosa hey | ||
Yiddish היי | ||
Yoruba hey | ||
Zulu sawubona |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | In Afrikaans, "hey" can also mean "home" or "hearth". |
| Albanian | In Albanian, "hej" can also refer to the interjection "oops" or an expression of surprise |
| Amharic | The word "ሄይ" ("hey") is also the imperative form of the Amharic verb "הָיָה" ("haya," "to be"), and the name of one of the musical modes in Ethiopian Orthodox Church hymns. |
| Arabic | "مهلا" is an alternate form of "هيهلا" which is an imperative form of the verb هيّل (to excite, stir up, incite, prompt), commonly used to address someone and get their attention. |
| Armenian | Հեյ translates to “today” and has the same etymology as the Russian word “сей” (sei), sharing the Indo-European root *di- (“this day”). |
| Azerbaijani | In Azerbaijani, the word "hey" can also mean "well" or "so". |
| Basque | The word "aizu" also means "what" or "which" in Basque, and is used to express surprise or disbelief. |
| Belarusian | The word "гэй" (hey) in Belarusian can also mean "gay" or "homosexual". |
| Bengali | In Bengali, "আরে" also functions as a polite term of address to inferiors and a means of showing intimacy to acquaintances or friends. |
| Bosnian | In Bosnian, "hej" is the informal way to say "hello". |
| Bulgarian | The word "Хей" in Bulgarian can also mean "grass" or "hay". |
| Catalan | The word "ei" is an interjection in Catalan, it is used to express surprise, excitement, or joy. |
| Cebuano | The word "uy" in Cebuano can also mean "friend" or "dear" when used as a term of endearment. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | The character “嘿” can also mean “vigorously” or “enthusiastically.” |
| Chinese (Traditional) | In Chinese, "嘿" (pronounced "hei") can also mean "ah" or "hm", depending on tone and context. |
| Corsican | In Corsican, "hey" can also mean "hello" or "goodbye." |
| Croatian | The Croatian word 'hej' can also mean 'joy' or 'happiness'. |
| Czech | Ahoj is derived from the German "Ahoy", a greeting among sailors that eventually spread to other professions. |
| Danish | Hej can also be used to express surprise, excitement, or approval. |
| Dutch | In Dutch the word "Hallo" is also used as a noun, meaning "hall" or "lobby". |
| Esperanto | The Esperanto word "hej" is likely derived from the Hungarian word "héj" or the Czech word "hej". It can also mean "what" or "pardon" in informal speech. |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "hei" originates from the interjection "hei" in Old Swedish, meaning "attention" or "listen here". It has also been used as a term of endearment. |
| Finnish | In Finnish, "Hei" can also be used to express surprise or agreement. |
| French | 'Hey' comes from the Yiddish word 'hei,' meaning 'look out' or 'pay attention.' |
| Frisian | In Frisian, "hey" is an interjection meaning "well", "now", or "listen here" |
| Galician | In Galician, "Ei" may also refer to a type of traditional music or dance. |
| Georgian | In Georgian, ჰეი (hey) can also mean "look" or "behold," and is often used to draw attention to something. |
| German | The German word "Hallo" is derived from the Middle High German word "halôn" which means "to fetch" or "to bring". |
| Greek | Γεια (hello) derives from the ancient Greek word χαίρω (rejoice) and has additional meanings of 'bless you' when someone sneezes and 'goodbye' when leaving. |
| Gujarati | "Hey" is used as an exclamation to get someone's attention, but its original meaning is as an interjection expressing surprise or excitement. |
| Haitian Creole | The word "alo" in Haitian Creole comes from the French word "allo," which is used to answer the phone. |
| Hausa | "Sannu" in Hausa likely derives from the Arabic "as-salāmu ʿalaykum" (peace be upon you), which is a common greeting in many Muslim cultures. |
| Hawaiian | In Hawaiian, “ʻā” can also mean “rough,” as in the term “ʻāā lava,” a type of lava that is characterized by its blocky, jagged appearance. |
| Hebrew | From the same root as חי ( |
| Hindi | The Hindi word "अरे" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अहरे", which can mean either "oh" or "hey". |
| Hmong | "Hav" also refers to a type of Hmong dance performed by women and to an embroidered scarf or wrap that women wear. |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "Hé" can also mean "hero" or "mister". |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word "Hæ" can also refer to a sudden intake of breath. |
| Igbo | In Igbo, “hey” is a common noun that translates to “mother” or “maternal aunt.” |
| Indonesian | The word "hei" in Indonesian can also mean "you" or "your". |
| Irish | Hug can mean a kiss, an embrace and a shout in Gaelic. |
| Italian | In Italian, "hey" ("ehi") can also be used as a term of endearment or to express surprise or annoyance. |
| Japanese | ねえ can also mean 'older sister,' especially in Eastern Japan and in some dialects. |
| Javanese | The Javanese word "he" can also mean "yes" |
| Kannada | The word "ಹೇ" (hey) can also mean "hey you" or "listen" in Kannada. |
| Kazakh | In Kazakh, "эй" can refer to a feeling of astonishment or excitement, similar to the English "whoa" or "wow". |
| Khmer | "អេ" in Khmer can also mean "oh" or "dear", and is used to express surprise, sorrow, or affection. |
| Korean | "야": Also used to address a close male friend, like "dude". Can be derogatory used towards someone you dislike. |
| Kurdish | In Kurdish, "hey" can also mean "listen" or "look". |
| Kyrgyz | The word "эй" can also be used to express surprise or excitement, similar to the English expression "whoa!" |
| Lao | The Laotian word "ເຮີ້ຍ” can also refer to a bird species in the jungle similar to a cuckoo called the hoopoe and is also an exclamation of annoyance or frustration. |
| Latin | Heus can also mean "ho" (an exclamation of surprise), "well then," or "pray," though these senses are mainly poetic or archaic. |
| Latvian | "Hei" is derived from the Latvian word "hei!" meaning "hey!" and is used to get someone's attention. |
| Lithuanian | The word "ei" in Lithuanian can also be used as a particle expressing surprise or dismay, similar to "oh" or "well" in English. |
| Luxembourgish | In Luxembourgish, "hey" can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. |
| Macedonian | Еј (ej) is a greeting or way to get someone’s attention, but it can also be used as a way to express surprise or disbelief. |
| Malagasy | In Malagasy, “Hey” can also mean “to listen” or “to pay attention”. |
| Malay | "Hey" in Malay also means "rice" which is a staple food that is essential for Malaysian cuisine. |
| Malayalam | In Malayalam, the word "ഹേയ്" also means "bad" or "unworthy". |
| Maltese | Ħej can also mean 'hello' or 'yo', and is used as interjection to get someone's attention or express surprise. |
| Maori | 'Hey' in Māori can also refer to a call when chasing someone or calling out to a person from a distance |
| Marathi | The word "अहो" (aho) in Marathi can also express surprise or wonder, similar to its usage in Sanskrit. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word 'хөөе' can also mean 'come here' or be used as a term of endearment similar to 'honey'. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "ဟေး" can be used to show surprise, anger, or sorrow, and it can also be used as a filler word. |
| Nepali | हे! can also be used as an exclamation of surprise or frustration. |
| Norwegian | "Hei" can also refer to a small boat in Norwegian, similar to a dinghy. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | It's an interjection used to attract attention, greet or reply to a greeting, or express an emotion like surprise, joy, or disappointment |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "اوہ" can also be used as an exclamation to express surprise or excitement. |
| Persian | "سلام" also means "peace" in Farsi, which comes from an Arabic word that means "free from faults or defects." |
| Polish | In Polish, "Hej" also means "a greeting". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The word "Ei" in Portuguese can also mean "there" or "here" when used as an exclamation to call someone's attention. |
| Punjabi | ਓਏ is also used as a term of endearment or a familiar form of address. |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "Hei" comes from the archaic word "He" which is also the origin of the word "hooray". |
| Russian | "привет" has other meanings such as hello and welcome, and originates from the word "привечание," meaning greeting. |
| Samoan | The word "Ei" can also mean "yes" in Samoan, and its etymology suggests a connection to the concept of agreement or assent. |
| Scots Gaelic | 'Hey' is the Gaelic word for a young girl, a maiden |
| Serbian | In Serbian the word "хеј", in addition to meaning "hey", can also be used in a vocative form to get someone's attention. |
| Sesotho | The word "hey" is used to address a person who is not present or who is not noticed, or to attract attention. |
| Shona | The word "hesi" in Shona can also mean "stop" or "wait". |
| Sindhi | The word "اي" (hey) in Sindhi can also be used as an exclamation to express surprise or astonishment. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word "ඒයි" also has alternate meanings such as "listen" and can be used to draw attention. |
| Slovak | In Slovak, "hej" can also mean "well then" or be used as an interjection to express surprise or disbelief. |
| Slovenian | The word "zdravo" originally meant "be healthy" and is related to the word "zdravje" which means "health". |
| Somali | The word "haye" in Somali also means "grass" or "pasture". |
| Spanish | Oye, the Spanish word for "hey," derives from the imperative form of the verb "oír," meaning "to hear." |
| Sundanese | The word "hé" in Sundanese can also mean "yes" or "sure". |
| Swahili | The word "hujambo" originates from the Swahili phrase "habari yako," which means "what's going on?", "what's happening?", or "how are you?" |
| Swedish | Hallå is not strictly synonymous with 'hey' in English, but rather refers to a phone call or a greeting when entering a room. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The Tagalog word "hay nako" can also express exasperation or disappointment. |
| Tajik | The Tajik word “Эй” (hey) can also be used to express surprise or to get someone's attention. |
| Tamil | ஏய் can be used to get someone's attention, but also as a term of endearment. |
| Telugu | The word 'హే' ('hey') in Telugu can also mean 'O' or 'oh', and is often used to express surprise or amazement. |
| Thai | The Thai word "เฮ้" can also be used as a term of endearment for a child. |
| Turkish | In addition to its familiar interjection use, "hey" can also mean "well, how about that" or "it's you" in Turkish. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "привіт" can also be used as a noun meaning "greeting" or "welcome." |
| Urdu | "ارے" means "Oh!" or "Lo!" in addition to "hey". |
| Uzbek | This word is also used to address someone or to call for attention |
| Vietnamese | Derived from Chinese and likely meaning 'greeting for good health,' Chào can be a formal or informal expression of greeting in Vietnamese. |
| Welsh | The Welsh word "hei" can also be an interjection expressing pain, surprise, or impatience. |
| Xhosa | In Xhosa, "hey" not only means "hey" but also can mean "my friend" or "listen". |
| Yiddish | Yiddish "היי" derives from Middle High German "hei" meaning "high" and is cognate with English "hey," a greeting. |
| Yoruba | È é, which can also be spelled E 'h, is an interjection that denotes surprise, happiness, or a call for attention, comparable to the English 'hey'. |
| Zulu | The Zulu greeting "Sawubona" literally means "I see you" and is a way of acknowledging someone's presence and showing respect. |
| English | The interjection "hey" appeared in the late 16th century, likely related to "heigh-ho" or "hai". |