Hey in Different Languages
Discover 'Hey' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Hey there! You might be surprised to learn that such a simple, everyday word like 'hey' has a rich history and cultural significance. 'Hey' is used as a greeting, a call for attention, or an expression of surprise in many cultures around the world. But have you ever wondered how to say 'hey' in different languages?
Knowing the translation of 'hey' in various languages can be a fun way to connect with people from different cultures. For example, in Spanish, 'hey' is 'eh' or 'eh, tú', in French it's 'hé', in German it's 'hey' or 'hallo', and in Japanese it's 'hey' or 'こんにちは' (kon'nichiwa).
Not only is learning the translations of 'hey' a great way to expand your vocabulary and cultural knowledge, but it can also come in handy when traveling or communicating with speakers of other languages. So, whether you're a language enthusiast or just looking to impress your friends with your cultural knowledge, keep reading to discover the translations of 'hey' in different languages!
Hey
Hey in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hey | ||
| In Afrikaans, "hey" can also mean "home" or "hearth". | |||
| Amharic | ሄይ | ||
| 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. | |||
| Hausa | sannu | ||
| "Sannu" in Hausa likely derives from the Arabic "as-salāmu ʿalaykum" (peace be upon you), which is a common greeting in many Muslim cultures. | |||
| Igbo | hey | ||
| In Igbo, “hey” is a common noun that translates to “mother” or “maternal aunt.” | |||
| Malagasy | hey | ||
| In Malagasy, “Hey” can also mean “to listen” or “to pay attention”. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | hei | ||
| It's an interjection used to attract attention, greet or reply to a greeting, or express an emotion like surprise, joy, or disappointment | |||
| Shona | hesi | ||
| The word "hesi" in Shona can also mean "stop" or "wait". | |||
| Somali | haye | ||
| The word "haye" in Somali also means "grass" or "pasture". | |||
| Sesotho | hey | ||
| The word "hey" is used to address a person who is not present or who is not noticed, or to attract attention. | |||
| Swahili | hujambo | ||
| The word "hujambo" originates from the Swahili phrase "habari yako," which means "what's going on?", "what's happening?", or "how are you?" | |||
| Xhosa | hey | ||
| In Xhosa, "hey" not only means "hey" but also can mean "my friend" or "listen". | |||
| Yoruba | hey | ||
| 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 | sawubona | ||
| The Zulu greeting "Sawubona" literally means "I see you" and is a way of acknowledging someone's presence and showing respect. | |||
| Bambara | hee | ||
| Ewe | hee | ||
| Kinyarwanda | yewe | ||
| Lingala | eh | ||
| Luganda | nkulamusizza | ||
| Sepedi | hei | ||
| Twi (Akan) | hei | ||
Hey in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مهلا | ||
| "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. | |||
| Hebrew | היי | ||
| From the same root as חי ( | |||
| Pashto | اوه | ||
| The Pashto word "اوہ" can also be used as an exclamation to express surprise or excitement. | |||
| Arabic | مهلا | ||
| "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. | |||
Hey in Western European Languages
| Albanian | hej | ||
| In Albanian, "hej" can also refer to the interjection "oops" or an expression of surprise | |||
| Basque | aizu | ||
| The word "aizu" also means "what" or "which" in Basque, and is used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Catalan | ei | ||
| The word "ei" is an interjection in Catalan, it is used to express surprise, excitement, or joy. | |||
| Croatian | hej | ||
| The Croatian word 'hej' can also mean 'joy' or 'happiness'. | |||
| Danish | hej | ||
| Hej can also be used to express surprise, excitement, or approval. | |||
| Dutch | hallo | ||
| In Dutch the word "Hallo" is also used as a noun, meaning "hall" or "lobby". | |||
| English | hey | ||
| The interjection "hey" appeared in the late 16th century, likely related to "heigh-ho" or "hai". | |||
| French | hey | ||
| 'Hey' comes from the Yiddish word 'hei,' meaning 'look out' or 'pay attention.' | |||
| Frisian | hey | ||
| In Frisian, "hey" is an interjection meaning "well", "now", or "listen here" | |||
| Galician | ei | ||
| In Galician, "Ei" may also refer to a type of traditional music or dance. | |||
| German | hallo | ||
| The German word "Hallo" is derived from the Middle High German word "halôn" which means "to fetch" or "to bring". | |||
| Icelandic | hæ | ||
| The Icelandic word "Hæ" can also refer to a sudden intake of breath. | |||
| Irish | hug | ||
| Hug can mean a kiss, an embrace and a shout in Gaelic. | |||
| Italian | hey | ||
| In Italian, "hey" ("ehi") can also be used as a term of endearment or to express surprise or annoyance. | |||
| Luxembourgish | hey | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "hey" can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Maltese | ħej | ||
| Ħej can also mean 'hello' or 'yo', and is used as interjection to get someone's attention or express surprise. | |||
| Norwegian | hei | ||
| "Hei" can also refer to a small boat in Norwegian, similar to a dinghy. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ei | ||
| The word "Ei" in Portuguese can also mean "there" or "here" when used as an exclamation to call someone's attention. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | hey | ||
| 'Hey' is the Gaelic word for a young girl, a maiden | |||
| Spanish | oye | ||
| Oye, the Spanish word for "hey," derives from the imperative form of the verb "oír," meaning "to hear." | |||
| Swedish | hallå | ||
| Hallå is not strictly synonymous with 'hey' in English, but rather refers to a phone call or a greeting when entering a room. | |||
| Welsh | hei | ||
| The Welsh word "hei" can also be an interjection expressing pain, surprise, or impatience. | |||
Hey in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гэй | ||
| The word "гэй" (hey) in Belarusian can also mean "gay" or "homosexual". | |||
| Bosnian | hej | ||
| In Bosnian, "hej" is the informal way to say "hello". | |||
| Bulgarian | хей | ||
| The word "Хей" in Bulgarian can also mean "grass" or "hay". | |||
| Czech | ahoj | ||
| Ahoj is derived from the German "Ahoy", a greeting among sailors that eventually spread to other professions. | |||
| Estonian | hei | ||
| 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 | hei | ||
| In Finnish, "Hei" can also be used to express surprise or agreement. | |||
| Hungarian | hé | ||
| The Hungarian word "Hé" can also mean "hero" or "mister". | |||
| Latvian | hei | ||
| "Hei" is derived from the Latvian word "hei!" meaning "hey!" and is used to get someone's attention. | |||
| Lithuanian | ei | ||
| The word "ei" in Lithuanian can also be used as a particle expressing surprise or dismay, similar to "oh" or "well" in English. | |||
| Macedonian | еј | ||
| 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. | |||
| Polish | hej | ||
| In Polish, "Hej" also means "a greeting". | |||
| Romanian | hei | ||
| The Romanian word "Hei" comes from the archaic word "He" which is also the origin of the word "hooray". | |||
| Russian | привет | ||
| "привет" has other meanings such as hello and welcome, and originates from the word "привечание," meaning greeting. | |||
| Serbian | хеј | ||
| In Serbian the word "хеј", in addition to meaning "hey", can also be used in a vocative form to get someone's attention. | |||
| Slovak | hej | ||
| In Slovak, "hej" can also mean "well then" or be used as an interjection to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Slovenian | zdravo | ||
| The word "zdravo" originally meant "be healthy" and is related to the word "zdravje" which means "health". | |||
| Ukrainian | привіт | ||
| The Ukrainian word "привіт" can also be used as a noun meaning "greeting" or "welcome." | |||
Hey in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আরে | ||
| In Bengali, "আরে" also functions as a polite term of address to inferiors and a means of showing intimacy to acquaintances or friends. | |||
| Gujarati | હેય | ||
| "Hey" is used as an exclamation to get someone's attention, but its original meaning is as an interjection expressing surprise or excitement. | |||
| Hindi | अरे | ||
| The Hindi word "अरे" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अहरे", which can mean either "oh" or "hey". | |||
| Kannada | ಹೇ | ||
| The word "ಹೇ" (hey) can also mean "hey you" or "listen" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ഹേയ് | ||
| In Malayalam, the word "ഹേയ്" also means "bad" or "unworthy". | |||
| Marathi | अहो | ||
| The word "अहो" (aho) in Marathi can also express surprise or wonder, similar to its usage in Sanskrit. | |||
| Nepali | हे! | ||
| हे! can also be used as an exclamation of surprise or frustration. | |||
| Punjabi | ਓਏ | ||
| ਓਏ is also used as a term of endearment or a familiar form of address. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඒයි | ||
| The word "ඒයි" also has alternate meanings such as "listen" and can be used to draw attention. | |||
| Tamil | ஏய் | ||
| ஏய் can be used to get someone's attention, but also as a term of endearment. | |||
| Telugu | హే | ||
| The word 'హే' ('hey') in Telugu can also mean 'O' or 'oh', and is often used to express surprise or amazement. | |||
| Urdu | ارے | ||
| "ارے" means "Oh!" or "Lo!" in addition to "hey". | |||
Hey in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 嘿 | ||
| The character “嘿” can also mean “vigorously” or “enthusiastically.” | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 嘿 | ||
| In Chinese, "嘿" (pronounced "hei") can also mean "ah" or "hm", depending on tone and context. | |||
| Japanese | ねえ | ||
| ねえ can also mean 'older sister,' especially in Eastern Japan and in some dialects. | |||
| Korean | 야 | ||
| "야": Also used to address a close male friend, like "dude". Can be derogatory used towards someone you dislike. | |||
| Mongolian | хөөе | ||
| The Mongolian word 'хөөе' can also mean 'come here' or be used as a term of endearment similar to 'honey'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဟေး | ||
| The word "ဟေး" can be used to show surprise, anger, or sorrow, and it can also be used as a filler word. | |||
Hey in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | hei | ||
| The word "hei" in Indonesian can also mean "you" or "your". | |||
| Javanese | he | ||
| The Javanese word "he" can also mean "yes" | |||
| Khmer | អេ | ||
| "អេ" in Khmer can also mean "oh" or "dear", and is used to express surprise, sorrow, or affection. | |||
| Lao | ເຮີ້ຍ | ||
| 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. | |||
| Malay | hey | ||
| "Hey" in Malay also means "rice" which is a staple food that is essential for Malaysian cuisine. | |||
| Thai | เฮ้ | ||
| The Thai word "เฮ้" can also be used as a term of endearment for a child. | |||
| Vietnamese | chào | ||
| Derived from Chinese and likely meaning 'greeting for good health,' Chào can be a formal or informal expression of greeting in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hey | ||
Hey in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hey | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "hey" can also mean "well" or "so". | |||
| Kazakh | эй | ||
| In Kazakh, "эй" can refer to a feeling of astonishment or excitement, similar to the English "whoa" or "wow". | |||
| Kyrgyz | эй | ||
| The word "эй" can also be used to express surprise or excitement, similar to the English expression "whoa!" | |||
| Tajik | эй | ||
| The Tajik word “Эй” (hey) can also be used to express surprise or to get someone's attention. | |||
| Turkmen | hey | ||
| Uzbek | hey | ||
| This word is also used to address someone or to call for attention | |||
| Uyghur | ھەي | ||
Hey in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻā | ||
| 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. | |||
| Maori | hey | ||
| 'Hey' in Māori can also refer to a call when chasing someone or calling out to a person from a distance | |||
| Samoan | ei | ||
| The word "Ei" can also mean "yes" in Samoan, and its etymology suggests a connection to the concept of agreement or assent. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | hay nako | ||
| The Tagalog word "hay nako" can also express exasperation or disappointment. | |||
Hey in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chhuy | ||
| Guarani | nde | ||
Hey in International Languages
| Esperanto | hej | ||
| 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. | |||
| Latin | heus | ||
| Heus can also mean "ho" (an exclamation of surprise), "well then," or "pray," though these senses are mainly poetic or archaic. | |||
Hey in Others Languages
| Greek | γεια | ||
| Γεια (hello) derives from the ancient Greek word χαίρω (rejoice) and has additional meanings of 'bless you' when someone sneezes and 'goodbye' when leaving. | |||
| Hmong | hav | ||
| "Hav" also refers to a type of Hmong dance performed by women and to an embroidered scarf or wrap that women wear. | |||
| Kurdish | hey | ||
| In Kurdish, "hey" can also mean "listen" or "look". | |||
| Turkish | hey | ||
| In addition to its familiar interjection use, "hey" can also mean "well, how about that" or "it's you" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | hey | ||
| In Xhosa, "hey" not only means "hey" but also can mean "my friend" or "listen". | |||
| Yiddish | היי | ||
| Yiddish "היי" derives from Middle High German "hei" meaning "high" and is cognate with English "hey," a greeting. | |||
| Zulu | sawubona | ||
| The Zulu greeting "Sawubona" literally means "I see you" and is a way of acknowledging someone's presence and showing respect. | |||
| Assamese | হেৰা | ||
| Aymara | chhuy | ||
| Bhojpuri | अरे | ||
| Dhivehi | އައްސަލާމް ޢަލައިކުމް | ||
| Dogri | बै | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hey | ||
| Guarani | nde | ||
| Ilocano | hoy | ||
| Krio | eh | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سڵاو | ||
| Maithili | नमस्कार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯦ | ||
| Mizo | hey | ||
| Oromo | akkam | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହେ | ||
| Quechua | yaw | ||
| Sanskrit | भो | ||
| Tatar | эй | ||
| Tigrinya | ሰላም | ||
| Tsonga | heyi | ||