How to Say Hello in Singapore: A Guide to Local Greetings

Singapore is a multilingual society, so the "right" greeting depends on the language and context. Below are the most common ways locals say hello.

Mandarin Chinese (widely spoken)

• Nǐ hǎo (你好) – "Nee how." Standard polite greeting for any setting.
• Nǐ hǎo ma? (你好吗？) – "Nee how mah?" Informal "Hi, how are you?" used with friends.
• Add mā (妈) for women or xiānshēng (先生) for men to show extra respect.

Malay (national language)

• Selamat pagi – Good morning (until ~11 am)
• Selamat tengah hari – Good midday/early afternoon
• Selamat petang – Good late afternoon/evening
• Selamat malam – Good night
• Apa khabar? – "How are you?" / "What's news?"

Tamil (common in the Indian community)

• Vaṇakkam (வணக்கம்) – Universal respectful greeting, any time of day.

English (lingua franca)

• "Hello," "Hi," "Hey," "Good morning/afternoon/evening" – Understood everywhere; standard in business and government.

Singlish (colloquial)

• "Eh, how?" or "What's up?" – Casual, among friends.

When in doubt, a smile and a simple "Hello" or "Nǐ hǎo" will always be welcomed.