How to Say "Hello" in 25 Fictional Languages
In Klingon, "hello" doesn't exist. The closest thing, nuqneH, literally means "What do you want?" That single greeting tells you everything about Klingon culture: skip the small talk, state your business.
Greetings are the most revealing words in any language. Here are 25 ways to say hello across fiction, history, and code.
The Counterintuitive Truth: "Hello" Is Rarely Just "Hello"
English "hello" is almost meaningless — it's a sound, not a statement. But most greetings, real or fictional, carry a hidden question or wish.
- Old English Wes hāl means "Be healthy."
- Dovahzul Drem Yol Lok means "Peace, fire, sky."
- Mando'a Su cuy'gar means "You're still alive."
We call these values greetings: hellos that reveal what a culture worries about most. Health, peace, survival — each greeting is a tiny cultural portrait.
Star Trek
1. Klingon — nuqneH
"What do you want?" The most honest greeting in the galaxy.
2. Romulan — Jolan tru
A canon Romulan greeting and farewell, first heard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
3. Vulcan — Dif-tor heh smusma
"Live long and prosper" often doubles as a formal greeting, paired with the famous hand salute.
4. Tamarian — "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra"
Not a greeting exactly, but it means two strangers meeting and becoming allies — the Tamarian way to reach out.
Star Wars
5. Mando'a — Su cuy'gar
"You're still alive." For a warrior culture, survival is worth celebrating.
6. Huttese — H'chu apenkee
A greeting listed in Star Wars reference material. Jabba may not say it warmly.
7. Yoda — "Hello, I am"
Or perhaps: "Greetings, young one."
8. R2-D2 — Beep-boop-bweep!
Game of Thrones
9. Dothraki — M'athchomaroon
"With respect." The casual version is M'ath. Dothraki also ask Hash yer dothrae chek? — "Do you ride well?"
10. High Valyrian — Rytsas
Short, elegant, and used by Daenerys in the show.
11. Hodor — Hodor
Works for every occasion.
Tolkien's Middle-earth
12. Sindarin — Mae govannen
"Well met." Spoken by Elrond and others in The Lord of the Rings.
13. Quenya — Aiya
"Hail!" As in Frodo's cry Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima! ("Hail Eärendil, brightest of stars!")
14. Quenya (formal) — Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
"A star shines on the hour of our meeting." Frodo's greeting to the Elves in The Fellowship of the Ring — one of the most beautiful hellos in literature.
Games
15. Dovahzul (Skyrim) — Drem Yol Lok
"Peace, fire, sky" — the dragon Paarthurnax's greeting.
16. Simlish (The Sims) — Sul sul
One of the few Simlish words fans agree on.
17. NPC Speak — "Greetings, traveler!"
Every RPG shopkeeper's opening line.
Movies and Animation
18. Na'vi (Avatar) — Kaltxì
The everyday Na'vi hello.
19. Minionese — Bello!
20. Groot — I am Groot
History and Codes
21. Old English — Wes hāl
"Be healthy." It's the ancestor of the word "wassail."
22. Shakespearean — Good morrow
23. Pirate — Ahoy, matey!
24. Morse Code — .... . .-.. .-.. ---
25. NATO Phonetic — Hotel Echo Lima Lima Oscar
Why Greetings Matter So Much in Fiction
Greetings are often the first word audiences hear in an invented language. Linguist David J. Peterson has noted that small everyday phrases carry huge weight on screen because they're repeated and quoted. A good greeting becomes a fan password — say "Mae govannen" at a convention and Tolkien fans will know you're one of them.
That's why greetings are a form of tribe signalling: a quick, safe way to show you belong to a fandom.
Quick Reference Table
| Language | Hello | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Klingon | nuqneH | What do you want? |
| Mando'a | Su cuy'gar | You're still alive |
| Dothraki | M'athchomaroon | With respect |
| High Valyrian | Rytsas | Hello |
| Sindarin | Mae govannen | Well met |
| Dovahzul | Drem Yol Lok | Peace, fire, sky |
| Old English | Wes hāl | Be healthy |
Where Greetings Are Heading
Fans are already using fictional greetings in real life — in Discord servers, gaming clans, and email sign-offs. We predict at least one fictional greeting will become as widely recognised as "Live long and prosper", with "Sul sul" and "Kaltxì" the strongest candidates thanks to huge gaming and film audiences.