Greetings
Author
Chara Scroope,
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- Greetings tend to vary based on gender. However, a firm handshake with direct eye contact is the most common form of greeting.
- If a man is greeting another man, the usual greeting is a handshake. If they are close friends or relatives, a gentle hug and a kiss on each cheek is common.
- Greetings between women tend to be a handshake or, if close to one another, a kiss on each other’s cheeks (once on each side, starting with the left side).
- Men generally will shake hands with a woman if she extends her hand first. If they are relatives or friends, a hug and/or kiss on each cheek is common.
- Hungarians tend to introduce themselves by their surname first. Greetings on a first-name basis are often limited to close friends and relatives.
- Adults will greet children or teenagers by their first name. Youth will also address each other by their first name.
- When greeting an elderly woman, it is polite to say “kezét csókolom”. This literally translates as “I kiss your hand”, but you are not expected to kiss the woman’s hand.