Greetings
Author
Tetyana Hrynovetska, Kate Ohbaidze, Yuliya Ivanytska,
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- Ukrainian men greet each other with a handshake while holding direct eye contact. Male friends may also briefly hug with a pat on the back.
- A firm handshake at the beginning of the first meeting is a sign of good intentions, especially between men. If people shake hands saying goodbye after the initial meeting, it means they have established that initial connection.
- Ukrainian women generally use a simple verbal greeting when meeting someone for the first time.
- Close female friends may greet each other with a kiss on the cheek or a hug. They may also kiss close male friends or relatives when greeting them.
- However, it is inappropriate for Ukrainian men to kiss one another when greeting. The most physical contact made between men is usually a light hug. See Communication for more information on physical contact.
- There is no particular custom or order around who you should greet first.
- The common verbal greeting used among close friends or other informal encounters is ‘Pⱹ!’, which is the equivalent of “Hi!”.
- In more formal scenarios, the common greeting is ‘Dobryi den’, which means “Good day”.
- People tend to introduce themselves by their personal name/first name alone when greeting others in casual settings.
- Older Ukrainians may greet one another formally using their first name and patronymic name. This is also common in professional environments. Younger or more metropolitan Ukrainians tend to make formal introductions using their first name and surname rather than the patronymic name. Visit Addressing Others in Naming for information on formal introductions.
- When meeting for the first time in formal settings, you should address the other person using their chosen form of formal address until they indicate you can move to a personal name basis.
- Ukrainians tend to use polite speech when meeting someone for the first time or talking to someone of higher status (e.g. an elderly person). Respect is shown by using the formal plural form of “you”, which is ‘V’ instead of the ‘T’. For example, “Yak vy?” asks ‘How are you?’ formally while “Yak ty?” is informal.
- Ukrainians tend to be sincere during greetings and often interpret inquiries about others literally. For example, if you greet them with the question “Yak ty?” or “Yak vy?” (How are you?), a Ukrainian may interpret this as a sincere inquiry about their well-being. The level of response you get will depend on how well you know each other and how much time you have available.
- People who do not know each other well may respond with a simple “nǰԴ” (okay) or “dDz” (good/fine). However, if Ukrainians ask “Yak spravy?” or “Yak tvoi spravy?” (How are things with you?), it usually means they genuinely care and are ready to offer you support. They will usually expect to receive more than a simple one-word answer.