How do they greet each other?

Etiquette requires greeting other people,following certain rules. His greeting should show people a good disposition towards them, as well as their good upbringing and culture. Let us consider in more detail how to properly say hello.

Who do you need to say hello?

The educated person should greet not onlywith people he knows, but also with strangers, especially those with whom he periodically meets. They are neighbors, sellers in the store, cashiers in the bank, waiters in cafes, drivers in taxis, etc.

With what words to start a greeting?

Depending on how well you are familiar with the person and what status he occupies, the greeting can be both maximally concise and simple, and emphasized by respectful, official.

With unfamiliar people it's enough to exchange classical welcome phrases like:

Good afternoon / evening / morning!
Hello!

With the leadership, people of respectable age greet, adding an appeal by name and patronymic. For example:

Hello, Alexander Alexandrovich!
Good afternoon, Natalia Filippovna!

With people you know well with whom you havethere are no age and social differences, you can greet with the help of simpler forms of greeting, including colloquial, slang forms. So, to greet friends, for example, you can use the following words:

Hello!
Great and so forth.

You are allowed to contact "you" only with friends andrelatives. In all other cases, it will be more appropriate to refer to "you", unless there is another agreement in the team. Often a simplified reference to a person by name (without a patronymic) is used, but on "you". However, before using this form, it is better to learn more about the rules that apply to a particular social environment. If you want to transfer to a person for "you", you should first ask his consent.

Who greets first?

The first always greet:

Those who just entered the room, with those who are already in it;
Younger with older;
Men with women;
Subordinates with superiors;
Pupils with teachers.

Under the same conditions, the one who has done this before, or the one who turns out to be more polite and friendly, is the first to say hello.

How to greet a man and a woman?

Etiquette introduces clear rules on how to greet each other's representatives of the same sex, as well as representatives of different sexes.

The man with the man. Usually greet with a handshake, and the hand should be given by someone who is younger or lower in social status (subordinate - the boss). You can also limit yourself to a small bow. Students with teachers greet without handshakes. If a man greets a person standing on the social ladder with many steps above him (for example, a junior manager with a CEO of the company), or with a man who is much older than he, it will be appropriate to raise the hat or touch it slightly (this does not apply to other headgear ), get up from his place. You can sit down only after a person offers it, or after he himself sat down.
A woman with a woman. In case the meeting is of a business nature, ladies can exchange light handshakes. If you meet friends, relatives, then you can exchange kisses on the cheek and hugs. If two pairs meet, ladies always greet each other, after the women greet men, and then only men greet.
A man with a woman. In most cases, the man says hello first. If it happens on the street, then the man should just stop, raise his hat or touch its fields. If a woman gave her hand in greeting, the man could kiss her. To do this, you need to shake your hand, bend slightly to it and easily for a few seconds touch your lips. Earlier, such a ritual was mandatory for all gentlemen, but today you can do without it, limiting yourself, for example, with a slight bow.
A woman with a man. The lady should greet the man first if he is above her by social status or much older. In these cases, it would be appropriate to even get up from its place. Also, the woman first gives the man a hand for a greeting handshake - regardless of whether there are social or age differences between them.

How do the residents of other countries greet?

Handshakes and courteous greetings with welcome words are used almost everywhere. However, according to ancient customs, in some countries there are still traditions of greeting.

Americans can pat you on the back or shoulder.
The French are actively practicing a quick touch with cheeks, while the lips are making a sound of a kiss.
The Eskimos touch a fist to the shoulder of a friend, his head.
Polynesians rub their noses.
The Thai people make a salutatory bow, touching the face with their hands folded (as in prayer).