One little word can open a door anywhere on Earth.
In Singapore you might say “Hello!”, “你好!”, “Vanakkam!” or “Selamat pagi!” — all before you even reach school.
The world has over 7,000 languages. In this lesson you will collect greetings from six places, learn how people greet with their bodies as well as their words, and build your own perfect hello.
Each orange pin is a country. I will say a greeting — tap the pin where people say it. The pin that gently pulses is your clue's neighbourhood… just kidding, there is no clue. You've got this!
A greeting is only useful when you say it. Tap each card to flip it over and see how to pronounce the word — then whisper it to yourself.
Now put your collection to work. Tap a word at the top, then tap the country it belongs to. (On a tablet you can also drag it across.)
Half of a greeting isn't a word at all — it's what your body does. Different places have different habits:
| Place | The body part |
|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan | A bow — deeper bow, more respect |
| 🇮🇳 India | Palms together at the chest, small nod |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand (Māori) | Hongi — gently press noses together |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | A hug, or a light kiss on the cheek |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | A smile, a wave, a handshake — all fine! |
In Japan, how deep you bow says something. Slide the bar, then tap Bow! to see if it fits the situation.
Situation: you meet your friend's grandmother for the first time.
Many languages change the greeting with the time of day — just like Malay does here in Singapore.
| Time | Malay 🇸🇬🇲🇾 | Spanish 🇪🇸 |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Selamat pagi | Buenos días |
| Afternoon | Selamat petang | Buenas tardes |
| Night | Selamat malam | Buenas noches |
Spot the pattern: in Malay the first word selamat never changes — only the time word after it does. Learn one word, get three greetings free!
Tap the sun to move it across the sky, then choose the Malay greeting that matches where it is.
Sunrise — about 7 in the morning.
A visitor is walking towards you. Choose who you are greeting, what you say, and what your body does — then press Greet and watch it play.
1. Who is it?
2. What do you say?
3. What does your body do?
Your challenge this week
Singapore already has four of these languages living side by side. Greet someone in a language that isn't your usual one — “Vanakkam”, “Selamat pagi”, “你好” or “Good morning” — and see them smile. 🌟
Well done, world traveller. 👋