10 Ways to Say "Hello" and "Goodbye" in Hebrew

Everyone knows shalom. Technically, shalom means "peace" and doubles as both hello and goodbye, which makes it the Swiss Army knife of Hebrew greetings. But Israelis use way more than just shalom on a daily basis, and knowing the alternatives makes you sound way more local. Here are ten ways to say hello or goodbye in Hebrew, with when each one fits.

Hellos

1. Shalom

Shalom (שָׁלוֹם). The classic. Works any time of day, in any setting, with anyone. You can't go wrong with shalom, but Israelis often use something more specific when they feel like it.

2. Boker tov

Boker tov (בֹּקֶר טוֹב), good morning. Used from waking up until roughly noon. Israelis often shorten it casually to just boker, like "morning" in English.

In response, you'll often hear boker or (בֹּקֶר אוֹר), "a morning of light", which is a little more poetic. Saying it back will earn you a small smile.

3. Tzohorayim tovim

Tzohorayim tovim (צָהֳרַיִם טוֹבִים), good afternoon. Technically "good noon" but used from late morning through mid-afternoon. Longer and more formal than boker tov. You'll hear it on the radio and from older Israelis.

4. Erev tov

Erev tov (עֶרֶב טוֹב), good evening. Used from late afternoon through bedtime. Feels a bit more formal than shalom but still warm. Perfect for greeting a shopkeeper at sunset or a neighbor walking by on your way home.

5. Layla tov

Layla tov (לַיְלָה טוֹב), good night. A few things to know: Israelis use this both as a greeting at night and as a goodbye before sleep. Similar to "good night" in English. You can say it when parting ways in the evening or when you're literally going to bed.

6. Ma nishma

Ma nishma? (מָה נִשְׁמָע?), how's it going? Literally "what is heard?" Used as an informal hello when you already know the person. The expected answer is ha-kol beseder (הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר), "everything's fine", or just beseder, "fine".

Israelis often use ma nishma as a hello without actually expecting a real answer. It's the Hebrew version of "what's up?"

Goodbyes

7. Shalom (again)

Yes, shalom works as goodbye too. This is the one thing that confuses beginners the most, because in English, "hello" and "goodbye" are different words. In Hebrew, the same word does both jobs. Say shalom when you arrive and shalom when you leave, and you're covered.

8. Lehitraot

Lehitraot (לְהִתְרָאוֹת), see you later. Literally "to see each other again". This is the most common goodbye in daily Israeli life. Friends, shopkeepers, coworkers, everyone uses it. It's the warm, casual way to say "bye, see you around."

You can shorten it in speech to just lehit, which is what Israelis actually say in rapid conversation.

9. Yom tov

Yom tov (יוֹם טוֹב), have a good day. Used as a parting phrase, especially in the morning or early afternoon. Shopkeepers and waiters say it all the time as you're leaving.

The response is usually just toda, gam lecha (thanks, you too, masc) or toda, gam lach (fem). Simple, polite, done.

10. Bye or Chau

Yes, really. Hebrew has borrowed both the English "bye" and the Italian "ciao" for casual goodbyes. You'll hear "bye" (pronounced like the English) and "chau" (pronounced like "chow") all over Tel Aviv. They're fully integrated into casual speech, especially among younger Israelis.

Don't feel weird using them. Israelis blend English into their Hebrew constantly, and these loan words are as natural as any native Hebrew goodbye.

When to use which one

Here's a rough cheat sheet:

• Meeting someone for the first time: shalom + the time-of-day greeting.
• Greeting a friend: ma nishma or just their name.
• Leaving a café or shop: lehitraot or yom tov.
• Parting ways with a friend: lehitraot, bye, or chau.
• Going to bed or leaving late at night: layla tov.

Mix and match based on your mood. Israelis aren't strict about which greeting goes where. Say what feels natural.

The phrase that unlocks every conversation

After a greeting, Israelis almost always ask ma nishma? (how are you?). Be ready to answer, even if it's just with a nod and beseder. That one little exchange signals that you're open to more conversation. Skip it and the interaction ends quickly.

For audio versions of all of these phrases, our phrases section has native speakers saying each one in context. And if you want to build vocabulary you can plug into greetings, our topics pages cover everything from family to work to time.

Ten greetings, one language, and a warm Israeli café waiting for you. Pick three new ones this week and start swapping them in.