Do you think every country says hello when they pick up the phone? Not quite! Find out the fun facts on international phone etiquette!

Have you ever gone to a foreign country and wondered how other cultures pick up the phone? You might think knowing how to say ‘hi!’ in every language would fix the problem of international phone etiquette! That’s not always the case.

Next time you go abroad on business or vacation, use our handy guide to understanding foreign phone customs!

Middle Eastern Countries

In Arabic speaking countries, it’s customary to exchange pleasantries for up to 5 minutes before beginning the conversation! Although it may seem long winded, it’s considered very rude if you don’t follow the rules! A sample conversation might be:

Caller 1: May your morning be blessed!

Caller 2: May your morning be full of joy!

Caller 1: Praise God, your voice is welcome

Caller 2: Welcome! Praise God!

Caller 1: How are you?

Caller 2: Praise God!

Caller 1: Praise God!

Caller 2: What news? Are you well? Is your family well?

Caller 1: They are good, praise God. How are you? How is your family!

Caller 2: All is well. Praise God. Welcome.

The introduction may differ depending on which Arabic speaking country you’re in! Other ways of answering the telephone may be:

‘Where have you been?’

‘It’s been some time since I’ve heard your voice!’

‘Peace be upon you!’

Before ending the conversation, it’s standard for the callers to ask each other if they need anything.

Russia

If you call a Russian, be prepared for the person to not answer! Phone tapping used to be very common in the Soviet Union. Many years later, some people are still suspicious of telephones. Cellular networks are pretty spotty and not very dependable, so generally people avoid talking on the phone whenever possible. For this reason, Russians don’t like leaving (or checking) voicemails. Should you get a Russian on the phone, don’t expect a warm welcome! Don’t worry, they’re not being rude. It’s just a different culture!

You’ll be met with silence until you introduce yourself, or receive a curt ‘Who is it?’ as a greeting. Russians do not like talking on the phone, so make your conversation short and to the point! Even if they know your number, the standard greeting is

‘Ya sluchu vas’ which translates to ‘I’m listening to you.’

When it comes to saying goodbye, ‘Do svidaniya’ is the standard farewell, and it means ‘until we meet again.’

UK

The British may be more suspicious than the Russians when it comes to talking on the phone! It’s common to ignore a call if you don’t recognize the number. Landlines almost always ring to voicemail, and it’s common to say ‘Hello...hello...’ on the voicemail until somebody decides to answer. Older generations may greet a caller by repeating their phone number. Don’t eat while on the phone to a Brit, it’s considered very rude.

Brazil

The Brazilian way of answering the phone may be one of the following:

Alo - Hello

Fala - Talk

If a Brazilian calls you, they may still ask "Who is this?" even if they know who you are!

Tchau means goodbye, but Brazilians love to chat so be prepared for a lengthy conversation! Due to poor connection issues, you may hear your Brazilian friend saying ‘Uh’ as you talk. This is to let you know that they’re still on the line!

Germany

Ever efficient, Germans answer the phone by barking their last name! Saying goodbye is ‘auf wiedersehen!’ which means ‘until we meet again!’

Scandinavia

Scandinavians will often say their first and last names when picking up the phone. As most Scandinavians speak fluent English, it’s unlikely they’ll expect you to speak their own native language. You probably won’t notice any huge culture divides when speaking to a Scandinavian over the phone! In Denmark it’s important to ask if the phone call is at a convenient time before proceeding with the conversation.

India

In India ‘Namaste’ means hello and goodbye! It’s used at both ends of a telephone conversation. It’s common in India to call somebody late at night, for any reason at all!

China

For the Chinese, it’s totally acceptable to answer the phone wherever you are! If you’re in a meeting or talking face-to-face, expect to be interrupted by a ringing phone! This is for a good reason. In China if you don’t answer the call, the person trying to reach you will ring your phone tirelessly until you pick up! Like many other places, the standard phone greeting is ‘Wei?’ which means ‘hello’, and goodbye is ‘Wo Guale’ which means ‘I have to hang up now.’

Japan

If you ring up a friend or business in Japan, the customary greeting is ‘Moshi moshi!’ which is the greeting used for ‘hello.’ For business phone etiquette, everyone’s last name must have -San added to it. This is important, as Japanese culture values formality and respect. The proper way to say goodbye is ‘Sore dewa, yoroshiku’ which means ‘Please remember me!’

Italy

‘Pronto!’ is the standard Italian phone greeting, and it means ‘promptly’ - as in, speak promptly! ‘Salue!’ is goodbye. If you want to leave an Italian a voicemail, make sure it’s no longer than 30 seconds long! It’s considered rude to leave a rambling voicemail, so messages should be quick and concise!

France

Don’t yell into your phone when speaking with the French, it’s considered très rude. ‘Allo?’ is French for Hello. ‘Salut?’ is also common. The younger generation may hodgepodge some of these together. ‘Oui, Allo? Salut!’ is a common phone greeting for young Parisians. Goodbye is ‘au revoir!’ although ‘A beintot!’ (see you later) is also acceptable.

Mexico

Mexicans may answer the phone with ‘bueno!’ which means good! This comes from when phone connections used to be shoddy and it was a way of confirming the call had gone through. It’s also normal to hear ‘Diga’ which means ‘speak!’

Have you been to a country that we didn’t feature? Tell us about your funny phone etiquette stories in the comments below!