How do you greet people in your country? I mean, physically.?

Question

In France, we kiss on the cheeks (from 2 to 4 kisses, depending on the area you're from). But not everybody. We do it with family (even the cousin's boyfriend/girlfriend we've never met) and friends. If you're young or a student, you also kiss people you meet. You also kiss friends of friends, but it depends on how old you are.

Of course, it depends on your social class. I can't be positive, but I would imagine that people from the upper class are more likely to shake hands.

You shake hands when you don't know someone, usually when you meet your in-laws. Men shake hands, except in the south of France where male good friends kiss on the cheeks or when you are from the same family (but not your cousin's boyfriend, for instance). etc... It depends on people.

How about you?

I don't see what's funny about my question! Was hoping to get answers from different countries (as I've lived in the US and in the UK already).

And an "e" is a "vowel", not an "alphabet", by the way

I'm glad to learn that the Canadians and the French greet babies in pretty much the same way! :-)

I forgot! I find it more difficult to hug than to kiss as it seems more intimate. I only hug my sisters and my mum and people from my family who I see on a regular basis.

Answer 1

There are many ways to greet people here in Austria ...
nod, shake hands (especially when you are introduced to somebody or they are not friends of yours), kiss their cheeks (both) or hug each other when you are really good pals or relatives. My very best female friends and my best male friend I even kiss on their mouths.
In Hungary (where I originally come from) it's nearly the same, apart from the kissing on the mouth. There you only do that with your partner. (Maybe youngsters are doing it as well these days, but I haven't seen it yet.) Another slight difference is that you might receive two kisses on your cheeks from somebody you've just met as well in Hungary. And men kiss each other on the cheeks as well, which is done by men in Austria as well, but it's not as common.
The funny difference of cheek-kissing between these two countries is that you start it on the other ones right cheek in Austria and on the left cheek in Hungary! So sometimes, when I mix the two up, I end up kissing (or nearly kissing) somebody on their mouth, who I didn't want to kiss! lol

Answer 2

In mexico we give one kiss on the cheek, even if you are just being introduced to that person (doesn't matter that you are meeting him/her for the first time, you still kiss him/her on the cheek). Men don't kiss each other, they just sake hands. We mexicans are very 'warm' people so besides giving a kiss, we usually hug the person if it's a relative or a friend.

People from the lower class usually just shake hands, (the opposite as in france, funny isn't it...), i guess sometimes they are kind of shy when they meet someone from an upper class.

Answer 3

Well, I live in Mexico, and everything is similar over here. In every social class women kiss only once in the cheek (doesn't matter if the other one is man or not) to almost everybody, unless it is someone you have no idea who he is and that he is older than 30, in that case, you as woman should wait for him or her to act first.
Men shake hands, or embrace depending on the confidence they have.

Have a nice day

Answer 4

in mexico girls greet girls with a kiss on the cheek, it's not considered being lesbian or anything. girls and guys greet each other with a kiss on the cheek too.
i'm so glad to have guy cousins because then when i meet their guy friends, i get a kiss from them!!!! and they don't even know me. we'll be meeting for the first time. but guys greet guys with a firm hand shake, and maybe a hug.

Answer 5

In the mid-west of the USA we are pretty hands off. Usually a nod or occasionally shaking hands. If people are drinking and all are friends hugs with space between each other is acceptable.

Answer 6

First meeting with a peer, I smile big and say "hey", then I stick out my hand for a shake :)

Greeting a friend I already know, I might elbow them or smile and say "hey", then I inquire about how they are doing, and just chat them up, but no handshake.

If I'm dealing with young teens, then I offer them a high five or a low five, or if I am feeling spunky, then I force them into a crazy handshake learning... lol

If I am dealing with a relative, I say "heyyyyyyyyyy!" Then a forced hug (I am not an overly huggy person, lol) then I inquire about how they have been doing lately, chat them up, etc.

If I am dealing with a complete stranger who is somewhat intimidating, I act spiffy and don't say much. :)

In my country, (Canada), when we are dealing with babies, we generally make funny faces and say, "Isaboo? isagoogoo. BBBB!!", and we squint our eyes and stick out our tongue.

Answer 7

Hey its a funny question must be i beleive

change it to how do you treat people?

Depends on how strong he is at yes the three letter word starting with s ending with x and an alphabet in the middle which is the second alphabet in english

Answer 8

In Colombia and in latin american countries we usually shake hands, but if you are a male and you greet a female we kiss her cheeck, but if you are a man and greet another man, we usually shake hands or kiss on the cheek if he is my brother or my father. If you are woman however, it is ok to kiss another woman on the cheek when greeting.

good luck.

Answer 9

If it's my grandma, or, occasionally, my dad, it's a hug. To acquaintances, I say hi (or hey, when I lived in South Carolina) and sometimes wave. If it's someone I don't know, I may simply look at them briefly and smile. Many people smile back, some don't.
--W.V.



P.S. I need to go to France or Mexico.

Answer 10

In Egypt
females greet females with 2 kisses (varries according to what they are used to)
males and females greet with a handshake (more formal)
males greet males with a handshake and/or a hug if they are close friends