10 hellos: the World Hello Day challenge

Seven days of tiny steps

Monday 16 to Sunday 22 November. Each step takes under a minute. Skip a day and carry on; nobody is counting.

1. Mon 16 Nov

   Nod and say hello to one neighbour: in the lift, on the stairs, at the building door. One word is enough.

2. Tue 17 Nov

   Greet the shop assistant first, before you ask for anything: hello, then thank you.

3. Wed 18 Nov

   At a café, ask the barista "How are you?" and wait for the answer. Notice that they ask you back.

4. Thu 19 Nov

   Go to a language café from the list below and say hello and your name to one person. Leave whenever you like.

5. Fri 20 Nov

   Greet someone you see often but have never spoken to: the dog walker, the person at the bus stop.

6. Sat 21 Nov

   World Hello Day. Say hello to ten people and tick them off in the list below.

7. Sun 22 Nov

   Rest. Greet one of this week's people again, and write down which hello felt easiest. Next time, start there.

Your 10 hellos

Tick each one when you have said hello. Your ticks stay in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

• 1. A neighbour
• 2. A shop assistant or cashier
• 3. A barista or waiter
• 4. Someone at the bus stop or on the train
• 5. A colleague or classmate
• 6. Someone at your language café
• 7. A person walking a dog
• 8. The receptionist, concierge or doorman
• 9. A stranger who looks as new as you
• 10. Someone you have seen before but never greeted

0 of 10

Ten hellos. That is the whole challenge. Well done.

Start again

Say hello in 12 languages

These are the 12 languages that appear most often in the language cafés we list. Tap a row to see how to say it: hello, nice to meet you, how are you? The hints are rough English-sound guides, not exact.

Say it slowly. Smiling helps more than a perfect accent.

Keep going

• hello-question.com: One conversation starter a day, for after the hello.
• firstphrases.app: Ten useful phrases for tonight in the language of your city.
• Language cafés by city: All the cities in the Language Café Finder.