Introduction 15 0.5 BASIC GREETINGS It is difficult to place sections on greetings and interjections thematically within the chapters of a reference or comprehensive grammar; although greetings will be found in basic textbooks or in books on the colloquial language, interjections will not always be included. Both of these elements are included here, as not all forms, phrases, and especially variants will be easily found in dictionaries, and they are rarely found together in one place in any book. 'HELLO' Formal: Informal: On the phone: добрий день добридень доброго ранку добрий вечір добривечір доброго здоров'я вибачте! вітаю! привіт! здоров! алло, галло, галло слухаю lit. good day same as above, but slightly less formal good morning good evening same as above (cf. добридень) lit. '[I wish you] good health', often in response to one of the preceding greetings Excuse me (when addressing someone whose attention you would like to get; also in the sense 'sorry!' (see below), or to introduce an objection 'excuse me, but...') lit. I greet, I welcome. hi hi (quite familiar, often between men only) hello lit. 'I'm listening' (not rude), also used by staff in shops waiting to serve a customer 'GOODBYE' до побачення усього найкращого! на все добре! будь здоров! будь здорова будьте здорові until (we) see (each other again) = (au revoir, auf Wiedersehen: this is the most common and neutral form used) all the best all the best (more informal than above) lit. 'be healthy!', masculine feminine plural (Note that будь, будьте may be replaced by бувай (sg., more familiar), бувайте (/?/., or more polite sg))
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