labas

The most common way to say 'hello' in Lithuanian is labas. It's a friendly and versatile greeting that works in most situations.

Labas is generally informal. You'd use it with friends, family, and people you know well. For more formal situations, you might use 'laba diena' (good day) or 'sveiki'.

Yes, labas can be used at any time of day, much like 'hello' or 'hi' in English. It doesn't change based on morning, afternoon, or evening.

The pronunciation of labas is roughly 'lah-bahs'. The 'a' sounds like the 'a' in 'father', and the 'b' is a soft 'b'. The stress is on the first syllable.

Labas is a singular, informal 'hello'. Sveiki is a plural 'hello' or a more formal 'hello' when addressing one person. Think of 'sveiki' as 'greetings' or 'hello everyone/sir/madam'.

No, labas is specifically a greeting for saying 'hello' or 'hi'. To say goodbye, you would use 'viso gero' (all the best) or 'iki pasimatymo' (until we meet again).

You'll often hear labas rytas (good morning), laba diena (good day), and labas vakaras (good evening). These are more specific greetings that incorporate 'labas'.

While labas is widely understood, it's good practice to consider the formality of the situation. With strangers, especially in a professional setting, 'laba diena' or 'sveiki' might be more appropriate. However, if you're unsure, 'labas' is a safe and friendly choice.

The simplest and most natural response to labas is to simply say labas back! You can also add 'kaip sekasi?' (how are you? / how's it going?).

No, in the context of a greeting, labas exclusively means 'hello' or 'hi'. It doesn't have other common meanings when used as an interjection.