Meaning
A standard greeting used during daylight hours.
Cultural Background
Saying 'Bună ziua' when entering a lift or a small shop is a sign of 'cei șapte ani de acasă' (good upbringing). In villages, it is customary to greet everyone you pass on the street with 'Bună ziua' or 'Ziua bună', even if you are a total stranger. In offices, 'Bună ziua' is used until you are explicitly invited to use 'Bună' or first names. Men often combine 'Bună ziua' with 'Sărut mâna' (I kiss your hand) when greeting women as a sign of high respect.
The 'Sun' Rule
If the sun is up, 'Bună ziua' is almost always the right choice for strangers.
Don't skip the 'a'
Saying 'Bună zi' sounds like a broken translation. Always include the 'ua'.
Meaning
A standard greeting used during daylight hours.
The 'Sun' Rule
If the sun is up, 'Bună ziua' is almost always the right choice for strangers.
Don't skip the 'a'
Saying 'Bună zi' sounds like a broken translation. Always include the 'ua'.
Add a Title
Saying 'Bună ziua, doamnă' or 'Bună ziua, domnule' makes you sound incredibly fluent and polite.
Eye Contact
In Romania, a greeting without eye contact can be seen as insincere.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct greeting for 2:00 PM in a bank.
You walk into a bank at 14:00. What do you say?
14:00 is mid-day, so 'Bună ziua' is the correct polite greeting.
Complete the phrase with the correct form of the adjective.
____ ziua, domnule profesor!
'Ziua' is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'Bună'.
Match the greeting to the person.
Who would you say 'Bună ziua' to?
'Bună ziua' is for formal or respectful interactions with people you don't know well.
Fill in the missing line.
Clerk: 'Bună ziua! Cu ce vă ajut?' Customer: '____, aș dori un ceai.'
It is polite to return the same greeting used by the clerk.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Romanian Greetings by Time
Morning
- • Bună dimineața
Day
- • Bună ziua
Evening
- • Bună seara
Practice Bank
4 exercisesYou walk into a bank at 14:00. What do you say?
14:00 is mid-day, so 'Bună ziua' is the correct polite greeting.
____ ziua, domnule profesor!
'Ziua' is feminine singular, so the adjective must be 'Bună'.
Who would you say 'Bună ziua' to?
'Bună ziua' is for formal or respectful interactions with people you don't know well.
Clerk: 'Bună ziua! Cu ce vă ajut?' Customer: '____, aș dori un ceai.'
It is polite to return the same greeting used by the clerk.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it is perfect. It shows respect for their work.
Yes, it's a transition period. Both 'Bună dimineața' and 'Bună ziua' work then.
Because 'ziua' (day) is a feminine noun in Romanian.
Yes, always. It is the standard respectful greeting for students to teachers.
'Bună' is like 'Hi', while 'Bună ziua' is like 'Good day'.
Yes, it is the most common professional email opening in Romania.
Simply say 'Bună ziua' back, or 'Bună ziua, ce mai faceți?'.
Yes, it is the standard greeting in both Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Yes, unless your boss has specifically asked you to use a more casual greeting.
It's the same meaning but sounds more old-fashioned or rural.
Related Phrases
Bună dimineața
similarGood morning
Bună seara
similarGood evening
Bună
informalHi
O zi bună
builds onHave a good day
Salut
synonymHello/Hi
