Greeting Etiquette
Standing up to welcome individuals you respect, especially those who are older than you, is considered polite. "See tahay?" is a standard informal salutation in Somali. How are you doing? Also heard is "Is ka warran?" "Maha la shegay" or "What's the news?" (What is being said?). These words are used to say hello and how are you.
"As-Salam Alaykum" is the standard greeting in Islam (May peace be upon you). When meeting someone older than oneself, this greeting is frequently acceptable. "Wa 'alikum assalaam" is the appropriate response (And peace be upon you). Men typically greet each other by shaking hands. Somali males often shake hands very firmly.
When welcoming someone of the opposing gender, people often avoid touching them unless they are a close family member. It, before extending his hand for a handshake, a guy should wait for a lady to do so first. Handshakes might not even be required in highly informal situations where individuals already know one another.
Women typically greet one another informally by hugging and kissing each other on the cheek. In some places, after shaking hands, women will kiss the hand they just touched. People should only be addressed by their first name. The use of formal titles or people's last names is uncommon (see Naming). Somalis may use titles like "Adeer" (uncle), "Eeda" (paternal aunt), or "Habo/Habaryar" (maternal aunt) followed by the person's first name to refer to adults they respect and feel a connection to. To use these titles, one does not need to be related to the subject.
