Greetings etiquette
Estonians are friendly, warm, and outgoing people by nature. However, these aspects of their personalities are not easily displayed to strangers. In fact, until they get to know someone well, Estonians can come across as slightly aloof and reserved. The cultural respect for personal space also maintains a half-meter distance between people in conversation. Handshakes are common between friends, but a slight nod of acknowledgement is also used in both formal and informal greetings. Furthermore, a slight side-to-side wave of the hand is an acceptable greeting from a distance.
When speaking to close friends and family members, an Estonian uses the informal second-person pronoun sina (you) or its shortened form, sa. Typical greetings start with Tere/Tervist (Hello) or a salutation that is related to the time of day, such as Tere Hommikust (Good morning), Tere päevast (Good afternoon), or Tere õhtust (Good evening). This is followed by a question about one’s health or well-being such as, Kuidas läheb? (How are you?). The informal response to this question is, Hästi. Ja sinul? (Fine. And you?).
When meeting someone in a casual situation, an Estonian may ask, Mis on sinu nimi? (What is your name?) to which the other person replies, Minu nimi on ___ (My name is ___). If the person speaking only gives his or her first name, a natural question following this statement might be, Mis sinu perekonnanimi on? (What is your surname?). After the conversation is over and it is time for friends to go their separate ways, they may say, Head aega, Hüvasti, Nägemist, or Jumalaga (all meaning "Goodbye").
Because Estonians value showing respect for others, a seated Estonian will stand before greeting someone. A firm handshake with direct eye contact and a verbal salutation is the standard form of greeting. Despite the fact that women are treated equally and their rights are protected by anti-discrimination legislation, many Estonian women still wait for men to initiate the handshake in this patriarchal society.
Age and life experience are highly esteemed in Estonia, with the result that younger people are expected to initiate greetings with older ones. Titles are another important way to show respect and include Arst/Doktor (Doctor), Professor (Professor), and Tegevdirektor (Managing Director), followed by the person's surname. The honorifics Härra (Sir), Prova (Madam), and Preili (Miss) may replace the title or be used in front of it. Estonians continue to use titles, honorifics, and surnames until invited change to first names, usually by the elderly or senior person.
Formal greetings mirror informal greetings when offering a standard “Hello” or salutation referring to the time of day and even when asking after a person’s health or well-being. However, in direct address, the formality of the language emerges. Instead of using the informal version of "you" (see above), Estonians use teie (you) or its shortened version, te when speaking to people they don't know well or those of higher social standing.
