Saluton, amiko!

hello

Breakdown of Saluton, amiko!

• amiko: the friend

Questions & Answers about Saluton, amiko!

Why does Saluton end with -on instead of -o?

In Esperanto, we often add -n (the accusative ending) to words used as direct exclamations or greetings to emphasize them, although it’s not strictly required in all cases. The form Saluton is a very common way to say Hello in Esperanto.

What is the difference between saying Saluton, amiko! and Saluto, amiko!?

Saluton is the established greeting form used by almost all Esperanto speakers, while Saluto would be more like the noun greeting in English. If you used Saluto, it would sound unusual and might not be immediately recognized by native-style Esperanto speakers as a standard greeting.

Is amiko used for both male and female friends?

Yes, amiko refers to any friend, regardless of gender. If you want to emphasize a female friend, you could say amikino, but most people simply use amiko for any friend.

Could I shorten Saluton to Sal’?

While some people do use shorter or slang-like forms in casual writing, Saluton is almost always used in full in spoken Esperanto. Shortening it to Sal’ isn’t very common and could sound confusing or too informal.