Greetings can be called Okulamusa (to greet) or Okubuuza (to question). There are formal greetings and informal greetings.
Formal Greetings
The proper formal greeting depends upon the time of day: kumakya (morning, ku-ma-chya) greetings are a separate phrase from the rest of the day, since you are actually asking “how did you spend the night, ma’am/sir?” The addition of ma’am/sir is not optional, but an important part in the greeting, no matter what time of day.
Okubuuza Kumakya (greetings for the morning)
Wasuze otya nnyabo/ssebo? Singular, literally “You spent the night how, ma’am/sir?” When a word ends in a vowel followed by a word beginning with a vowel, make a liaison between the two: (wa-su-z’oh-tya). The general response to this question is simply to say Bulungi, nnyabo/ssebo to indicate that the night was passed well, ma’am/sir (bu-lun-gee).
The general greeting format is as follows, between Woman A and Man B:
A: Wasuze otya, ssebo?
B: Bulungi, nnaybo.
A: Mm (sound of comprehension)
B: Wasuze otya, nnaybo?
A. Bulungi, ssebo.
B. Mmm.
A. Mm. (This final sound is made at a higher pitch, somehow to indicate that the greeting is finished)
To make this a plural greeting, say Mwasuze mutya bannyabo/bassebo? (see the grammar section for more about conjugation)
Okubuuza Olweggulo/Akawungeezi/Ekiro (greetings for the afternoon, evening, and night)
Sometime around 11 or 12, you start asking people how they’ve passed their day instead of how they passed their night: Osiibye otya, nnyabo/ssebo. Again, make the liaison between the vowels: oh-see-by’oh-tya. The response is the same, bulungi, I’ve passed the day well. The format is the same as for the morning as well. For plural, say Musiibye mutya, bannyabo/bassebo.
Informal Greetings
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“Lwaki tonbuuza?” (Why don’t you greet me?) became a helpful phrase when a child would shout “Bye Muzungu!” at me. For children (plural), I’d say “Lwaki temunbuuza?“ followed quickly by the informal greeting “Muli mutya?” (how are you, plural).
