March 22, 2004
Sărut mână!
One of the most endearing greetings here in Romania is "săru'mână" or "sărut mână". Literally, it means "I kiss [your] hand" which is similar to the Austrian "Küss die Hand". Like in Austria, it's both a verbal greeting and an actual hand kiss.
In Bucharest, one mostly encounters it as a verbal greeting -- from men to women of any age. It's very, very polite and Romanian women consider this to be very charming. (That's the feedback from the Romanian women I know but there might be some among our readers who think differently?) Occasionally, though, one does encounter that rare species of man who does follow up with a hand kiss. I have to say, the first time this happened to me, I was quite baffled -- and felt very special. It's like something that you only see in the movies and suddenly you meet it in real life.
I've also heard it said by younger children to me -- so maybe it's not a custom that is dying out, as so many others are. In the countryside, so I've been told, younger folk of both sexes use it to show respect to older people.
Isn't it nice? I just love it. Sărut mână!
Posted by claudia at March 22, 2004 09:18 PMActually it is "Sărut mâna"..and I use it when I say hello to my grandmothers, my mother, aunts..
I didn't know it is also in Austria!
A funny story about this tradition here.. a friend of mine, from another country... used to walk in the park.. and she started to know the other people.. One day I walked with her and I heard her saying "Sarut mâna" to a man"!?!
After I explained to her what it means, she said that she had no ideea, and she was very upset because that man did not tell her that it was not supposed to say it. She heard the man saying it and she just repeated the words.
I remember a friend of mine in her late twenties was very upset with me saying 'sarutmana' as she felt it was more appropriate for older ladies. So I had to change to the more impersonal 'salut'.
Posted by: Sergiu at April 19, 2004 11:49 PM