Titles & Address Etiquette in Somalia

Use formal titles and honorifics when addressing people, especially elders, religious leaders, and anyone you do not know well, and wait for an invitation before switching to first names. In Somali settings, respectful forms of address matter a lot in both Arabic- and Somali-influenced etiquette, so a polite greeting and a title such as Ustaad or Xaaji can go a long way in business, family, and community interactions.