Moldovans in urban areas generally shake hands when they greet each other, although a man waits for a woman to extend her hand first. In mixed company, a man shakes a woman’s hand before another man’s. Good friends and relatives often also hug. Moldovan men in rural areas, and increasingly some in urban areas, greet a woman by kissing her hand. When addressing others, young people generally use first names. When adults meet, they introduce themselves by first name and middle name , often preceded by the family name. Titles are used with the family name in formal situations. In urban areas people rarely smile at or greet strangers they pass on the street, but in rural areas this is more common.
