Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مع السلامة | ma'a el-salama | |
| باي | bye | informal, borrowed from English |
باي, simply the English word 'bye', is extremely common among younger Egyptians and in casual texting, often doubled as باي باي.
What does it mean word for word?
مع السلامة literally means 'with safety', wishing the other person a safe departure.
Which one should you use?
مع السلامة works in any situation. باي is lighter and more casual, used with friends and over the phone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
مع السلامة is warm and suitable for anyone, including elders. باي is informal, mainly used among peers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both are heard across Egypt, with باي especially common among younger, urban speakers.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither phrase changes for gender or number.
How do you pronounce it?
مع السلامة is said 'ma'a es-sa-LA-ma', with stress on the third syllable.
When do people say it?
Egyptians often add a blessing when parting, such as ربنا معاك, 'God be with you', alongside مع السلامة.
Did you know?
- English 'bye' is used so widely among young Egyptians that it now appears routinely alongside Arabic farewells in the same conversation.
Examples in context
- مع السلامة، كلمني لما توصل.ma'a el-salama, kallimni lamma tewsal.Bye, call me when you arrive.
- باي، أشوفك بكرة.bye, ashofak bokra.Bye, see you tomorrow.
- مع السلامة يا جدعان، يوم سعيد.ma'a el-salama ya god'an, yom sa'eed.Bye everyone, have a nice day.
Example conversation
Two friends, Peter and Rawan, end a phone call before Rawan heads to work.
- Peterطيب خلاص، لازم أمشي.tayyib khalas, lazim amshi.Okay then, I have to go.
- Rawanماشي، باي، كلمني بالليل.mashi, bye, kallimni bel-leil.Ok, bye, call me tonight.
- Peterحاضر، مع السلامة.hazir, ma'a el-salama.Sure, bye.
- Rawanمع السلامة، ربنا معاك.ma'a el-salama, rabbina ma'ak.Bye, God be with you.
