Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مسا الخير | masa l-kheir | |
| مسا النور | masa n-nour | reply |
The expected reply is مسا النور (masa n-nour). Both are used from late afternoon onward, as soon as the day starts winding down.
What does it mean word for word?
مسا means 'evening' and الخير means 'the good', so مسا الخير is 'evening of goodness'. مسا النور is 'evening of light', answering goodness with light.
Which one should you use?
مسا الخير can open any evening conversation, from greeting a shopkeeper to arriving at a family dinner. There is no separate casual version, unlike some other Lebanese greetings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase itself does not change with formality, but Lebanese speakers often add كيفك؟, 'how are you', right after it with friends, and a more measured كيف الصحة؟ with elders.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The greeting is shared with the rest of the Levant, with only small differences in accent between Beirut, the mountains and the south.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither مسا الخير nor مسا النور changes for the gender of the speaker or the listener, which makes it one of the easier Lebanese phrases to use correctly.
How do you pronounce it?
مسا drops the final long vowel of the Standard Arabic مساء, so it is said quickly, 'masa', not 'masaa'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Repeating مسا الخير back as a reply is understood but sounds a little flat. Lebanese speakers expect the switch to مسا النور.
When do people say it?
Lebanese evenings often begin with this greeting at the door of a home, followed immediately by questions about the guest's day and family.
Did you know?
- Lebanese evening greetings almost always come in this light-and-goodness pair, مسا الخير answered by مسا النور, mirroring the same pattern used for 'good morning'.
- The word مسا drops entirely out of fast casual speech in some phrases, leaving just مسا alone as a quick hello after dark.
Examples in context
- مسا الخير، كيفك اليوم؟masa l-kheir, kifak l-yom?Good evening, how are you today?
- مسا الخير يا جيران.masa l-kheir ya jiran.Good evening, neighbors.
- مسا النور، تفضلوا فوتوا.masa n-nour, tfaddalo foto.Good evening, please come in.
Example conversation
Hady greets his aunt Samar as she arrives for dinner.
- Hadyمسا الخير خالتو.masa l-kheir khaltou.Good evening, auntie.
- Samarمسا النور حبيبي، كيفك؟masa n-nour habibi, kifak?Good evening dear, how are you?
- Hadyمنيح الحمد لله، فوتي.mnih il-hamdulillah, foti.Good, thank God, come in.
- Samarشكرا، شو في عشا؟shukran, shu fi asha?Thanks, what is for dinner?
