שלום אחי
shalom achi
In Hebrew, "hello brother" is said as שלום אחי (shalom achi).
שלום אחי is an informal greeting used to address a male friend or peer. You may also use the phrase היי אחי to say "hi, brother" or שלום אחי היקר to say "hello, dear brother".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of שלום (peace/hello) and אחי (my brother).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
שלום אחי is highly informal and is used among peers or friends, rather than in formal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
shalom achi
Did you know?
- Depending on the intonation, שלום can be used both to say 'hello' and 'goodbye', meaning שלום אחי can serve as both the start and the end of a conversation.
- In modern Israeli street slang, אחי is often used as a punctuation mark or a filler word in the middle of sentences to emphasize a point or show camaraderie.
- Though it sounds different, שלום is a cognate with the Arabic word سلام (salām), reflecting the shared Semitic origins of the two languages.
Examples in context
- שלום אחי, מה נשמע?shalom achi, ma nishma?Hello brother, how's it going?
Example conversation
Itay meets Rotem's brother on the street.
- איתי Itayשלום אחי, מזמן לא ראיתי אותך.Shalom achi, mezman lo raiti otcha.Hello brother, I haven't seen you in a long time.
- רוטם Rotemהיי איתי, הכל טוב!Hey Itai, hakol tov!Hey Itai, everything is good!
- איתי Itayאיפה רוטם?Eifo Rotem?Where is Rotem?
- רוטם Rotemהיא בבית, בוא איתי.Hi babayit, bo iti.She is at home, come with me.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אחי, שלום, CC BY-SA 4.0.
