Ways to say it
| Syrian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبا، كيفك؟ | marhaba, kifak? | to a man |
| مرحبا، كيفك؟ | marhaba, kifek? | to a woman, same spelling |
Syrians almost never say just مرحبا without immediately following it with كيفك؟, so the two together form one natural greeting in daily speech.
What does it mean word for word?
مرحبا is 'hello' and كيفك joins 'how' with the ending for 'you', giving the combined meaning 'hello, how are you'.
Which one should you use?
There is no real alternative phrasing, this pairing is simply the default way Syrians greet someone they are about to talk with for a moment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The combined greeting fits any formality level, used the same way with a stranger, a colleague or a close friend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This greeting pattern is shared widely across the Levant, with the same structure in Lebanese, Jordanian and Palestinian Arabic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending on كيفك changes sound, though not spelling, depending on whether you are speaking to a man or a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
The two parts are often said together almost without pause, 'marhaba kifak' running as one breath.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Stopping after مرحبا without asking كيفك؟ can feel slightly incomplete to Syrian ears, since the question is expected right away.
When do people say it?
The reply to كيفك؟ is rarely a detailed answer. A short منيح، الحمدلله (mnih, el-hamdilla), 'good, thank God', is the normal response before moving on.
Did you know?
- Syrians usually pair مرحبا with كيفك؟ as a single unit rather than greeting first and asking separately afterward.
- A short منيح، الحمدلله is the expected answer to كيفك؟ in most everyday exchanges, even on a difficult day.
Examples in context
- مرحبا، كيفك اليوم؟marhaba, kifak el-youm?Hello, how are you today?
- مرحبا، كيفك، من زمان!marhaba, kifek, min zaman!Hello, how are you, it has been a while!
- مرحبا فيكم، كيفكم؟marhaba fikom, kifkom?Hello, how are you all?
Example conversation
Tarek calls his friend Maya to check in.
- Tarekمرحبا مايا، كيفك؟marhaba Maya, kifek?Hello Maya, how are you?
- Mayaمرحبا طارق، منيحة الحمدلله، وانت؟marhaba Tarek, mniha el-hamdilla, w inta?Hello Tarek, good thank God, and you?
- Tarekمنيح، بس تعبان شوي من الشغل.mnih, bass ta3ban shwayy min esh-shughol.Good, but a little tired from work.
- Mayaخد قسطك من الراحة.khud qestak min er-raha.Get some rest.
