Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ | as-salāmu ʕalaykum | ||
| سَلَام | salām | ||
| مَرْحَبًا | marḥaban | ||
| أَهْلًا | ʔahlan | ||
| اهلاً | ahlan | Egyptian Arabic | |
| مَرحَبا | marḥaba | Hijazi Arabic | |
| السلام عليكم | as-salāmu ʕalēkum | /as.sa.laː.mu ʕa.laj.kum/ | Hijazi Arabic |
| أهلًا | ʔahlan | Hijazi Arabic |
Arabic offers various greetings depending on the context and the time of day. You can use Sabah al-khayr (صباح الخير) for 'Good morning' and Masa al-khayr (مساء الخير) for 'Good evening'. For a more casual greeting similar to 'Hi' or 'Hey', use أَهْلًا or ahlan. Among friends, the single word سَلَام can serve as a very casual, shorthand greeting similar to saying 'peace'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ literally translates to 'peace be upon you'.
Which one should you use?
The greeting السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ is a formal, religious-rooted greeting, whereas مَرْحَبًا is a more secular and neutral way to say hello.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ is formal, while أَهْلًا is a more casual and friendly way to say hello. Similarly, Keefak (كيفك) is an informal way to ask 'How are you?', whereas Kayfa haluk (كيف حالك) is used to inquire about someone's well-being in a formal manner. For an informal 'Good evening', you might use the abbreviated Msa al-khayr (مسا الخير).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the form اهلاً is used. In Hijazi-Arabic, you may encounter مَرحَبا, السلام عليكم (pronounced as-salāmu ʕalēkum) and أهلًا.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word مَرْحَبًا is in the accusative case, which is why it ends with the 'an' sound.
How do you pronounce it?
as-salāmu ʕalaykum
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ, the standard response is وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ, which means 'and upon you be peace'.
Did you know?
- The word مَرْحَبًا is derived from the root meaning 'spacious' or 'wide', implying that the person is entering a wide, comfortable, and welcoming space.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, the greeting is often accompanied by a handshake or a touch of the heart after the handshake to signal sincerity and deep respect.
- While السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ is used by Muslims globally, it is also used by Arabic-speaking Christians and people of other faiths as a culturally standard greeting.
Examples in context
- السلام عليكم!Hello!This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting السلام عليكم.Tatoeba #13174773 by atitarev, translation #373330 by CK
- السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ، كَيْفَ حَالُكُم؟as-salāmu ʿalaykum, kayfa ḥālukum?Hello, how are you all?
- السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ، يَا أَبِي.as-salāmu ʿalaykum, yā abī.Hello, father.
Example conversation
Noor and Ziad meet each other in the hallway.
- نور Nourالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا زِيَاد.As-salāmu ʿalaykum yā Ziyād.Hello, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadوَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ يَا نُور.Wa-ʿalaykumu s-salām yā Nūr.And peace be upon you, Noor.
- نور Nourهَلْ أَنْتَ بِخَيْرٍ؟Hal anta bikhayrin?Are you doing well?
- زياد Ziadنَعَمْ، أَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، شُكْرًا.Naʿam, ana bikhayrin, shukran.Yes, I am well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries السلام عليكم, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
