Ways to say it
| Emirati Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| السلام عليكم | as-salamu alaykum | |
| مرحبا | marhaba | |
| هلا | hala | informal |
| هلا والله | hala wallah | informal, warm |
| حياك الله | hayyak allah | welcoming a guest |
مرحبا (marhaba) is a friendly hello heard in shops, hotels and offices. Among friends Emiratis say هلا (hala) or هلا والله (hala wallah), and a host welcomes guests with حياك الله (hayyak allah).
What does it mean word for word?
السلام عليكم means 'peace be upon you'. مرحبا means 'welcome'. هلا is short for أهلا, and والله, 'by God', makes it warmer. حياك الله means 'may God greet you'.
Which one should you use?
السلام عليكم is right with anyone. مرحبا is neutral and very common with visitors. هلا and هلا والله are for friends and family.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
السلام عليكم is the most respectful greeting, especially with older Emiratis. هلا is casual.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Emirati Arabic is a Gulf dialect, so greetings are close to those in Qatar, Bahrain and eastern Saudi Arabia. Because most of Dubai's residents come from abroad, English 'hello' and 'hi' are also heard everywhere.
How does it change in a sentence?
The usual 'how are you' is شحالك؟ (sh'halak?) to a man and شحالج؟ (sh'halich?) to a woman, because the Gulf ending for 'you' to a woman often sounds like ch.
How do you pronounce it?
Emiratis often pronounce ك in 'you' endings as ch when speaking to a woman. In حياك the first sound is a breathy h made deep in the throat.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Answering السلام عليكم with مرحبا sounds unusual. The expected reply is وعليكم السلام (wa alaykum as-salam).
When do people say it?
Emirati greetings take their time, with questions about health and family before business. Men commonly shake hands, and it is polite to wait for a woman to offer her hand first.
Did you know?
- Around nine in ten people living in the United Arab Emirates come from other countries, which is why so many greetings in Dubai are heard in English.
- The Emirati شحالك (sh'halak) is a squeezed form of شو حالك, 'what is your state'.
Examples in context
- السلام عليكم، شحالك؟as-salamu alaykum, sh'halak?Hello, how are you?
- مرحبا، حياك الله.marhaba, hayyak allah.Hello, welcome.
- هلا والله، من زمان ما شفناك.hala wallah, min zaman ma shifnak.Hey there, we have not seen you in a long time.
Example conversation
Rashid greets his friend Saeed at a family gathering in Dubai.
- Rashidالسلام عليكم.as-salamu alaykum.Peace be upon you.
- Saeedوعليكم السلام، هلا والله.wa alaykum as-salam, hala wallah.And upon you be peace, hello there.
- Rashidشحالك؟sh'halak?How are you?
- Saeedبخير، الله يسلمك.bkhair, allah ysalmak.Fine, may God keep you safe.
