שלום
shalom
The English phrase 'hello in israel' is most commonly translated into Hebrew as שלום (shalom).
שלום is the most common way to say hello in Hebrew. It is a versatile greeting used both when arriving to greet someone and when leaving to say goodbye.
What does it mean word for word?
The word שלום literally means 'peace'.
Which one should you use?
While שלום is the standard greeting, the transliterated English word היי (pronounced 'hay') is very common in casual, everyday Israeli Hebrew.
How do you pronounce it?
shalom
When do people say it?
When greeting someone specifically in the morning, you can use Boker tov (Good morning). To greet a friend, you can say Shalom chaver (Hello, my friend).
Did you know?
- The word שלום is a linguistic relative of the Phoenician word 𐤔𐤋𐤌, showing that this way of greeting existed across the ancient Levant long before the modern era.
- The word שלום is deeply connected to the concept of 'completeness' or 'wholeness' in Semitic linguistic traditions, suggesting a greeting is an act of making someone feel whole.
- Because שלום means 'peace', it is often used in political contexts or protests as a call for an end to conflict, moving far beyond its role as a simple 'hello'.
Examples in context
- שלום, מה נשמע?shalom, ma nishma?Hello, how are things?
- הוא אמר לי שלום בדרך.hu amar li shalom baderech.He said hello to me on the way.
- תגיד שלום לאמא שלי.tagid shalom le'ima sheli.Say hello to my mother.
Example conversation
Daniel and Noa meet in a cafe.
- דניאל Danielשלום נועה!Shalom Noa!Hello Noa!
- נועה Noaשלום דניאל, נעים להכיר.Shalom Daniel, naim le-hakir.Hello Daniel, nice to meet you.
- דניאל Danielגם נעים להכיר אותך.Gam naim le-hakir otach.Nice to meet you too.
- נועה Noaשלום, אני חייבת ללכת.Shalom, ani chayavet lalechet.Goodbye, I have to go.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries שלום, CC BY-SA 4.0.
