السلام
salamMoroccan, everyday
In Morocco people say السلام (salam) as hello. A friendly follow-up is لاباس؟ (labas), "no harm?", which is answered with لاباس، الحمد لله (labas, alhamdulillah). It is also called السلام عليكم (salam alaykum).
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| السلام | salam | Moroccan, everyday |
| السلام عليكم | salam alaykum | formal |
| لاباس؟ | labas | Moroccan, casual |
لاباس عليك؟ (labas alik) is the longer question for "are you well?" Moroccans also greet with a handshake and a hand on the heart.
Which one should you use?
Moroccan Arabic, called Darija, uses السلام (salam) alone more than Eastern Arabic uses a plain مرحبا (marhaba), which is understood but less common.
How do you pronounce it?
Darija drops many short vowels, so لاباس is said quickly, close to "la-bas".
Did you know?
- لاباس (labas) comes from لا بأس (la ba's), meaning "no harm", and is used as both question and answer.
Examples in context
- السلام، لاباس؟salam, labasHello, how are you?
- صباح الخير، لاباس عليك؟sbah l-khir, labas alikGood morning, are you well?
- السلام عليكم، كيف داير؟salam alaykum, kidayrPeace be upon you, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Hamza meets his friend Salma at a cafe in Casablanca.
- Hamzaالسلام سلمى، لاباس؟salam Salma, labasHello Salma, how are you?
- Salmaلاباس الحمد لله، وانت؟labas alhamdulillah, w ntaFine thank God, and you?
- Hamzaلاباس، بخيرlabas, bkhirFine, well.
