Ways to say it
| Palestinian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبا | marhaba | |
| أهلا | ahlan | |
| السلام عليكم | as-salamu alaykum | polite |
أهلا (ahlan) is just as common and friendly. With elders or in a more formal setting, Palestinians also open with السلام عليكم (as-salamu alaykum), 'peace be upon you'.
What does it mean word for word?
مرحبا comes from the root for welcoming. أهلا relates to أهل, 'family', so it welcomes someone almost like family. السلام عليكم means 'peace be upon you'.
Which one should you use?
مرحبا and أهلا suit any everyday situation. السلام عليكم is the respectful choice for elders, officials or anyone you are meeting formally.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
مرحبا and أهلا are informal to neutral. السلام عليكم is the most formal and carries religious weight.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The same greetings are shared with the rest of the Levant, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, with only small differences in accent.
How does it change in a sentence?
None of these greetings change for gender or number, though the reply to السلام عليكم must be وعليكم السلام (wa alaykum as-salam).
How do you pronounce it?
Palestinians often stretch the first syllable of مرحبا: 'MAR-haba'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Replying to السلام عليكم with مرحبا sounds odd. The expected reply is وعليكم السلام.
When do people say it?
A greeting in Palestine is rarely just one word. It usually opens into questions about health and family before any other topic.
Did you know?
- أهلا وسهلا, a doubled welcome meaning roughly 'family and ease', is one of the warmest ways to greet a guest anywhere in the Levant.
- Because السلام عليكم is a religious phrase, both Muslim and Christian Palestinians also use مرحبا and أهلا as neutral everyday hellos.
Examples in context
- مرحبا، كيفك اليوم؟marhaba, kifak alyoum?Hello, how are you today?
- أهلا وسهلا فيك.ahlan w sahlan fik.Hello and welcome.
- السلام عليكم، كيف الصحة؟as-salamu alaykum, kif es-seha?Peace be upon you, how is your health?
Example conversation
Lina greets her uncle Abu Khalil when he visits for the first time this year.
- Linaمرحبا عمو، أهلا وسهلا.marhaba 3amo, ahlan w sahlan.Hello uncle, welcome.
- Abu Khalilأهلا فيكي يا لينا.ahlan fiki ya Lina.Hello to you, Lina.
- Linaكيف الصحة؟kif es-seha?How is your health?
- Abu Khalilالحمد لله، منيح.el-hamdu lillah, mnih.Thank God, good.
