سَلَام
salām
Hello in Persian can be expressed as سَلَام (salām), سَلَام عَلَیْکُم or دُرُود. Wiktionary also lists دُرود (durōd) and دَرُود (darūd).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| سَلَام | salām |
| سَلَام عَلَیْکُم | salām alaykum |
| دُرود | durōd |
| دَرُود | darūd |
| دُرُود | durūd |
| سَلام | salâm |
| سَلام عَلِیْکُم | salâm aleykom |
The most common and widely used way to say hello in Persian is سَلَام. This word can be used as a standalone greeting or as a prefix in longer greetings such as سَلَام عَلَیْکُم. Another informal greeting widely used among friends is Salam chetori?, which translates to "Hi, how are you?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase سَلَام عَلَیْکُم literally means "peace be upon you."
Which one should you use?
While سَلَام is the standard, everyday way to say hello, دُرُود is a more formal or literary alternative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
دُرُود is a more formal or poetic way to say hello.
How do you pronounce it?
salām
Did you know?
- In some traditional settings, a greeting is not complete without a physical gesture, such as a slight bow or placing a hand over the heart.
- While سَلَام is an Arabic loanword, دُرُود is a purely Persian word that has seen a revival in recent decades to emphasize Iranian linguistic identity.
- If you use the formal سَلَام عَلَیْکُم, the expected response is not just 'hello' but the specific counterpart وَعَلَیْکُمُ السَّلَام, meaning 'and upon you be peace'.
Examples in context
- سَلَام، چِطوری؟salām, chetori?Hello, how are you?
- بِگُو سَلَام.begū salām.Say hello.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a park.
- محمد Mohammadسَلَام، نیلوفر!Salām, Niloufar!Hello, Niloufar!
- نیلوفر Niloufarسَلَام، محمد. خوشحالم می‌بینمت.Salām, Mohammad. Khoshhālam mibīnamat.Hello, Mohammad. I am glad to see you.
- محمد Mohammadمن هم همین‌طور.Man ham hamīntor.Me too.
- نیلوفر Niloufarبیا بریم پیاده‌روی.Biyā berīm piyāderovī.Let's go for a walk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
