Ways to say it
| Saudi Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| السلام عليكم | as-salamu alaykum | |
| هلا | hala | informal |
| مرحبا | marhaba | |
| هلا والله | hala wallah | informal, warm |
| حياك الله | hayyak allah | welcoming a guest |
Among friends Saudis say هلا (hala) or the warmer هلا والله (hala wallah). مرحبا (marhaba) is neutral and common in shops and offices, and حياك الله (hayyak allah) welcomes a guest.
What does it mean word for word?
السلام عليكم means 'peace be upon you'. هلا is a short form of أهلا, 'welcome', and والله means 'by God', which makes the greeting sound sincere. حياك الله means 'may God greet you'.
Which one should you use?
Use السلام عليكم with anyone, including elders and strangers. هلا and هلا والله are for friends, family and people your own age. حياك الله is what a host says when someone arrives.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
السلام عليكم is the respectful choice in every setting. هلا is casual and can sound too relaxed with an older stranger.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Hejaz, around Jeddah and Mecca, you will hear أهلين (ahlein) and كيفك (kefak) for 'how are you'. In Najd, around Riyadh, people say هلا and ask وش لونك (wesh lonak).
How does it change in a sentence?
Follow-up phrases change with the person you greet. حياك الله is said to a man and حياكِ الله (hayyaki allah) to a woman. كيف حالك is kef halak to a man and kef halik to a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
In السلام عليكم the l of the article blends into the s, so it sounds like 'as-salaam alaykum'. 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 odd. The expected reply is وعليكم السلام (wa alaykum as-salam), 'and upon you be peace'.
When do people say it?
Saudi greetings are rarely short. After the first words people ask about health, family and work, and the answer is usually الحمد لله, 'thank God'. Between men a handshake comes with the greeting.
Did you know?
- The Najdi question وش لونك (wesh lonak) means 'how are you', but word for word it asks 'what is your colour'.
- A common answer to هلا is هلا وغلا (hala w ghala), which adds the word for 'precious' to the welcome.
Examples in context
- السلام عليكم، كيف حالك؟as-salamu alaykum, kef halak?Hello, how are you?
- هلا والله، وش أخبارك؟hala wallah, wesh akhbarak?Hey there, what is new with you?
- حياك الله، تفضل.hayyak allah, tafaddal.Welcome, please come in.
Example conversation
Faisal and Turki, two colleagues, meet at the office in Riyadh in the morning.
- Faisalالسلام عليكم.as-salamu alaykum.Peace be upon you.
- Turkiوعليكم السلام، هلا والله.wa alaykum as-salam, hala wallah.And upon you be peace, hello there.
- Faisalوش لونك؟wesh lonak?How are you?
- Turkiبخير، الحمد لله.bkhair, al-hamdu lillah.Fine, thank God.
