שלום, נעים להכיר
shalom, na'im lehakir
“Hello nice to meet you” in Hebrew is שלום, נעים להכיר (shalom, na'im lehakir).
This phrase is a polite greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. In many social situations, Israelis often shorten the phrase to just נעים מאוד, which means “very nice” (to meet you).
What does it mean word for word?
The part נעים להכיר literally translates to “nice to know” or “nice to get to know”.
How do you pronounce it?
shalom, na'im lehakir
Did you know?
- While שלום is used as 'hello', it is also the standard word for 'goodbye'.
- The word שלום shares the same ancient Semitic roots as the Arabic word 'salaam'. This makes the core of the Hebrew greeting recognizable to Arabic speakers across the Middle East.
- The word שלום is not just a greeting but is rooted in the concept of 'quietness' and 'tranquility'. It implies a wish for the other person to be at peace and free from any disturbance.
Example conversation
Noa and Itai are meeting for the first time at a party.
- נועה Noaשלום, נעים להכיר, אני נועה.Shalom, na'im lehakir, ani Noa.Hello, nice to meet you, I am Noa.
- איתי Itayשלום נועה, אני איתי. נעים להכיר!Shalom Noa, ani Itai. Na'im lehakir!Hello Noa, I am Itai. Nice to meet you!
- נועה Noaאתה חבר של המארח?Ata chaver shel hamareeach?Are you a friend of the host?
- איתי Itayכן, אנחנו לומדים ביחד.Ken, anachnu lomdim beyachad.Yes, we study together.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries נעים, שלום, CC BY-SA 4.0.
