Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| مَرْحَبًا | marḥaban | ||
| سَلَام | salām | ||
| أَهْلًا | ʔahlan | ||
| أهلاً | Egyptian Arabic | ||
| قوة | guwa | /quw.wa/ | Gulf Arabic |
| مَرْحَبَا | marḥaba | Hijazi Arabic | |
| السلام | s-salām | Moroccan Arabic |
These phrases are all used as friendly, informal greetings.
What does it mean word for word?
The word مَرْحَبًا (marḥaban) is derived from a root meaning 'spaciousness' or 'welcome/roomy', implying that the person is welcome in your space. The word سَلَام (salām) literally means 'peace'.
Which one should you use?
مَرْحَبًا is a standard greeting, whereas سَلَام is often used as a more casual or shorthand way to say 'hello' or 'peace be upon you'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
سَلَام is an informal and casual way to greet someone compared to the full religious greeting السلام عليكم. For a formal greeting, use السلام عليكم and the polite response to that is وعليكم السلام.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term قوة (guwa) is a colloquial greeting used specifically in the Gulf region.
How do you pronounce it?
marḥaban
When do people say it?
To say 'Good morning', use صباح الخير and to say 'Good evening', use مساء الخير.
Did you know?
- The word مَرْحَبًا (marḥaban) is often paired with the response مَرْحَبَيْن (marhabayn), which literally means 'two welcomes'.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, a physical gesture like a light touch of the hand over the heart often accompanies a greeting to show sincerity and respect.
- In the Gulf region, the greeting قوة (guwa) literally translates to 'strength', essentially wishing the other person strength and energy.
Examples in context
- أهلاً ، هل تعمل هنا؟Hi! Do you work here?This sentence is useful for greeting someone while asking about their employment.Tatoeba #384030 by saeb, translation #54608 by Zifre
- أهلاً بيل ، كيف الأحوال؟Hi, Bill. How are you?This sentence is useful for greeting Bill and asking how he is.Tatoeba #394990 by saeb, translation #30313 by Zifre
- أهلاً كيف حالك؟Hi! How are you?This sentence is useful for a general greeting and asking how someone is.Tatoeba #375543 by saeb, translation #30316 by Zifre
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Layla and Ahmed meet at a cafe.
- ليلى Laylaمَرْحَبًا يا أحمد!Marhaban ya Ahmed!Hi, Ahmed!
- أحمد Ahmedأهلاً ليلى، كيف حالكِ؟Ahlan Layla, kayfa haluki?Hi Layla, how are you?
- ليلى Laylaأنا بخير، شكراً لك.Ana bikhayr, shukran lak.I am fine, thank you.
- أحمد Ahmedسعيد برؤيتكِ اليوم.Sa'id bi-ru'yatikِ al-yawm.Happy to see you today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries قوة, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
