هاي
hāycasual, everyday
The casual "hi" in Lebanon is هاي (hāy), borrowed from English. Locals also say هلا (halla) and, from French, سالوت (salūt).
Meaning: casual greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| هاي | hāy | casual, everyday |
| هلا | halla | casual |
| سالوت | salūt | French loan, casual |
هاي is common in speech and in text messages, especially among young people. It is not used with elders in a formal setting.
Which one should you use?
In an Arabic-only greeting, هلا is the usual choice. مرحبا (marḥaba) is the standard hello with everyone.
When do people say it?
Greetings in Lebanon often come with one or two kisses on the cheek between friends and relatives.
Did you know?
- The French سالوت (salūt) is a leftover of the French influence in Lebanon, which also gave بونجور and ميرسي.
Examples in context
- هاي ريماhāy RīmaHi Rima.
- هلا، شو عم تعملي؟halla, shū ʿam tiʿmeli?Hi, what are you doing?
- سالوت، كيفكن؟salūt, kīfkon?Hi, how are you all?
Example conversation
Nour walks into a friend's office in Jounieh.
- Nourهاي ميشالhāy MīshālHi Michel.
- Michelهلا نور، تفضليhalla Nūr, tfaḍḍaliHi Nour, please come in.
- Nourمشغول؟mashghūl?Busy?
