ہیلو
helocasual
In Pakistan people say ہیلو (helo) for a casual "hi", but السلام علیکم (assalāmu ʿalaikum) is the greeting you hear most often in daily life. It is also called آداب (ādāb).
Meaning: informal greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ہیلو | helo | casual |
| السلام علیکم | assalāmu ʿalaikum | everyday, Pakistan |
| آداب | ādāb | formal, traditional |
ہیلو (helo) is also how people answer the phone. Face to face, السلام علیکم (assalāmu ʿalaikum) is the safer choice. The reply is وعلیکم السلام (wa ʿalaikum assalām).
Which one should you use?
آداب (ādāb) is an older courtly greeting that you will mostly hear from older speakers or in poetry and films.
Did you know?
- ہیلو (helo) is borrowed from English, and Urdu speakers use it freely on the phone and with friends.
Examples in context
- ہیلو، کیا حال ہے؟helo, kyā ḥāl hai?Hi, how are you?
- السلام علیکم، امیassalāmu ʿalaikum, ammīHello, Mom
Example conversation
Ayesha runs into her classmate Zain at a bookshop in Islamabad.
- Ayeshaہیلو زین!helo zain!Hi Zain!
- Zainہیلو عائشہ، کیسی ہو؟helo ʿāʾisha, kaisī ho?Hi Ayesha, how are you?
- Ayeshaبالکل ٹھیک۔bilkul ṭhīk.Totally fine.
