ሰላም
sälam
The English word "hi" is translated into Tigrinya as ሰላም (sälam).
ሰላም is the most common way to say "hi" or "hello" in Tigrinya.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ሰላም literally means "peace".
How does it change in a sentence?
ሰላም is a gender-neutral greeting that can be used for both males and females.
How do you pronounce it?
sälam
Did you know?
- The word ሰላም is used not only to start a conversation but can also be used in certain contexts to wish someone a peaceful departure.
- In traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian cultures, a greeting like ሰላም is often accompanied by a gentle handshake or a slight bow of the head as a sign of respect.
- While ሰላም is the standard greeting, Tigrinya speakers often follow it with a series of questions about the other person's health and family before the actual conversation begins.
Examples in context
- ሰላም!selam!Hi!
Example conversation
Yonas and Meher meet at a coffee shop.
- ዮናስ Yonasሰላም፣ መዓር!Selam, Meher!Hi, Meher!
- መዓር Me'arሰላም ዮናስ፣ ከመይ ኣለኻ?Selam Yonas, kemey alekha?Hi Yonas, how are you?
- ዮናስ Yonasጽቡቕ ኣለኹ፣ ይቕንብልይ።Tsubuq alekhu, yikinbilay.I am good, thank you.
- መዓር Me'arእየ፣ ብደስታ።Iye, bideshta.Yes, with pleasure.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries ሰላም, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
