Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| سَلام | salām | informal | |
| اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم | as-salāmu 'alaikum | ||
| آداب | ādāb | /ɑː.d̪ɑːb/ (Standard, Urdu) | dated, formal |
| سَلام عَلَیکُم | salām 'alaikum | common |
سَلام is a friendly, informal way to say hi.
What does it mean word for word?
The word سَلام literally means peace.
Which one should you use?
While سَلام is an informal greeting, سَلام عَلَیکُم is a common version. For a more complete and formal greeting, you can use اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم, which translates to "peace be upon you".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
سَلام is an informal greeting. سَلام عَلَیکُم is a common way to greet people. The full phrase اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم is the more formal and complete version. آداب is a highly formal, dated greeting used to signify respect and reverence, often found in literature or polite social circles.
How do you pronounce it?
salām
When do people say it?
The traditional Islamic greeting اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم (Peace be upon you) is often met with the response وَعَلَیکُمُ السَّلام, which means "and upon you be peace". In casual settings, one might follow a greeting with the informal phrase Kya haal hai?, which means "How are you?"
Did you know?
- The greeting آداب was specifically coined by the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, to serve as a secular alternative to religious greetings.
- In traditional settings, the greeting آداب is often accompanied by a gesture where the right hand is raised toward the forehead in a slight bow.
- When responding to اَلسَّلامُ عَلَیکُم, it is considered a social obligation to return the greeting with at least as much formality as the first person used.
Examples in context
- سَلام، کیسے ہو؟salaam, kaise ho?Hi, how are you?
- سَلام، کیا حال ہے؟salaam, kya haal hai?Hi, how is it going?
- سَلام، آج بہت گرمی ہے۔salaam, aaj bohat garmi hai.Hi, it is very hot today.
Example conversation
Fatima and Ali meet at a cafe.
- فاطمہ Fatimaسَلام، علی!Salaam, Ali!Hi, Ali!
- علی Aliسَلام، فاطمہ! کیسی ہو؟Salaam, Fatima! Kaisi ho?Hi, Fatima! How are you?
- فاطمہ Fatimaمیں ٹھیک ہوں، شکریہ۔Mein theek hoon, shukriya.I am fine, thank you.
- علی Aliیہ سن کر خوشی ہوئی۔Yeh sun kar khushi hui.Glad to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries آداب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آداب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
