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 terms are used to greet someone in a friendly manner.
What does it mean word for word?
The word مَرْحَبًا (marḥaban) literally means 'welcome'. The word سَلَام (salām) means 'peace'. The word أَهْلًا (ʔahlan) is derived from a root meaning 'family' or 'kin', which implies the sentiment 'you are among family'. Finally, the word قوة (guwa) literally means 'strength' or 'power'.
Which one should you use?
مَرْحَبًا and أَهْلًا are both used to say 'hi', but مَرْحَبًا is slightly more formal and is a standard form across many dialects. سَلَام is more casual and often serves as a shorthand for the longer religious greeting 'As-salāmu ʿalaykum'. قوة is a very informal, masculine-coded greeting used specifically among friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Levant region, مَرْحَبَا is commonly used for both formal and informal greetings. In Egyptian Arabic, أهلاً is a common way to say hi. In Gulf Arabic, the word قوة is used. In Moroccan Arabic, السلام is used. In Hijazi Arabic, مَرْحَبَا is a common form.
How do you pronounce it?
marḥaban
When do people say it?
If you use the formal religious greeting As-salāmu ʿalaykum (Peace be upon you), the standard response is Wa ʿalaykumu s-salām (And peace be upon you).
Did you know?
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, a greeting like مَرْحَبًا is often accompanied by a hand placed over the heart. This gesture signifies that the greeting comes from a place of sincerity.
- While سَلَام means 'peace', it is used as a greeting regardless of a person's religion. It is a universal way to say 'hi' across the Arab world.
- The masculine-coded greeting قوة (guwa) is specifically used by men to greet one another in the Gulf region.
Examples in context
- أهلاً ، هل تعمل هنا؟Hi! Do you work here?This sentence shows how to use أهلاً to ask if someone works in a location.Tatoeba #384030 by saeb, translation #54608 by Zifre
- أهلاً بيل ، كيف الأحوال؟Hi, Bill. How are you?This sentence uses أهلاً to greet someone by name and ask how they are.Tatoeba #394990 by saeb, translation #30313 by Zifre
- أهلاً كيف حالك؟Hi! How are you?This sentence uses أهلاً as a simple greeting before asking how someone is doing.Tatoeba #375543 by saeb, translation #30316 by Zifre
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah meets Omar at a local cafe.
- سارة Saraمَرْحَبًا يَا عُمَرُ!marḥaban yā 'umar!Hi, Omar!
- عمر Omarأَهْلًا يَا سَارَةُ.ahlan yā sārah.Hi, Sarah.
- سارة Saraهَلْ أَنْتَ بِخَيْر؟hal anta bikhayr?Are you doing well?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، أَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، شُكْرًا.na'am, ana bikhayrin, shukran.Yes, I am well, thanks.
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.
