Ways to say it
| Algerian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| واش راك؟ | wach rak? | to a man |
| لاباس؟ | labas? | |
| واش راكي؟ | wach raki? | to a woman |
To a woman, the question becomes واش راكي؟ (wach raki?). لاباس؟ (labas?), literally 'no harm?', works for anyone and doubles as the answer.
What does it mean word for word?
واش means 'what' and راك/راكي comes from the verb 'to be', so the phrase literally asks 'what are you'. لاباس joins لا, 'no', and باس, 'harm'.
Which one should you use?
واش راك؟ and واش راكي؟ are everyday and friendly. لاباس؟ is a touch gentler and common even with people you do not know well.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
None of these are formal. With an elder or a stranger, Algerians usually say السلام عليكم first and ask لاباس؟ afterward.
Is it said differently in some regions?
واش راك is heard across Algeria and marks a speaker's dialect at once, since Moroccans typically ask كي داير؟ instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the person you address: راك to a man, راكي to a woman, راكم to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
واش is said quickly, closer to 'wesh' in casual speech, and راك keeps a short, clipped a.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Asking a woman واش راك؟ instead of واش راكي؟ is a common learner mistake, since only the ending changes.
When do people say it?
لاباس also serves as the answer to itself, so a full friendly exchange can simply be لاباس؟ followed by لاباس، الحمد لله.
Did you know?
- لاباس, heard across the Maghreb, works as both the question 'how are you' and the reply 'fine', the way English speakers sometimes answer 'good' to 'how's it going'.
- The Algerian واش for 'what' comes from an older Arabic phrase shortened over centuries of everyday speech.
Examples in context
- واش راك، كل شيء بخير؟wach rak, kolchi bikhir?How are you, is everything fine?
- واش راكي اليوم؟wach raki lyoum?How are you today?
- لاباس عليك؟labas 3lik?Are you well?
Example conversation
Sofiane asks his sister Imane how she is doing over the phone.
- Sofianeواش راكي؟wach raki?How are you?
- Imaneلاباس الحمد لله، وراك؟labas lhamdulillah, w rak?Fine, thank God, and you?
- Sofianeبخير برك.bikhir berk.Just fine.
- Imaneفرحت بصوتك.frahet bsawtek.Good to hear your voice.
