Ways to say it
| Syrian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| كيفك | kifak | to a man |
| كيفك | kifek | to a woman, same spelling |
| شلونك | shlonak | also used, to a man |
كيفك is the everyday question Syrians ask right after greeting someone. شلونك (shlonak) means the same thing and is also heard, especially among older speakers and in eastern Syria.
What does it mean word for word?
كيفك joins كيف, 'how', with the ending for 'you'. شلونك literally asks about your 'colour', the way Gulf Arabic does too, meaning roughly 'what is your state'.
Which one should you use?
كيفك and شلونك are interchangeable in meaning. كيفك is slightly more common in Damascus, while شلونك is heard more often further east.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are used with friends and strangers alike, since Syrian Arabic does not have a separate formal version of this question.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This question and its forms are shared closely with Lebanese, Jordanian and Palestinian Arabic, all part of the Levantine dialect family.
How does it change in a sentence?
The written form كيفك hides a vowel change: said to a man it sounds like 'kifak', and to a woman like 'kifek'.
How do you pronounce it?
The k at the start is a plain k sound, and the stress falls on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Not adjusting the ending for the gender of the person you are asking is a common slip, since the spelling كيفك looks identical either way.
When do people say it?
Asking كيفك is almost automatic after any greeting in Syria, and skipping it can feel abrupt even in a short exchange.
Did you know?
- شلونك literally asks about your colour, a figure of speech shared with Gulf Arabic even though Syria and the Gulf are far apart geographically.
- The written word كيفك does not show it, but Syrians pronounce the ending differently depending on whether they are speaking to a man or a woman.
Examples in context
- كيفك اليوم؟kifak el-youm?How are you today?
- منيح، كيفك انتي؟mnih, kifek inti?Good, how are you?
- شلونك، من زمان ما شفتك.shlonak, min zaman ma shiftak.How are you, I have not seen you in a long time.
Example conversation
Ziad greets his friend Dana at a café in Damascus.
- Ziadمرحبا، كيفك؟marhaba, kifek?Hi, how are you?
- Danaمنيحة الحمدلله، وانت كيفك؟mniha el-hamdilla, w inta kifak?Good, thank God, and how are you?
- Ziadمنيح، بس شغلان كتير هالأيام.mnih, bass shaghlan ktir hal-ayyam.Good, but very busy these days.
- Danaالله يعينك.allah y3inak.May God help you.
