سلام بر شما
salam bar shoma
To say "peace be with you" in Persian, use سلام بر شما (salam bar shoma).
This phrase is a formal greeting used to wish someone peace. While it literally means "peace be with you", in modern everyday Persian, it is more common to simply say Salam to mean "Hello".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of سلام (peace), بر (upon/on) and شما (you, plural/formal).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The use of شما makes سلام بر شما a polite or formal way to address someone. If you wish to address a single close friend or use an informal tone, you can use the alternative form سلام بر تو.
How does it change in a sentence?
Replacing the formal شما with the singular تو in the phrase سلام بر تو makes the expression informal or used for a single close friend.
How do you pronounce it?
salam bar shoma
Did you know?
- Persian has a complex system of 'Taarof', where greetings can be extended into a ritual of extreme politeness and humility.
- The preposition بر shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'upon'.
- In Persian culture, the choice between شما and تو is not just about number, but about the social hierarchy and emotional distance between speakers.
Examples in context
- سلام بر شما، ای بزرگوار.salām bar shomā, ey bozorgvār.Peace be with you, noble one.
- سلام بر شما و خانوادهتان.salām bar shomā va khānevāde-tān.Peace be with you and your family.
- سلام بر شما، خوش آمدید.salām bar shomā, khosh āmadid.Peace be with you, welcome.
Example conversation
Amir and Zahra meet at a formal professional conference.
- امیر Amirسلام بر شما، خانم زهرا.Salam bar shoma, khanom Zahra.Peace be with you, Ms. Zahra.
- زهرا Zahraسلام بر شما، آقای امیر.Salam bar shoma, aghaye Amir.Peace be with you, Mr. Amir.
- امیر Amirاز دیدن شما خوشحالم.Az didan-e shoma khoshhalam.I am glad to see you.
- زهرا Zahraمن هم همینطور.Man ham hamin-tor.I am as well.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بر, سلام, شما, CC BY-SA 4.0.
