حياك الله
ḥayyāk AllāhGulf, to a man
In Qatar a warm welcome to a man is حياك الله (ḥayyāk Allāh), "may God give you life". The widely used أهلاً وسهلاً (ahlan wa sahlan) and مرحبا بك (marḥaban bik) work for everyone.
Meaning: greeting a guest (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حياك الله | ḥayyāk Allāh | Gulf, to a man |
| أهلاً وسهلاً | ahlan wa sahlan | neutral |
| مرحبا بك | marḥaban bik | neutral |
Hosts say حياك الله (ḥayyāk Allāh) at the door of a majlis. The guest answers الله يحييك (Allāh yiḥayyīk), returning the wish.
Which one should you use?
To a woman the ending changes to حياكِ الله (ḥayyāki Allāh). To a group it becomes حياكم الله (ḥayyākum Allāh).
When do people say it?
Welcoming a visitor with coffee and dates in Qatar usually follows the spoken greeting.
Did you know?
- The root of حياك (ḥayyāk) is the one for life, which is why the same word also appears in the Gulf as the opening of many invitations.
Examples in context
- حياك الله يا أبو محمدḥayyāk Allāh yā Abū MuḥammadWelcome, Abu Mohammed.
- أهلاً وسهلاً في قطرahlan wa sahlan fī QaṭarWelcome to Qatar.
- مرحبا بك في بيتناmarḥaban bik fī baytināWelcome to our home.
Example conversation
Nasser welcomes his guest Hamad to the majlis at his home in Doha.
- Nasserحياك الله يا حمدḥayyāk Allāh yā ḤamadWelcome, Hamad.
- Hamadالله يحييكAllāh yiḥayyīkAnd you.
- Nasserتفضل اجلسtfaḍḍal ijlisPlease sit down.
