How to Say 'Hello' in Arabic

Finding and evaluating resources for learning is a crucial skill for lifelong learning and effective work in various fields. Hence, a lack of resources can cause a decline in enrollment, lower performance, and enjoyment in learning Arabic, leading to lower test scores and increased stress levels. No worries for Arabic learners, we have unlimited language resources to help you. In this post, we'll explore many ways of how to say hello in Arabic.

How to Say Hello in Arabic

Each country in the MENA region has its colloquial dialect. The word 'hello' in Arabic can be said in different ways, let’s get started!

1.  As-salamu Alaikum - السلام عليكم
   Is the traditional Arabic greeting that was practiced when Islam first started spreading. It means "Peace be upon you". And "Wa Alaikum As-salām" is the typical response, which means "Peace be upon you too". Here are the variations of  "As-salamu Alaikum" depending on whom you’re addressing:
   
   
   • As-salamu Alaika – السلام عليكَ (sing, masc.)
   • As-salamu Alaiki – السلام عليكِ (sing, fem.)
   • As-salamu Alaikuma - السلام عليكما (dual fem, dual masc, or mixed)
   • As-salamu Alaikunna - السلام عليكن (plur, fem.)
   • As-salamu Alaikum - السلام عليكم (plur, masc, or mixed)
     
   
   
2. Salam - سلام
   How nice is it to be greeted with the word 'peace'? It is basically like 'namaste' but in Arabic.
   
   
   
3. Marhaba - مرحبا
   Marhaba is a common greeting used in the Arabic-speaking world. It is considered polite and neutral.
   
   
   
4. Ahlan - أهلًا 
   This greeting translates into 'welcome', but this is usually used as an interjection rather than any other part of speech. As such, you would use it to say 'Welcome!' to someone as they walk into the room.



5. Ahlan Wa Sahlan - أهلًا و سهلًا
   This greeting can be shortened to just 'Ahlan' in informal settings. When greeting several people, you should say "ahlan wa sahlan bekum" The reply to "ahlan wa sahlan" is usually "ahlan bik" - أهلاً بكْ. if you’re addressing a male, and if you’re addressing a female, it’s "ahlan biki"- أهلًا بكِ.
   
   
   
6. ‘Alo - آلو
   It is also a 'hi' synonym but is almost exclusively used for telephone conversations when picking up or starting a phone call.

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