Arabic speakers learn Modern Standard Arabic at school and use it in writing and news, then switch to their own dialect with family and friends. This page gives the Modern Standard Arabic greeting first, then the form people say in Cairo and in Morocco. The readings use one plain system: a doubled vowel is a long vowel, and ' marks the letters hamza and ʿayn. Every greeting was checked against Wikivoyage's Arabic, Egyptian and Moroccan phrasebooks and Wiktionary.
| Arabic | English | Style | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| as-salaamu 'alaykum | Peace be upon you | Polite | Hello at any time of day |
| wa 'alaykumu s-salaam | And upon you be peace | Polite | The reply to the greeting above |
| marhaban | Hello | Casual | Friends, shops and tourists |
| sabaah al-khayr | Good morning | Polite | Until about midday |
| sabaah an-noor | Good morning, in reply | Polite | The classic answer, "morning of light" |
| مساء الخيرmasaa' al-khayr | Good evening | Polite | Afternoon and evening |
| مساء النورmasaa' an-noor | Good evening, in reply | Polite | The classic answer |
| كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟kayfa haaluka? | How are you? To a man | Polite | Anyone, after hello |
| كَيْفَ حَالُكِ؟kayfa haaluki? | How are you? To a woman | Polite | Anyone, after hello |
| بخير، الحمد للهbi-khayr, al-hamdu lillaah | Well, thanks be to God | Polite | The usual answer |
| shukran | Thank you | Neutral | Everyone |
| عفوا'afwan | You're welcome | Neutral | The reply to thanks |
| ma'a s-salaama | Goodbye | Neutral | Both people, when they part |
| إلى اللقاءilaa l-liqaa' | See you again | Polite | Parting, "until we meet" |
| تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْرtusbihu 'alaa khayr | Good night, to a man | Polite | Before bed or when leaving in the evening |
| تُصْبِحِينَ عَلَى خَيْرtusbihiina 'alaa khayr | Good night, to a woman | Polite | Before bed or when leaving in the evening |
Wikivoyage lists سلام (salaam) as a casual hello and a casual goodbye, and it is the quickest of these for a friend.
In Cairo you hear أهلا (ahlan) and (ezzayyak) more than the formal forms. Our guide to Egyptian Arabic phrases has more, and the Egyptian Arabic journey teaches them in lessons.
| Egyptian Arabic | English | Style | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| أهلاahlan | Hello | Casual | Anyone, any time |
| صباح الخيرsabaah el-kheer | Good morning | Polite | The morning |
| صباح النورsabaah en-noor | Good morning, in reply | Polite | The classic answer |
| مساء الخيرmasaa' el-kheer | Good evening | Polite | Afternoon and evening |
| ezzayyak? | How are you? To a man | Casual | Friends and people your age |
| ezzayyik? | How are you? To a woman | Casual | Friends and people your age |
| الحمد للهel-hamdu lillaah | Thank God, I am well | Polite | The usual answer |
| كويس، شكراkwayyis, shukran | Fine, thank you | Casual | A man's answer; a woman says (kwayyisa) |
| شكراshukran | Thank you | Neutral | Everyone |
| العفوel-'afw | You're welcome | Neutral | The reply to thanks |
| ma'a s-salaama | Goodbye | Neutral | Both people, when they part |
Darija drops most short vowels, so the same words sound shorter than in Standard Arabic. The Moroccan Arabic journey and our guide to Darija phrases show them in use.
| Moroccan Arabic | English | Style | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| salaam | Hello | Casual | Friends and shopkeepers |
| sbaah l-khir | Good morning | Polite | The morning |
| sbaah n-noor | Good morning, in reply | Polite | The classic answer |
| msaa l-khir | Good evening | Polite | Afternoon and evening |
| laa baas? | How are you? How are things? | Casual | The most common question |
| laa baas, l-hamdulillaah | Fine, thanks be to God | Casual | The usual answer |
| kidayr? | How are you? To a man | Casual | Friends and people your age |
| kidayra? | How are you? To a woman | Casual | Friends and people your age |
| shukran bzaaf | Thank you very much | Neutral | Everyone |
| bla jmeel | You're welcome | Casual | The reply to thanks |
| bslaama | Goodbye | Neutral | Both people, when they part |
Arabic greetings come in pairs, and the second person returns the wish with a small change. (as-salaamu 'alaykum) gets (wa 'alaykumu s-salaam). (sabaah al-khayr) ("morning of goodness") gets (sabaah an-noor) ("morning of light"), and مساء الخير (masaa' al-khayr) gets مساء النور (masaa' an-noor). You can also answer a greeting with the same words you heard.
When someone asks how you are, the usual answer starts with الحمد لله (al-hamdu lillaah), "thanks be to God". Wikivoyage's Egyptian phrasebook notes that in Egypt it is a more common answer to "how are you" than "fine", and the Moroccan one pairs it with (laa baas).
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Asking a woman كيف حالك with the man's ending. | The ending changes with the person you ask: -ka for a man, -ki for a woman. The same goes for إزيك in Egypt and كيداير in Morocco. |
| Using the Standard Arabic words in a Cairo or Casablanca street. | They are understood, but people answer with their own forms. Match what you hear: إزيك in Egypt, لا باس in Morocco. |
| Saying صباح الخير all day. | Switch to مساء الخير after midday. |
Hear Standard Arabic greetings between two people in Arabic Daily Greetings and Introductions. Our guide to saying good morning in Arabic covers the morning pair in more detail. To read the words letter by letter, start with Bubblegum's Arabic alphabet course, or read how to learn Arabic, step by step.
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Do Egyptians and Moroccans Understand السلام عليكم?
Yes. is understood everywhere Arabic is spoken, and the reply is too.
Which Arabic App Should a Beginner Choose?
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Sources
- Bubblegum guide: Arabic Daily Greetings and Introductions (Level 1, Modern Standard Arabic, with lesson notes)
- Wikivoyage: Arabic phrasebook
- Wikivoyage: Egyptian Arabic phrasebook
- Wikivoyage: Moroccan Arabic phrasebook
- Wiktionary: صباح الخير (Arabic)
- Wiktionary: السلام عليكم (Arabic)
- Peace Corps Morocco: Moroccan Arabic Textbook (2011)
- Lisaan Masry: Egyptian Arabic dictionary
