At a Glance: In Arabic, hello is Marḥaban (مَرْحَبًا), often pronounced marḥaba in everyday speech. Another widely used respectful greeting is As-salāmu ʿalaykum (السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ). Reply with wa ʿalaykumu s-salām (وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ). Beginners should learn one neutral greeting, its reply, and the local “how are you?” used in the dialect you are studying.
How do you say hello in Arabic? Start with مَرْحَبًا (marḥaban). It is simple, polite, and understood across the Arabic-speaking world. Another respectful, Islamic choice is السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ (as-salāmu ʿalaykum), which means “peace be upon you.”
These two greetings will take you a long way, but they are only the beginning. In everyday conversations, you may also hear ahlan, salām, halā, or local expressions that change from one dialect to another.
This guide will help you choose the greeting that fits the moment and respond naturally when someone greets you first.
How Do You Say Hello in Arabic?
Natural reply | Best use | Meaning | Arabic and pronunciation |
Marḥaban or ahlan | Neutral and widely understood | Hello | مَرْحَبًا marḥaban / marḥaba |
Wa ʿalaykumu s-salām | Respectful and widely used | Peace be upon you | السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ as-salāmu ʿalaykum |
Ahlan | Friendly and everyday | Hi / welcome | أَهْلًا ahlan |
Salām or ahlan | Casual conversation | Hi / peace | سَلَام salām |
Ṣabāḥ an-nūr | Morning | Good morning | صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ ṣabāḥ al-khayr |
Masāʾ an-nūr | Afternoon or evening | Good evening | مَسَاءُ الْخَيْرِ masāʾ al-khayr |
Yā marḥabā or ahlan | Warm regional greeting | Well, hello! / a warm welcome | يَا مَرْحَبَا yā marḥabā |
Halā or yā halā | Gulf and Levant, informal | Hi / welcome | هَلَا / يَا هَلَا halā / yā halā |
Ṣabāḥo or ṣabāḥ an-nūr | Casual morning greeting | Morning! | صَبَاحُو ṣabāḥo |
ʿAslema | Tunisian Arabic | Hello / welcome | عَسْلَامَة ʿaslema |
1. As-salāmu ʿalaykum
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Peace be upon you |
as-salāmu ʿalaykum |
السلام عليكم |
|
This greeting is widely understood and often sounds respectful, warm, or traditional. It is common between friends and relatives as well as in first meetings, shops, workplaces, and formal situations. Its tone depends on the speaker and the setting, so it is more flexible than a simple “formal greeting” label suggests.
The reply is conventional, which makes this pair especially useful for beginners.
2. Marḥaban
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hello |
marḥaban |
مَرْحَبًا |
|
Use marḥaban when you want a greeting that is clear, polite, and easy to understand across the Arabic-speaking world. It works at most times of day and does not require you to know the listener’s dialect first.
In careful MSA pronunciation, you may hear the final n in marḥaban. In everyday speech, many people say marḥaba. A natural reply is marḥaban, marḥaba, or ahlan. There is no need to search for a more elaborate answer.
3. Salām
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hi/Peace |
salām |
سَلَام |
|
Salām is a relaxed greeting among friends, classmates, and colleagues. It can also appear when someone leaves, rather like “peace” or “bye.” It is not automatically inappropriate at work, but the full as-salāmu ʿalaykum or neutral marḥaban may be safer in a conservative or very formal first meeting.
4. Ahlan
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hi/Welcome |
ahlan |
أَهْلًا |
|
Ahlan is short, friendly, and common in everyday conversation. You can say it to someone you know or use it to soften a first meeting. The easiest reply is simply ahlan.
You may also hear أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا (ahlan wa sahlan), which is a fuller welcome. It is not a compulsory response to marḥaban. It belongs more naturally to welcoming a guest or visitor. Read more in AlifBee’s guide to saying welcome in Arabic.
How to Say Hi in Arabic Informally
English speakers often want a word that feels as light as “hi.” These are the most useful options:
Phrase | Tone and use | Reply |
أَهْلًا ahlan | Friendly, brief, and broadly understood | Ahlan |
سَلَام salām | Casual and relaxed | Salām |
مَرْحَبَا marḥaba | Everyday spoken form of marḥaban | Marḥaba or ahlan |
يَا مَرْحَبَا yā marḥabā | A warmer “well, hello!” or “what a welcome” | Yā marḥabā |
هَلَا / يَا هَلَا halā / yā halā | Very common in Gulf Arabic and also heard in the Levant | Halā |
What does yā marḥaba mean?
Yā marḥaba is a warm, emphatic greeting. Depending on the situation, it can feel like “well, hello!”, “a big welcome,” or “how lovely to see you.” It is especially familiar in Gulf and Levantine speech, but exact habits vary by region.
Arabic Greetings by Time of Day
Time-based greetings work much like their English equivalents, but the replies often replace “goodness” with “light.”
Use | Reply / role | Meaning | Greeting |
Morning until around midday, depending on local habits | صَبَاحُ النُّورِ ṣabāḥ an-nūr | Good morning | صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ ṣabāḥ al-khayr |
Afternoon or evening | مَسَاءُ النُّورِ masāʾ an-nūr | Good evening | مَسَاءُ الْخَيْرِ masāʾ al-khayr |
Especially familiar in Egyptian Arabic | A warm reply or greeting | Morning of jasmine | صَبَاحُ الْفُلِّ ṣabāḥ al-full |
Common poetic variation | A warm reply or greeting | Morning of roses | صَبَاحُ الْوَرْدِ ṣabāḥ al-ward |
Casual speech, especially Egypt and the Levant | Ṣabāḥo / ṣabāḥ an-nūr | Morning! | صَبَاحُو ṣabāḥo |
A small but useful distinction: “good night” is normally a farewell, not a greeting. For more morning expressions and natural replies, read Good Morning in Arabic. For leaving phrases, see How to Say Goodbye in Arabic.
What does ṣabāḥo mean?
Ṣabāḥo is a shortened, casual form related to ṣabāḥ al-khayr. It feels like saying “Morning!” rather than the fuller “Good morning.” You may hear it on its own, repeated, or followed by someone’s name.
How to Say “Hello, How Are You?” in Arabic
A greeting often grows into a question about the other person. The MSA version is useful everywhere, while dialect versions sound more natural in everyday conversation.
Variety | Arabic and pronunciation | Meaning / note |
Modern Standard Arabic | مَرْحَبًا، كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟ / كَيْفَ حَالُكِ؟ marḥaban, kayfa ḥāluka? / kayfa ḥāluki? | Hello, how are you? |
Egyptian Arabic | أَهْلًا، إِزَّيَّك؟ ahlan, izzayyak? / izzayyik? | Hi, how are you? |
Levantine Arabic | مَرْحَبَا، كِيفَك؟ / كِيفِك؟ marḥaba, kīfak? / kīfik? | Hello, how are you? |
Gulf Arabic | مَرْحَبَا، شْلُونَك؟ marḥaba, shlōnak? | Hello, how are you? Pronunciation varies by region. |
Moroccan Darija | السَّلَام، لَابَاس؟ as-salām, labās? | Hello, are you well? |
The masculine and feminine endings matter in several varieties, but learners do not need to master every form at once. Start with the dialect you hear most. AlifBee’s How Are You in Arabic? guide explains the forms and replies in more detail.
How “Hello” Changes Across Arabic Dialects
The broad greetings above travel well, but local speech adds personality. Here is a practical map rather than a rulebook:
Dialect | Common hello | Common follow-up | Useful note |
Egyptian Arabic | Ahlan, marḥaba, salāmu ʿalaykum | Izzayyak? / izzayyik? | Ṣabāḥ al-full is a warm morning greeting. |
Levantine Arabic | Marḥaba, ahlēn, salām | Kīfak? / kīfik? | Yā marḥaba and yaʿṭīk al-ʿāfiyah are common in suitable contexts. |
Gulf Arabic | Marḥaba, yā halā, yā marḥaba | Shlōnak? | Warm welcome formulas are especially common. |
Moroccan Darija | Salām, marḥba | Labās? | Pronunciation is noticeably different from MSA. |
Tunisian Arabic | ʿAslema | Shnūwa aḥwālek? | ʿAslema is distinctly Tunisian and may also be used when welcoming someone. |
For a clearer picture of why Arabic sounds different from country to country, see AlifBee’s guide to Arabic dialects.
Hello in Egyptian Arabic
In Egyptian Arabic, you can say Hello with ahlan, marḥaba, and as-salāmu ʿalaykum. In casual conversation, the greeting often flows straight into izzayyak? when speaking to a man or izzayyik? when speaking to a woman.
أَهْلًا، إِزَّيَّك؟ | ahlan, izzayyak? / izzayyik? | Hi, how are you?
You may also hear ṣabāḥo in the morning or ṣabāḥ al-full, literally “morning of jasmine.” These are natural extras, but they do not need to replace the simple greetings above.
Situational Expressions That Are Not Exact Translations of “Hello”
Some warm Arabic expressions appear at the start of an interaction, so learners understandably file them under “hello.” Their real meaning is more specific.
When it fits | Literal sense | Expression |
Heard in some regions around food, work, effort, or as a short response. It is not a universal hello. | Health / well-being | عَوَافِي ʿawāfī |
Common in the Levant and Gulf to acknowledge effort, work, or service. It can open an interaction, but it is not a direct translation of hello. | May God give you health or strength | يَعْطِيكَ الْعَافِيَةَ yaʿṭīk al-ʿāfiyah |
A warm welcome said to a guest or visitor. | You have brightened our place | نَوَّرْتَنَا nawwartnā |
Used to receive someone warmly, especially a guest. | Welcome | أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا ahlan wa sahlan |
These phrases are useful because they show how Arabic greetings often notice the other person’s effort or presence. For related expressions, see Welcome in Arabic and Thank You in Arabic.
How to Write Hello in Arabic
Arabic is written from right to left. These are the four most useful forms to copy and recognize:
English | Arabic and pronunciation |
Hello | مَرْحَبًا marḥaban |
Peace be upon you | السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ as-salāmu ʿalaykum |
Hi / welcome | أَهْلًا ahlan |
Hi / peace | سَلَام salām |
In unvowelled everyday writing, you will often see مرحبا, السلام عليكم, أهلا, and سلام without the small vowel marks. Both versions are normal. The vowel marks in this guide are there to help beginners read and pronounce the words.
Hello in Arabic Pronunciation: Four Small Tips
- Do not overthink marḥaba. Say mar-ḥa-ba in three clear beats. The ḥ is a stronger, breathier h than the English h.
- Listen for the doubled s. In as-salāmu ʿalaykum, the article al- blends into the following s sound, so learners hear as-salāmu.
- Treat ʿayn as a skill, not a test. The symbol ʿ marks the Arabic letter ع. A perfect first attempt is not required for a greeting to be understood.
- Copy rhythm before individual sounds. Listen to a short native recording, pause, and repeat the whole phrase rather than spelling it out in your head.
For a fuller sound guide, including ḥ and ʿayn, use AlifBee’s Arabic pronunciation guide.
Final Word
Learning how to greet others, say welcome and goodbye in Arabic is essential if you want to have a good social life. It will help you make more friends and advance your career.
You can see and learn all these ways to say hello in Arabic on AlifBee.
This mobile app is perfect for you if you aim to learn Arabic the way native Arabs speak. Try it now for free.
