Along with handshakes, learning how to greet people properly is an important social skill that everyone needs to acquire, especially when traveling to another country. If you're getting a new job in the Middle East, enrolling in a study abroad program, or just want to say hello to an Arab native friend, knowing some basic Arabic greetings is a great way to get started with this wonderful language and culture.

Greetings show respect for others and create a positive impression of yourself. In the Arabic language, there are a lot of formal and informal ways to say hello and carry on any conversation. Now, let’s learn more about how to greet properly in Arabic:

- “As-salamu alaikum” السلام عليكم-

It is a common Islamic greeting, which means “Peace be upon you”.

- Ahlan أهلاً

It is a non-religious way to greet someone in Arabic, which means “Hello”.

- Marhaba مرحبا

This word can be said to a male, female, or more than one person, meaning “Welcome”.

- Sabah al-kheir صباح الخير

Arabic greetings change according to the time of day, and this phrase is used in the morning, whether on formal or informal occasions, meaning "Good morning."

- Masaa al-kheir مساء الخير

It is the Arabic phrase that is used to greet people at night, meaning “Good evening”.

- Kaefa haaluk? كيف حالك

Often used after saying hello, this question means "How are you?"

- Amel eih? عامل إيه

In every Arabic dialect, there are different ways of greeting people, this phrase means "what's up" and is used daily in Egyptian Arabic.

No matter what Arabic dialect you learn and what country you travel to, knowing a warm greeting is essential for civilized interaction and for sure making new friends.

how to greet in arabic

Courses of the Al-Khalil educational platform for learning Arabic:

6 pillars to learn Arabic well

I master the Arabic language, subscribe to the newsletter

A weekly newsletter that helps you improve and master the Arabic language