Arabic Greetings and Politeness: The Everyday Essentials | Learn Arabic

The core greetings

Arabic	Transliteration	English	Note
السلام عليكم	as-salāmu ʿalaykum	peace be upon you	the universal greeting
وعليكم السلام	wa-ʿalaykum as-salām	and upon you peace	the reply
صباح الخير	ṣabāḥ al-khayr	good morning	—
صباح النور	ṣabāḥ an-nūr	morning of light	the reply
مساء الخير	masāʾ al-khayr	good evening	—
مرحبا	marḥaban	hello / welcome	simple, friendly
أهلا وسهلا	ahlan wa-sahlan	welcome	warmer welcome

السلام عليكم works at any hour, with anyone — it's the safest opener in the Arab world.

Arabic	Transliteration	English	Note
كيف حالك؟	kayfa ḥālak / ḥālik	how are you? (m./f.)	—
بخير، الحمد لله	bi-khayr, al-ḥamdu lillāh	fine, praise be to God	the standard reply
وأنت؟	wa-anta / anti	and you?	—
كيف الحال؟	kayfa l-ḥāl	how's things?	everyday standard

Arabic	Transliteration	English	Note
شكرا	shukran	thank you	—
شكرا جزيلا	shukran jazīlan	thank you very much	—
عفوا	ʿafwan	you're welcome / excuse me	reply to شكرا
من فضلك	min faḍlak / faḍlik	please (to a man / to a woman)	faḍlak to a man · faḍlik to a woman (audio reads faḍlak)
لو سمحت	law samaḥt	please / if you please	polite request opener
آسف	āsif	sorry (m. speaker)	—
آسفة	āsifa	sorry (f. speaker)	—
لا بأس	lā baʾs	it's okay / no problem	reply to apologies
تفضل	tafaḍḍal	please, go ahead / here you are	offering something

عفوا covers both 'you're welcome' and 'pardon me' — context decides.

Arabic	Transliteration	English	Note
مع السلامة	maʿa s-salāma	goodbye	lit. 'with safety'
إلى اللقاء	ilā l-liqāʾ	see you later	—
تصبح على خير	tuṣbiḥ ʿalā khayr	good night	lit. 'may you wake to good'

Q1. The correct reply to السلام عليكم is:

Answer: وعليكم السلام

Q2. عفوا is the reply to:

Answer: شكرا

Q3. بخير، الحمد لله answers which question?

Answer: كيف حالك؟

Q4. من فضلك means:

Answer: please

Q5. مع السلامة means:

Answer: goodbye