Sign in
← Arabic lessons
🇸🇦
Lesson 1 of 10

Greetings and politeness in Arabic

Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Arabic words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.

Al-Rahmah Mosque on the waterfront in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Greetings and politeness
11 words · 20 seconds each · 9 of 11 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Tahir mq, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All 11 Arabic phrases in this lesson

مرحباًmar-HA-ban
Hello

The universal, pan-Arabic greeting understood everywhere. The reply is "marhaba" or "marhabtayn" (double welcome). More formal: "ahlan wa sahlan" (AH-lan wa SAH-lan), you are welcome here, an ancient hospitality phrase.

صباح الخيرsa-BAH al-KHAYR
Good morning

Literally "morning of goodness". The reply is "sabah an-nur" (morning of light). Evening runs the same pattern: "masa al-khayr" is answered with "masa an-nur". Knowing the reply rather than just the greeting marks you as someone who has spent real time with Arabic speakers.

مساء الخيرma-SA al-KHAYR
Good evening

Literally "evening of goodness", from mid-afternoon on. The reply is "masa an-nur" (ma-SA an-NOOR), evening of light.

مع السلامةma-a as-sa-LA-ma
Goodbye

Literally "with safety", said by the person leaving or staying. The reply from the person staying is "Allah yisallmak" (God protect you) or "fi aman Allah" (in God's protection). The shorter "yalla bye" is common in informal modern speech across the region.

أشوفكa-SHOO-fak
See you

Dialect for "I'll see you", heard from Cairo to the Gulf. To a woman it is أشوفِك (a-SHOO-fik). مع السلامة (ma-a as-sa-LA-ma) is the polite goodbye.

من فضلكmin FAD-lak
Please

Literally "from your generosity/excess". To a woman: "min fadlik". To a group: "min fadlakum". "Rajaan" (ra-JAH-an) is the more formal written please. Any of these marks you as making a real effort.

شكراًSHUK-ran
Thank you

The workhorse. Add "jazeelan" for more warmth, "jazak Allah khayran" (may God reward you with good) for deeper gratitude. "Shukran" is universally understood regardless of which dialect your listener speaks.

عفواًAF-wan
You're welcome

Also means excuse me, sorry, pardon. Context decides. As a you're welcome: "afwan, la shukr ala wajib" (you're welcome, no thanks for what is duty) is the fuller polite form. "Ahlan" also works as a you're welcome in many dialects.

آسفAH-sif
Sorry

For a real apology, as against the lighter "afwan" that covers bumping into someone. To a woman speaking: "ana asifa" (a-NA AH-si-fa), since the adjective agrees with the speaker rather than the listener. "Samihni" (sa-MIH-nee, forgive me) is the warmer version between people who know each other.

لو سمحتlaw sa-MAHT
Excuse me

Literally "if you would permit", for getting attention or squeezing past. To a woman: "law samahti". It doubles as a please in Egypt, where it is more common than "min fadlak". For an actual apology you want "afwan" or "ana asif" (I am sorry).

تشرفناta-shar-RAF-na
Nice to meet you

Literally "we are honored", said on any introduction. "Fursa sa'ida" (FUR-sa sa-EE-da), a happy occasion, is the other common choice.

Where Arabic is spoken

Next lesson: Order anything by pointing →