Greetings and polite expressions in
Egyptian Arabic
I tried to include as many useful greetings and courteous
expressions as I could on this page, focusing on the expressions
used in Egypt (so when I say "Colloquially people say such-andsuch," I'm referring to Egypt). In some cases, I gave a standard
variant and then detailed the colloquial usage below. Also, I gave
everything in the masculine form, just because it's easier than
including the feminine and plural forms for everything.
Do make sure to memorize the proper responses to each
expression; it can be quite awkward if someone tells you something
nice and you don't know what to say back! If you don't know the
right response, no one will crucify you or anything, but if you do
know what to say, it can make a really nice impression.
Conveniently, usually the main verb in the response comes from the
same root as the main word used in the first expression — for
example, "ma3a s-salāma," "salāmtak," "Humdillāh 3as-salāma" and
"sallimli 3a...," which all have words from the s-l-m root. They all
have the same response, "allāh ysallimak," with another s-l-m root
word. So if you keep that in mind, it helps in remembering the right
response.
Welcome; hello: !"#‫و‬
!%‫أ‬ (ahlan wa sahlan) Response: '()
!%‫أ‬ (ahlan bīk) You can say !"#‫! و‬%‫أ‬ when welcoming someone (ex. to your
country or home). And you can also say !%‫ا‬ to mean just "hello." Welcome; hello: +,-./ (marHaban) Response: '()
+,-./ (marHaban bīk) and it has ,!"#‫و‬
!%‫أ‬ can be used in much the same way as +,-./
a more colloquial pronunciation of "marHaba." One colloquial
is not +,-./ .(marHabtein - lit. two welcomes) 01,-./ response is
really used in Egypt outside of tourist signs and so forth, but in
other places like the Gulf and Levant, it's used frequently to say
.hello
Hello: 23(45
‫!م‬78‫ا‬ (as-salāmu 3aleikum) - lit. Peace be upon you Response: ‫!م‬78‫ ا‬23(45‫و‬ (w3aleikum as-salām) A common greeting used by Muslims. You can also add 9‫ ا‬:;-‫ور‬
=>+?.)‫و‬ (waraHmatu llāhi wabarakātu - and God's mercy and
blessings) to the end. Good morning: .(@8‫ا‬
‫ح‬+,B (SabāH al-xeir) Response: ‫ر‬CD8‫ح ا‬+,B (SabāH an-nūr) There are more colloquial variants on ‫ر‬CD8‫ا‬/.(@8‫ح ا‬+,B that you
can use, like :EFG8‫ح ا‬+,B (SabāH il-'išTa - lit. morning of
cream),HI8‫ح ا‬+,B (SabāH il-full - lit. morning of jasmine),
and ‫رد‬C8‫ح ا‬+,B (SabāH il-ward - lit. morning of rose). They're a
little "baladi" (i.e. used more by the rural and lower classes), but you
can still use them to add some color to your speech. Good evening: .(@8‫ا‬
‫ء‬+7/ (masā' al-xeir) Response: ‫ر‬CD8‫ء ا‬+7/ (masā' an-nūr) You can also say HI8‫ء ا‬+7/ ,:EFG8‫ء ا‬+7/, and ‫رد‬C8‫ء ا‬+7/ here too. How are you?: ‫'؟‬8+-
M(? (keif Hālak) Response: 9
N;O8‫ ا‬.(@) (bexeir al-Humdulillāh) - Fine, thank God can be said in a colloquial context too, but in Egypt it's '8+- M(?
‫ازي‬ ,izzayyak). You can also say) 'R‫از‬ much more common to hear
‫ازي‬ izzayy il-aHwaal?), "Howare things?" or) ‫ال؟‬C-T‫ا‬
izzayy iS-SiHHa), "How's [your] health?" A common) ‫؟‬:OU8‫ا‬
kwayyis al-) 9 N;O8‫ ا‬VRC? colloquial response would be
Humdulillāh), "Good, thank God," or just "al-Humdulillāh" on its
.own
How are things going?: ‫ر؟‬+,W‫أ‬
=R‫ا‬ (eih axbār); ‫رك‬+,W‫أ‬
‫=؟‬R‫ا‬ (axbārak eih); 3) ‫=؟‬R‫ة ا‬/ H/+5amil/3amla eih) These expressions are kind of like "What's up?" as it's used in the
U.S.; you don't really proceed to explain what's going on in your life
— and don't say ‫ر‬+,W‫أ‬
Z([+/, mafīš axbār, "No news," like I did
once; people will laugh at you! If you want to say "Nothing new," you
can sayNRN\ T la gedīd. People usually just say something like "alHumdulillāh" or VRC? (kwayyis, "Good") or ‫م‬+;>
C4? (kullu tamām,
"Everything's fine"). Nice to meet you: ‫ة‬N(]#
Response: N]#^‫ا‬
:B.[ (furSa sa3īda) - lit. Happy chance +_‫أ‬ (ana l-as3ad) - lit. I am happier Good night: .(W
`45 a,U> (tiSbaH 3ala xeir) - lit. Wake up healthy Response: =4%‫ أ‬b/ c_‫وا‬ (winta min ahlo) Goodbye: :/!78‫ا‬
lit. Go in peace d/ (ma3a s-salāma) - said to the person leaving;
Response: ';47R
9‫ا‬ (allāh ysallimak) - said by the person leaving;
lit. May God protect you Often when people are leaving they just say "salām" or "as-salāmu
3aleikum" and those remaining say "ma3a s-salāma." Used when s.o. leaves on a trip: Bon voyage: ‫ة‬N(]#
:4-‫ر‬ (reHla sa3īda) rabbina ygībak bis-salāma) - lit. May God) :/!78+)
',(eR +D)‫ر‬
bring you safely
rabbina yiwaSSalak bis-salāma) - lit. May God) :/!78+)
eliver you safely
d
tirūH witīgī bis-salāma) - lit. Go and come) :/!78+)
'4BCR +D)‫ر‬
fe(>‫وح و‬.>
safely
Response: ';47R
9‫ا‬ (allāh ysallimak) Used to welcome s.o. arriving from a trip or greet s.o. who has
just recovered from an illness: Humdilla 3as-salāma) - lit. Thank God for (your)) :/!78+5
9 N;-
safety
Response: ';47R
9‫ا‬ (allāh ysallimak) Welcome to Egypt: .U/
‫ّرت‬C_ (nawwart maSr) - lit. You have lit up
Egypt Response: :R+I?
‫رك‬C_ ‫ده‬ (da nūrak kifāya), lit. Your light is enough
- or '() ‫ّرة‬CD/ .U/ (maSr menawwara bīk), lit. Egypt is lit up by
you - or +"4%j) ‫ّرة‬CD/ (menawwara bi-ahlaha), lit. It is lit up by its
people You can also say "Menawwara" on its own to welcome someone
anywhere. You honor us with your visit: ‫ة‬kRk5
‫ة‬CEW (xaTwa 3azīza) - lit.
dear step Response: ‫ا‬.3l (šukran) or '(4@R
9‫ا‬ (allāh yxallīk) Get well soon: '1/!# (salāmtak) or '(IFR
9‫ا‬ (allāh yišfīk) - lit.
"May God heal you" Response: ';47R
9‫ا‬ (allāh ysallimak) - this is the response
to '1/!#. However, '(IFR 9‫ا‬ has no set response; you can just
say ‫ا‬.3l(šukran) Please: '4m[
b/ (min faDlak) Please: cO;# C8 (law samaHt) - can also be used to get ex. a
waiter's attention Please, go ahead: HmI>‫ا‬ (itfaDDal) - an invitation to sit, enter a
room, take something, etc. Thank you: ‫ا‬.3l (šukran) or a stronger variant, A thousand thanks: .3l
M8‫أ‬ (alf šukr) Another way to say "Thank you" is .3F1/ (mutašakkir), which also
has a feminine variant ‫ة‬.3F1/ (mutašakkira) and plural
variantbR.3F1/ (mutašakkrīn). f#./ (mersi) is another colloquial
alternative. To say "Thank you very much," you can say ‫ا‬.3l
!Rk\ (šukran gazīlan) or ‫ي‬Cn .3F1/ (mutašakkir 'awi). Also, when someone compliments you or something you did, you
can tell them, '(4@R
9‫ \ ا‬f#./\‫ا‬.3l (šukran/mersi/allāh
yxallīk), followed by 'n‫ذو‬
b/ ‫ده‬ (da min zoo'ak), lit. "That's from
your taste." This is used much like the English "Thank you, you're
too kind." Thank you: ‫ك‬.(W
.1? (kattar xeirak) - lit. May God increase your
good fortune Response: p)+#
‫ك‬.(W (xeirak saabi') - lit. Your goodness preceded
mine Thank you: ‫ك‬NR‫ا‬
247> (teslam iidak) - lit. (May God) bless your
hand Response: ‫ك‬NR‫وا‬ (wa-iidak) - lit. And your hand Used to thank a cook for a great meal, or more generally to thank
someone for a present. You're welcome: 3) ‫ا‬CI5afwan) Other ways to say "You're welcome": CI]8‫ا‬ (il-3afw) or `45
CI]8‫ا‬
=R‫ا‬ (il-3afw 3ala eih, "It was nothing"). Sorry: M#‫آ‬ (āsif) Another way to say "Sorry" is M#r1/ (mut'asif), which follows the
same pattern of variants as .3F1/. Pardon me: ‫ة‬sW‫آ‬t/
T (la mo'axza) Excuse me: '_‫ اذ‬N]) or '_‫ اذ‬b5 (ba3d iznak or 3an iznak) Used to express admiration: 9‫ا‬
has willed it. ‫ء‬+l +/ (ma ša' allāh) - lit. God
Used to refer to events taking place in the future: 9‫ا‬
‫ء‬+l ‫إن‬ (in
ša' allāh) - lit. if God wills This is used a lot, anytime you talk about something taking place in
the future. "See you tonight in ša' allāh." "I'll do it tomorrow in ša'
allāh." "Can you finish the report by Thursday?" "In ša' allāh." And so
on. Used when you see s.o. with a new haircut: +;(]_ (na3īman) Response: '(45
2]DR 9‫ا‬ (allāh yin3am 3aleik) Greeting to a Muslim who has just finished
praying: +/.- (Haraman) Response: +];\ (gama3an) Bon appetit: +IF8‫وا‬
+D"8+) (bil-hana wiš-šifa) - lit. with pleasure
and health Response: '(ّ Dw"R
9‫ا‬ (allāh yihannīk) Said by a guest to the host at the end of a meal: +;R‫دا‬ or +;R‫دا‬
./+5 (dayman or dayman 3āmir) - lit. May you always prosper Response: '>+(- c/‫دا‬ (dāmit Hayātak) - lit. May your life last long When someone sneezes: The sneezer says: 9
N;O8‫ا‬ (il-Hamdu lillāh) - lit. Praise to God Someone else: 9‫ ا‬23;-.R (yarHamkum llāh) - lit. May God have
mercy on you (pl.) The sneezer: 238‫و‬
+D8 .IxR‫ و‬23;-.R‫ و‬+D;-.R (yarHamna wa-
yarHamkum (wa-yaġfir lana wa-lakum)) - lit. May He have mercy on
us and you (and forgive us and you) This is what Muslims in Egypt say when someone sneeezes.
The 238‫و‬
+D8 .IxR‫و‬ part is an optional addition that some people say. "Very gladly" responses to requests: bikull sirūr) - lit. with all pleasure) ‫ور‬.#
H3)
3ala l-3ein wir-rās) - lit. on the eye and head) ‫اس‬.8‫وا‬
0]8‫` ا‬45
min 3eini di w3eini di) - lit. from this eye) ‫ دي‬fD(5‫ دي و‬fD(5 b/
nd this eye
a
The last two are pretty "baladi," but still good to know. Say hello to (s.o.) for me; give them my regards: f8
2ّ4#
‫ـ‬5 (sallimli 3a...) Response: ';47R 9‫ا‬ (allāh ysallimak) Good luck: 'G[CR
+D)‫ر‬ (rabbena ywaffa'ak) - lit. May God make you
succeed (bit-tawfī' in ša' allāh) 9‫ا‬
‫ء‬+l ‫ إن‬p([C18+)
The standard way to say "Good luck" is N(]# {- (HaZZ sa3īd). Happy birthday: 3) N(]#
‫(!د‬/ N(5īd mīlād sa3īd) This is how you would say "Happy birthday" literally, but people
actually just use their local variant of .(@)
21_‫م وأ‬+5 H? (see below). Used for birthdays and all kinds of holidays: c_‫وا‬
:D# H?
|(} (kulle sana winta Tayyib) - lit. May you (and your family) be
well every year. Response: |(}
c_‫وا‬ (winta Tayyib) This is the Egyptian variant of the standard .(@)
21_‫م وأ‬+5 H? (kull
3ām wa-antum bexeir). Happy Ramadan: 2R.?
Response: ‫م‬.?‫أ‬
‫ن‬+m/‫ر‬ (ramaDān karīm) 9‫ا‬ (allāhu akram) This is the greeting used for Ramadan in Egypt, but ‫ن‬+m/‫ر‬
‫رك‬+,/ (ramaDān mubārak) is often used in other areas. Happy Eid: 3) ‫رك‬+,/
N(5īd mubārak) Response: '([ ‫رك‬+,R 9‫ا‬ (allāh yibārik fīk) This is the greeting used for the Muslim Eids (holidays/festivals): Eid
al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha. Congratulations: ‫وك‬.,/ (mabrūk) or a stronger variant, A thousand congratulations: ‫وك‬.,/
Response: '([
M8‫أ‬ (alf mabrūk) ‫رك‬+,R 9‫ا‬ (allāh yibārik fīk) I wish the same for you: 3) '8+,G5o'bālak) Response: no set response, but you could say '(4@R
9‫ا‬ (allāh
yxallīk) - God keep you. Can be used when someone congratulates you on any happy
occassion (a wedding, new baby, promotion, etc.) to wish them the
same good fortune. However, you would want to be tactful when
using it; for example, if you'd just had a baby and a friend who
couldn't have children congratulated you, it would be better not to
say "3o'bālik" to her. Be strong: '4(-
Nّ l (šidd Hailak) Response: 9‫` ا‬45 ‫ة‬NF8‫ا‬ (iš-šidda 3ala-llah) This expression can be used as a condolence, or for encouragement
anytime someone is about to face a challenging event, like a test or
job interview. May his/her spirit/memory remain in your life: f[
:(G,8‫ا‬
'>+(- (il-ba'iyya fi Hayātak) Response: :(G,8‫>' ا‬+(- (Hayātak il-ba'iya) Another condolence. Some people may view this as sacrilegious —
see here, for example — so you may want to stick with '4(-
Nl if
you want to be really safe. Only God is eternal: 9
Response: 9+)
‫ء‬+G,8‫ا‬ (al-baqā' lillāh) 2]_‫و‬ (wa-ne3ma billāh) A condolence that's standard Arabic but also sometimes used in
Egypt by Muslims. It's simply a reminder that everyone dies.