Communicating Egyptian Style 245 Assalamu’alaykum and wa ’alaykum assalam
Literally, assalamu’alaykum means ‘peace be upon
you’. It is the more formal greeting for meeting new
people. Literally, wa ’alaykum assalam, translates to
‘and upon you peace’. It is the appropriate response to
the formal hello. This greeting seems to be used less
frequently as a greeting in Egypt than other parts of the
Middle East.
Marhaba
Marhaba is a more informal ‘hello’ greeting used either
between friends or when greeting a stranger, for instance
in a store.
Ahlan and ahlan wa sahlan
Literally, ahlan and its response ahlan wa sahlan mean
‘nice to meet you’ or ‘welcome’. This is the most
common greeting used among friends and strangers
alike in Egypt.
Ma’a ssalama and Allah yisallimak
Literally, ‘go with safety’ and ‘may God make you safe’.
Ma’a ssalama is a common goodbye phrase used when
leaving someone’s home or business premises.
Inshallah (Insha’Allah)
Literally, ‘God willing’. Inshallah is used frequently
in conversations. For example, when confirming
that they will be at a meeting, it is common to hear
the other person say something like, ‘I will be there
at ten, Inshallah’ or ‘Bukra, Inshallah’. (‘Tomorrow,
God willing.’)
Izzayak? (to a man) or Izzayik? (to a woman)
Literally, ‘How are you?’ Notice the different form used for
men and women.
Alhamdu lillah
Literally, ‘Thanks be to God’. Although there are many
phrases used to say ‘I’m fi ne’, this is one of the most
frequently used.
Hamdillah ’ala ssalama
Literally, ‘thanks be to God for your safety’. This phrase is
used when someone recovers from an illness or returns
from a trip.