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Level A1
First Words - Essential Greetings
9 words · ~12 min
Grammar focus
Basic Arabic greetings and polite expressions
Cultural note
Arabic greetings are deeply rooted in Islamic culture. 'As-salamu alaykum' (peace be upon you) is the most common greeting among Muslims worldwide, and the response is 'Wa alaykum as-salam.' Even non-Muslims in Arab countries often use these greetings as a sign of respect.
Lesson overview
First Words - Essential Greetings is a level A1 lesson of 9 words: 7 phrases and 2 particles. Its words come from 6 Arabic roots, listed below with links to each root family.
- Leads to: More Greetings & Courtesies (A1), Asking Questions (A1)
Word list
| Arabic | Meaning | Type | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
مَرْحَبًا marḥaban | hello / welcome | phrase | ر-ح-ب |
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ as-salāmu ʿalaykum | peace be upon you (formal greeting) | phrase | س-ل-م |
شُكْرًا shukran | thank you | phrase | ش-ك-ر |
نَعَمْ naʿam | yes | particle | |
لَا lā | no / not | particle | |
مِنْ فَضْلِكَ min faḍlika | please (to a male) | phrase | ف-ض-ل |
عَفْوًا ʿafwan | you're welcome / excuse me | phrase | ع-ف-و |
مَعَ السَّلَامَةِ maʿa as-salāmati | goodbye (with safety) | phrase | س-ل-م |
صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ ṣabāḥu al-khayri | good morning | phrase | ص-ب-ح |