Typical Greetings, as found in “Sarah entre France et Maroc”


A major part of speaking any language is knowing the greeting rituals. If you’re just a tourist, just the usual السلام عليكم\و عليكم السلام should be more than sufficient, with perhaps the occasional لا باس (literally “no problems” — it’s used a bit like ça va? in French) thrown in by people excited to hear you speaking Arabic. If you are visiting/making friends/family, however, the typical greeting goes into some greater detail. I was delighted to find this exchange in the book Sarah entre France et Maroc between two old friends, Valérie and Farida:

فاليري! كِيدَايْرَا؟ : F

F : Valérie! How are you?

رَانِي لاباسْ، فَريدَة، انْتِ لابَاسْ عليكْ؟ : V

V : I’m fine, Farida, how are you? (lit. you no problems on you?)

الحمد لله رَاني لاباسْ، و كيفْ حِيَ صَحَّة عائِلْتَكْ في فْرَنْسا؟ : F

F : Thanks be to God I’m fine, and how is the health of your family in France?

كُلْهُمْ لاباسْ وَرَاهْ كَيْبَلْغُو لكْ السَّلامْ : V

V : Everyone is fine and sends you their greetings.

There is an expectation that you should ask how people’s family is and send your own family’s greetings. This short dialogue serves as an excellent outline for participating in these sorts of greetings.

بِسلامَة
Goodbye!

Source:
Ouazzani-Joncoux, Valérie & Leïla Louhibi. Sarah entre France et Maroc. Jeunesse L’Harmattan, 2004.