Greeting and Polite Phrases

Question 1

بِسَلْمُوا عَلَيك

Answer 1

they greet you (they send their greetings to you)

Question 2

الله يسَلْمك

Answer 2

God preserve you

Question 3

تِسْتَاهَل كل خَير

Answer 3

you deserve all happiness and comfort

Question 4

تِسْلَم إيدَيك

Answer 4

thank you (to a man)- for doing something with his hands

Question 5

الله يَطَوِّل يُعْمرَك

Answer 5

God prolong your life

Question 6

الله يْخَلِّيكم لَبعض

Answer 6

God keep you always together

Question 7

اللة يحلي ايامك

Answer 7

God bless/sweeten your days

Question 8

الله يعطيكم الصَّحَّة وَلعَافية

Answer 8

God give you health and wellness

Question 9

الله يْسَهِّل عَليْكَِ

Answer 9

God ease things for you

Question 10

ما شاء اللة

Answer 10

“What God has willed”
Used to express joy, praise, appreciation, or thankfulness for an event or person who was just mentioned

Question 11

الله يسْعِدك

Answer 11

may God make you happy

response:
وانت كمان

Question 12

سَلِمْنا لَ…إسم

Answer 12

please give our greetings to …name

Question 13

الله يعافي قلبك

Answer 13

God bless your heart
(a polite reply to
يعاطيك العافية)

Question 14

الله يعاتيك الف عافية

Answer 14

God bless you a thousand times
(lit. health, wellness, vitality)

Question 15

صباح الخير

Answer 15

صباح النور
صباح الورد
صباح العسل

Question 16

تصبح على الخير

say this to a person before they go to bed

Answer 16

وانت بخير
وانت من احلو
تلاقي الخير

Question 17

صح النوم
(healthy sleep)
(this is very Jordanian)

Say it to a person as they wake up

Answer 17

الجواب : صح بَدَنَك
(healthy body)

Question 18

مرحبا

Answer 18

مرحبا
مرحبتين
اهلَين

Question 19

طَمِّنِّي عَنَك
(comfort me with your news)
(this is a very Jordanian greeting, akin to كيف حالك
or شو اعمل(

Answer 19

Respond with anything like
كل شي تمام

Question 20

فرصة سعيدة

Answer 20

انا أسَعد

Question 21

تشرفنا

إتْشَرَفْت بِمَعرِفْتَك
(very Jordanian)
I was honored by your acquaintance

Answer 21

الشَّرَف إلي

Question 22

وَين ايامَك
(where are your days?- use this when you haven’t seen someone in a long time
من زمان ما شُفتَك
زمان عَنَك
عاش مين شافك (long live who saw you?)

وين الغَيبِة. Long time no see- where have you been absent?

Answer 22

Long time no see

iyaa.eeshoo ahbaabak- response to
عاش مين شافك

Question 23

كيف الوضع ، كيف الدنيا معك

Answer 23

How is the situation?
How is the world with you?

Question 24

Say when someone dies
الله يِرْحَمُه )Ms*
العُمر الك /الكم
تَقَبَل الله Ms*
الرَّبّي يَعْزِيْكُم The Lord comfort you

عظمَ اللهُ أجْرِكُم . May God reward you Ms*

Answer 24

Response

شكر اللهُ سَعْيَكُم
God thanks your offer

Question 25

عَشَت اِلأسامِي _____(اسم).

Answer 25

long live the name (name)

Say this when you meet someone for the first time and they tell you their name, it’s a way of complimenting their name

Also to congratulate parents on mentioning the name of a new baby

Question 26

العُمُر كُلُه

Answer 26

response when someone tells you the age of a third party

Question 27

نَوْرَت
(to one person)

نَوَرْتوا
(to more than one person)

“getting brighter”

Answer 27

الجواب : مْنَوْرَة بوجودك
(to a man)

مْنَوْرِة بَوْجودِك
(to a woman)
(illuminated by your presence)

Question 28

بيتك الزغير ، البيت بيتك

Answer 28

Say this to make a visitor feel welcome in your home

Question 29

ثَنِي

Answer 29

say when offering another serving of food or drink to someone

Reply:

انا رَح أتَنِّي

Question 30

بَعد إذنَك

Answer 30

excuse me

two ways to use it:

1) زاي لَو سمحت
or
2) with your permission please

بعد اذنك، بدي اروح عالبيت عشان عندى مشكلة

بعد اذنك انا نسيت تلفوني في البيت

Like, if I am at work and need to call home and ask the boss for permission to do that; in which case the mudeer might answer:

اكيد، إذنك معك
(permission is yours … granted to you)

Question 31

لا تْواخِذْنِي

Answer 31

don’t mind me

Two uses:

1) When you say something that could be offensive
Or
2) when you try to say a word that is difficult and might mispronounce it

Question 32

الله يَكَثِر خيرك
او
الله يَكَثِر من امثالك

God increase your good deeds.

Or God increase people like you

Answer 32

Say it to a person who has done a great service to you

Question 33

والي هِمَك
sp????

Answer 33

don’t worry

Question 34

من عِني
على راسي

Answer 34

I am willing to do for you what you have asked

Question 35

مقدم

“offered to you” I.e., you can have it- but not taken literally!!!

Or على حسابك
(on your account)

Response when someone compliments something you have

Answer 35

الجواب : تسلم

Question 36

كل الناس خير وبركة

all people are good and a blessing

Answer 36

Use it when in the course of a conversation as an appreciation when someone mentions a third party who has done something good.

Question 37

أَمَرَك

At your command; ask of me what you will and I will do it.
Said by a vegetable seller after I bought produce and was about to leave.

Answer 37

ما يُأمُر عليك ظالُم

What is commanded on you is unfair

Question 38

تفضل

Answer 38

الله يَزِيد فَضْلَك
God increase your favor

Question 39

بِدِّي أكْسَب شَوفْتَك

“shoftak” long o as in oat

Answer 39

I want to be rewarded by being with you

Use this to invite someone (eg to lunch…)

Question 40

خُدّ رَحْتَك

Answer 40

Take your rest
Use to respond to someone when they can’t make a request you made, for example they can’t come to a meeting or to lunch because they need to go home…

Question 41

كيف الأُمور

Answer 41

How’s it going

Question 42

حَيَّاك الله

Answer 42

تَحْيَة وتعيش

Question 43

سَلام ورَحْمَت الله

Answer 43

peace and God’s mercy on you

Question 44

Alam Hayyeek
الله م حايّيك

Answer 44

Bedouin form of Hayaak Allah