How to Say Hello in Arabic
مرحباً
marhaban
- Meaning
- Hello
- Literal meaning
- From rahb (spaciousness) — "you have arrived at a spacious, welcoming place".
- When to use
- A friendly, neutral hello used across the Arab world, with no religious connotation.
- Common situations
-
- Greeting shopkeepers, taxi drivers, or new acquaintances
- Informal settings where a quick, warm hello fits
- Also spelled
- marhaba · marhaban
Notes
A common warm reply is "marhabtayn" — "two hellos (back to you)".