How to Say Hello in Lebanese Arabic: Marhaba & Beyond

Marhaba (مرحبا) — pronounced mar-HA-ba — is the universal, all-situations greeting in Lebanese Arabic.

Usage & Nuance

• Register: Neutral/informal — fine with friends, shopkeepers, elders, strangers.
• Time: Any time of day (unlike English good morning/afternoon/evening).
• Response: Marhaba (mirror), Marhabtein ("two welcomes" — warmer), Ahlan (welcome).

Time-Specific Greetings (Also Common)

Casual / Youth Variants

• Ahlein / Ahlan — "Hey / Hi" (very casual)
• Shoo fi ma fi — "What's up / What's new" (lit. "what's in, what's not")
• Kifak / Kifik — "How are you?" (m/f)

Goodbye

• Ma'a salame (مع السلامة) — "Go with safety" (standard)
• Bye / Bye bye — Very common (English loan)
• Shoofak / Shoofik — "See you" (m/f, casual)
• Yalla, bye — "Okay, bye" (transition marker)

Cultural Tip

Lebanese greetings are relational — expect handshake (same gender), cheek kisses (3, starting right, opposite gender/family), eye contact, "How's the family?" before business. Marhaba opens the door; the ritual builds the relationship.