How to Say Hello in Egyptian Arabic: 12 Greetings With Pronunciation & Replies

Learning how to say “hello” in Egyptian Arabic (Masri) is one of the fastest ways to sound natural in Egypt—whether you’re visiting Cairo, making Egyptian friends online, or studying the dialect seriously.

In this guide, you’ll learn the most common Egyptian Arabic greetings, when to use each one, how to pronounce them, and the best replies Egyptians actually say. You’ll also get example conversations, cultural tips, and a FAQ section.

Quick Answer: The Most Common “Hello” in Egyptian Arabic

If you want the simplest and most useful answer:

• السلام عليكم — Salam ʿalaykum (polite, works almost everywhere)
  Reply: وعليكم السلام — Wa ʿalaykum el-salam

And for a casual “hello/how are you?”:

• إزيّك؟ — Ezzayyak? (to a man) / Ezzayyik? (to a woman)

Egyptian Arabic Greetings You’ll Hear Every Day

1) السلام عليكم — Salam ʿalaykum (Formal/Polite “Hello”)

Arabic: السلام عليكم
Pronunciation: sa-LAAM ʿa-LAY-kum
Meaning: Peace be upon you
Use it when: greeting strangers, older people, shopkeepers, coworkers, or anytime you want to be respectful.

Best reply:
وعليكم السلام — Wa ʿalaykum el-salam (And peace be upon you too)

This greeting is extremely common in Egypt and is rarely considered “too formal.”

2) إزيّك؟ — Ezzayyak / Ezzayyik (Casual “How are you?”)

Arabic: إزيّك؟
Pronunciation: ez-ZAY-yak? (to a man) / ez-ZAY-yik? (to a woman)
Meaning: How are you? (often used like “Hi”)

Natural replies:

• كويس الحمد لله — Kwayyes, elhamdulillah (Good, thank God)

• تمام — Tamam (Fine / okay)

• زي الفل — Zay el-foll (Great, literally “like jasmine”)

Then ask back:

• وإنت؟ — Wenta? (to a man)

• وإنتِ؟ — Wenti? (to a woman)

3) أهلاً — Ahlan (Simple “Hi / Welcome”)

Arabic: أهلاً
Pronunciation: AH-lan
Meaning: Hi / Welcome
Use it when: casual greeting, welcoming someone, friendly tone.

A warmer version is also very common:

أهلاً وسهلاً — Ahlan wa sahlan
Meaning: You are very welcome.

4) صباح الخير — Sabah el-kheir (Good Morning)

Arabic: صباح الخير
Pronunciation: sa-BAH el-khayr
Meaning: Good morning
Use it when: morning until around midday.

Reply:
صباح النور — Sabah el-noor (Morning of light)

5) مساء الخير — Masa’ el-kheir (Good Evening)

Arabic: مساء الخير
Pronunciation: ma-SAA’ el-khayr
Meaning: Good evening
Use it when: afternoon and evening.

Reply:
مساء النور — Masa’ el-noor (Evening of light)

6) عامل إيه؟ — ʿAmel eh? (Very Egyptian “How’s it going?”)

Arabic: عامل إيه؟
Pronunciation: AA-mel eh?
Meaning: How are you doing? / What’s up?

This is one of the most natural Egyptian Arabic greetings you can use with friends and people you know.

Common replies:

• تمام — Tamam

• الحمد لله — Elhamdulillah

• كويس — Kwayyes

7) أخبارك إيه؟ — Akhbarak eh? (How’s everything?)

Arabic: أخبارك إيه؟
Pronunciation: akh-BAA-rak eh?
Meaning: What’s your news? (meaning: How are things?)

This is common with friends, coworkers, and people you have met before.

8) إيه الأخبار؟ — Eh el-akhbar? (What’s new?)

Arabic: إيه الأخبار؟
Pronunciation: eh el-akh-BAAR?
Meaning: What’s new?

This is casual and widely used.

9) يا هلا — Ya hala (Warm “Hey there”)

Arabic: يا هلا
Pronunciation: yaa HA-la
Meaning: Hey there / Welcome

Often used warmly, especially when you have not seen someone in a while.

10) أهلين — Ahleyn (Friendly “Hi”)

Arabic: أهلين
Pronunciation: ah-LAYN
Meaning: Hi

This is friendly and informal. You may hear it across the Arab world, including in Egypt.

11) هاي / هيلو — Hi / Hello (Modern and common)

Many Egyptians, especially younger people, use English greetings in daily speech:

• هاي (Hi)

• هيلو (Hello)

This is very common in Cairo cafés, universities, and modern workplaces.

12) تشرفنا — Tsharrafna (Nice to meet you)

Arabic: تشرفنا
Pronunciation: tsha-RAF-na
Meaning: Nice to meet you

This is perfect after “hello” when you meet someone for the first time.

Real-Life Example Dialogues (Egyptian Arabic)

Dialogue 1: Polite greeting (formal situation)

A: السلام عليكم (Salam ʿalaykum)
B: وعليكم السلام (Wa ʿalaykum el-salam)
A: إزيّ حضرتك؟ (Ezzay hadritak?)
B: الحمد لله (Elhamdulillah)

Note: “حضرتك” (hadritak/hadritik) is a respectful way to say “you.”

Dialogue 2: Friendly greeting

A: إزيّك يا أحمد؟ (Ezzayyak ya Ahmed?)
B: زي الفل! وإنت؟ (Zay el-foll! Wenta?)
A: تمام الحمد لله (Tamam, elhamdulillah)

Dialogue 3: Very Egyptian style

A: عامل إيه؟ (ʿAmel eh?)
B: كويس، إنت عامل إيه؟ (Kwayyes, enta ʿamel eh?)
A: تمام (Tamam)

Cultural Tips: How Egyptians Actually Greet

Egyptians often greet with a question

In Egyptian Arabic, a greeting usually includes a quick follow-up such as:

• Ezzayyak?

• ʿAmel eh?

• Akhbarak eh?

This is normal even with people you have just met.

“Salam ʿalaykum” is always safe

If you are unsure which greeting to use, “Salam ʿalaykum” is polite and works in almost every situation.

Warmth matters

Egyptians tend to greet with a friendly tone and a smile. Adding someone’s name (ya + name) is very natural.

Seasonal Greetings in Egypt (Ramadan & Eid)

During Ramadan and Eid, greetings become a major part of daily life in Egypt. You will hear them everywhere: streets, shops, messages, and family visits.

If you want to learn the correct Egyptian phrasing for Ramadan, read:
How to Say “Happy Ramadan” in Egyptian Arabic

For Eid greetings, this guide will help you sound natural and respectful:
How to Say “Eid Mubarak” in Egyptian Arabic

Mini Cheat Sheet: Egyptian Arabic “Hello” Phrases

• Salam ʿalaykum = Hello (polite, universal)

• Wa ʿalaykum el-salam = Reply

• Ezzayyak / Ezzayyik? = How are you?

• ʿAmel eh? = What’s up? (very Egyptian)

• Sabah el-kheir / Sabah el-noor = Good morning / reply

• Masa’ el-kheir / Masa’ el-noor = Good evening / reply

• Ahlan / Ahlan wa sahlan = Hi / welcome

• Tsharrafna = Nice to meet you

FAQ 

What is the most common way to say hello in Egyptian Arabic?

The most common polite greeting is “Salam ʿalaykum” (السلام عليكم). A very common casual greeting is “Ezzayyak/Ezzayyik?” (إزيّك؟) meaning “How are you?”

How do you reply to “Salam ʿalaykum” in Egyptian Arabic?

You reply with “Wa ʿalaykum el-salam” (وعليكم السلام).

How do Egyptians say “hi” casually?

Egyptians often say “Ezzayyak?”, “ʿAmel eh?”, or “Eh el-akhbar?”. Many also say “Hi” or “Hello” in English.

Is Egyptian Arabic different from Modern Standard Arabic greetings?

Yes. Modern Standard Arabic greetings can sound formal or textbook-like. Egyptian Arabic uses everyday phrases like Ezzayyak? and ʿAmel eh? much more often.