"How are you" is one of the first things anyone wants to say in Arabic — and one of the most searched. Below is the standard way to ask it, the Gulf version you will hear in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the polite replies, and 30 everyday phrases with Arabic script and simple pronunciation.
How to say "How are you?" in Arabic
In Modern Standard Arabic you say كيف حالك؟ (kayfa ḥāluka) to a man and كيف حالكِ؟ (kayfa ḥāluki) to a woman. Arabic changes the ending depending on who you are talking to, so the same question has a masculine and a feminine form.
In the Gulf — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar — people usually say شلونك؟ (shlōnak) to a man and shlōnich to a woman. You will hear this at work, in shops and on the phone.
How to reply
- أنا بخير (ana bi-khayr) — I'm fine.
- الحمد لله (al-ḥamdu lillāh) — praise be to God; the most common everyday answer.
- وأنت؟ (wa anta? / wa anti?) — and you?
30 everyday Arabic phrases
| English | Arabic | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? (to a man) | كيف حالك؟ | kayfa ḥāluka |
| How are you? (to a woman) | كيف حالكِ؟ | kayfa ḥāluki |
| How are you? (Gulf, to a man / woman) | شلونك؟ | shlōnak / shlōnich |
| I'm fine | أنا بخير | ana bi-khayr |
| Praise be to God (common reply) | الحمد لله | al-ḥamdu lillāh |
| And you? (to a man / woman) | وأنت؟ | wa anta? / wa anti? |
| Hello | مرحبا | marḥaban |
| Peace be upon you (greeting) | السلام عليكم | as-salāmu ʿalaykum |
| …and upon you be peace (reply) | وعليكم السلام | wa ʿalaykumu s-salām |
| Welcome | أهلا وسهلا | ahlan wa sahlan |
| Good morning | صباح الخير | ṣabāḥ al-khayr |
| Good morning (reply) | صباح النور | ṣabāḥ an-nūr |
| Good evening | مساء الخير | masāʾ al-khayr |
| Thank you | شكرا | shukran |
| Thank you very much | شكرا جزيلا | shukran jazīlan |
| You're welcome | عفوا | ʿafwan |
| Please (to a man / woman) | من فضلك | min faḍlak / min faḍlik |
| Yes | نعم | naʿam |
| No | لا | lā |
| Sorry (said by a man / woman) | آسف / آسفة | āsif / āsifa |
| What's your name? (to a man / woman) | ما اسمك؟ | mā ismuka? / mā ismuki? |
| My name is … | اسمي … | ismī … |
| Nice to meet you | تشرفنا | tasharrafnā |
| Where is …? | أين …؟ | ayna …? |
| How much is it? | بكم؟ | bikam? |
| I don't understand | لا أفهم | lā afham |
| Do you speak English? (to a man) | هل تتكلم الإنجليزية؟ | hal tatakallam al-injilīziyya? |
| Please speak slowly (to a man) | تكلم ببطء من فضلك | takallam bi-buṭʾ min faḍlak |
| God willing | إن شاء الله | in shāʾ allāh |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | maʿa s-salāma |
Pronunciation note: ḥ is a breathy "h" from the throat, ʿ is the Arabic letter ʿayn, and ṣ / ḍ are heavier versions of s and d. A teacher can correct these sounds in a few sessions — they are hard to learn from text alone.
Formal Arabic or Gulf Arabic — which should you learn?
If you are going to work in the Gulf, learn both: Modern Standard Arabic for reading, forms and official documents, and Gulf phrases for daily conversation. Most learners start with the standard forms above and pick up the Gulf versions quickly once they can form sentences.
How to practise these phrases
- Say each phrase out loud, not just in your head.
- Learn the masculine and feminine forms together.
- Use five phrases a day in real conversations — with colleagues, friends or a teacher.
- Get corrected early: wrong habits in pronunciation are hard to fix later.
Related course: Speak with Swabeeh — 30-day Arabic speaking course, Beginner to Advanced, online or in Calicut. See syllabus, fees & FAQ →