basement
Polite expressions
As in every culture, good manners are very important to Arabs. You may experience excessive politeness when people meet each other. Hugging and kissing on both cheeks is very normal. People often kiss the hand of elderly people out of respect. To address someone formally, use as-say-yid for men or as-say-yida for women before their first name, for example, As-say-yid Ahmed; As-say-yida Faatima. This may vary from country to country.
There are several styles of greeting in use; it is best to wait for your counterpart to initiate the greeting. Men shake hands with other men. Some men will shake hands with women, however, it is advisable for businesswomen to wait for a man to offer his hand. A more traditional greeting between men involves grasping each other’s right hand, placing the left hand on the other’s right shoulder and exchanging kisses on each cheek.
| How do you do? | كيف حالك؟ kay-fa haa-luk? |
| Pleased to meet you | أنا سعيد لرؤيتك anaa sa-‘ii-dun li ru-ya-ti-ka |
| Thank you | شكرا لك shuk-ran laka |
| I am fine | أنا بخير ana bi-khayr |
| Welcome! | !أهلا و سهلا ah-lan wa sah-lan! |
| Here you are | تفضل tafad-dal |
| Pardon? | عذراً ‘uth-ran |
| This is… | هذا.../ هذه... haa-thaa … (m)/haa-thihii (f) |
| This is my husband | هذا زوجي haa-thaa zaw-jii |
| This is my wife | هذه زوجتي haa-thi-hii zaw-jatii |
| Enjoy your meal! | !وجبة هنية waj-ba ha-niy-yah! |
| The meal was delicious | كانت وجبتاً لذيذة kaa-nat waj-batan la-thii-thah |
| Thank you very much | شكراً جزيلاً لك shuk-ran ja-ziilan lak |
| Have a good trip! | !رحلة سعيدة rih-la sa-‘iidah! |
| Enjoy your holiday! | !عطلة ممتعة ‘ut-la-tun mum-ti’ah! |
Celebrations
| Happy birthday! | !عيد ميلاد سعيد ’ied-mii-laad sa-‘iid! |
| Congratulations! | !مبروك mab-ruuk! |
|
|
