How to say goodbye in Spoken Arabic
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January 29, 2014There are many ways to say goodbye when you are about to leave a person or place in Lebanon. Knowing these phrases will help you sound more like a native speaker and communicate clearly and politely.
baddak shi? // Do you want anything?
This is an informal way to leave someone and is used mainly in major cities. When you are ready to end a conversation on the phone or are heading out of the office for the day saying baddak shi is a polite way to say you are ready to go. You’ll hear the appropriate response salamtak/salamtik. This literally means “Your well being” and is the Lebanese Arabic equivalent of see you later.
ya3tiikon el 3aafiyeh // May He give you good health.
One universal way to say hi or bye!
yalla, bil izn minkon, leizim ruu7 // With your permission, I need to go.
This is more formal than badkon shi. The response you will most likely hear is iznak ma3ak, you have permission (to leave).
sharfuuna // Honor us.
If someone is leaving you house, saying sharfuna is a polite way to say Come back again and honor us with a visit. The response to this is nshallah.
Allah ma3ak // God with you.
Is a common way to say goodbye in Lebanon. You will hear it often when you are leaving your taxi and you can then respond Allah yi7faZak.
ma3 essaleimeh // With safety.
This is the Arabic student’s favorite way to say good bye, but this isn’t used too much around here and is usually used incorrectly. This should only be said to someone leaving you. The response to this is Allah ysalmak.
tfaDDAL // Come in.
If your friend drops you off and you are right in front of your house you could say tfaDDAL. This literally means honor us (with a visit), but is understood as a polite way to part ways. The proper response to this would be killak zow2, gheyr marrah nshallah, meaning thank you, hopefully another time.
bkhaaTrak/bkaaTrik/bkhaaTerkon // With your approval.
This is heard more in small towns and villages and is said by the person leaving. It can also mean keep me in your thoughts. People would respond: Allah ma3ak.
