At the door
مرحبا بكم(marhaban bikum) (welcome to you) greets guests; to one guest it is مرحبا بك. أهلا وسهلا is the everyday welcome, مرحبا بكم the host's and the speaker's. Once the guest is inside, البيت بيتك(al-baytu baytuka) (the house is your house) means make yourself at home.
| Welcome to our home! | مرحبا بكم في بيتنا!marhaban bikum fî baytinâ! |
| Please come in, make yourself at home. | تفضل بالدخول، البيت بيتك.tafaddal bid-dukhûli, al-baytu baytuka |
Serving and helping
إليك(ilayka) (to you) hands something over, and the thing follows it: إليك القهوة here is your coffee. تفضل can stand alone and also means go ahead, come in; the two often go together.
| Please, here is a cup of hot tea for you. | تفضل، إليك كوب شاي ساخن.tafaddal, ilayka kûbu shâyin sâkhinin. |
في خدمتك(fî khidmatika) (in your service) offers help warmly. تحت أمرك (under your command) is more deferential: a waiter's word.
| If you need anything, I am at your service. | إذا احتجت إلى شيء، فأنا في خدمتك.idhâ ihtajta ilâ shay'in, fa'anâ fî khidmatika. |
Asking and answering
على ما يرام(alâ mâ yurâmu) (as one would wish) says that a thing or a person is fine. بخير answers how are you?; على ما يرام also fits plans, food and the evening.
| Is everything all right? | هل كل شيء على ما يرام؟hal kullu shay'in 'alâ mâ yurâm? |
ما رأيك(mâ ra'yuka) asks what do you think? With في it asks about a thing; with أن and a verb it suggests: how about …? لا أدري(lâ adrî) is I don't know, a little more literary than لا أعرف.
| How about we have our coffee in the garden? | ما رأيك أن نشرب القهوة في الحديقة؟mâ ra'yuka an nashraba al-qahwata fî al-hadîqati? |
Goodbyes
The one who stays says مع السلامة, or رافقتك السلامة(râfaqatka s-salâma) (may safety go with you) to a traveller. The one who leaves answers الله يسلمك(allâhu yusallimuka) (God keep you), the spoken formula; in writing it is سلمك الله.
| Goodbye, Ahmad! — God keep you, and thanks for the dinner. | مع السلامة يا أحمد! — الله يسلمك، وشكرا على العشاء.ma'a as-salâmati yâ ahmad — allâhu yusallimuka, wa shukran 'alâ al-'ashâ' |
Speeches and signs
سيداتي وسادتي(sayyidâti wa sâdati) (ladies and gentlemen) opens a speech or an announcement. الرجاء عدم(ar-rajâ'u 'adamu) + a verbal noun is the polite notice please do not …; ممنوع is a flat ban (ممنوع التدخين no smoking).
| Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is ready. | سيداتي وسادتي، العشاء جاهز.sayyidâtî wa sâdatî, al-'ashâ'u jâhizun |
| Please do not disturb. | الرجاء عدم الإزعاج.ar-rajâ'u 'adamu l-iz'âj. |
