Birthdays and the new year
عيد ميلاد سعيد('îdu mîlâdin sa'îd) is happy birthday and سنة سعيدة(sanatun sa'îdah) happy new year. The reply is شكرا, or ولك أيضا, and to you too. The كل عام وأنتم بخير you know fits both occasions.
| Happy birthday, Ahmad! | عيد ميلاد سعيد يا أحمد!idu milâdin saidun yâ ahmadu! |
| Happy new year! — And to you too. | سنة سعيدة! — ولك أيضا.sanah sa'îdah! — wa laka aydan. |
The sick and the dead
Two formulas are the optative past of the last lesson, frozen. To someone who is ill, say شفاك الله(shafâka llâhu), may God heal you: the same spelling serves a man and a woman. About someone else, change the pronoun: شفاه الله, شفاها الله. The reply is شكرا, or آمين amen.
| My grandfather is sick, may God heal him. | جدي مريض، شفاه الله.jaddī marîdun, shafâhu llâh. |
After the name of someone who has died, add رحمه الله(raḥimahu llâh), or رحمها الله for a woman.
| My neighbor passed away yesterday, may God have mercy on him. | توفي جاري أمس، رحمه الله.tuwuffiya jârî amsi, raḥimahu-llâh |
Welcome back
When someone comes home from a journey, or out of hospital, greet them with الحمد لله على السلامة(al-hamdu lillâhi 'alâ s-salâmah): thank God you are safe. The answer is الله يسلمك, may God keep you safe.
| I left the hospital today. — Thank God you're safe! | خرجت من المستشفى اليوم. — الحمد لله على السلامة!kharajtu mina almustashfâ alyawma. — alhamdu lillâhi 'alâ assalâmah! |
At the table
| when | you say | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| before the meal | شهية طيبة(shahiyyatan tayyibah) | bon appétit |
| to someone eating, or just done | صحة وعافية(sihha wa âfiya) | enjoy it, may it do you good |
| to someone drinking | بالصحة(bis-sihha) | to your health |
شكرا answers all three; to صحة وعافية people often reply الله يعافيك, may God give you health.
| The food is ready, bon appétit! | الطعام جاهز، شهية طيبة!at-ta'âmu jâhizun, shahiyyatun tayyibah! |
| Thanks for the dinner! — Enjoy it! | شكرا على العشاء! — صحة وعافية.shukran 'alâ al-'ashâ'! — sihhatan wa 'âfiyatan. |
Meeting someone new
فرصة سعيدة(fursatun sa'îdah) (a happy chance) is said to someone you have just met, often as you part. The polite reply is وأنا أسعد, and I am happier.
| This is my brother Ahmad. — Nice to meet you! | هذا أخي أحمد. — فرصة سعيدة!hâdhâ akhî ahmad. — fursa sa'îda! |
