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Questions & Answers about سلام به شما.
Why do we use the preposition be here instead of just saying hello?
You can definitely just say salâm to mean hello! Adding be (to) and a pronoun creates the phrase salâm be shomâ (hello to you). This is a very common, warm, and polite variation used when you want to specifically acknowledge the person or group you are talking to.
Does shomâ mean I am talking to multiple people?
It could be, but not necessarily! While shomâ is the plural "you" (you all), Farsi also uses it as a formal, polite "you" for a single person. You would use this greeting for a group of friends, or a single person you want to show respect to.
Why isn't there a verb in this sentence?
In short, everyday greetings, Farsi often skips the verb completely because the meaning is obvious. Just like in English where we can say "Hello to you" instead of "I am saying hello to you", Farsi does the exact same thing here.