سلام.

hello

Questions & Answers about سلام.

How do you pronounce سلام?

It’s pronounced sa-LAAM (IPA: /sæˈlɒːm/ in Iranian Persian). The second syllable is long: lām.

What does سلام literally mean, and is it just “hi”?

Literally it relates to peace / well-being (from the same Semitic root as Arabic salām). In everyday Persian, it functions as a standard greeting: hi / hello.

Is سلام formal or informal?

It’s neutral and very widely usable—fine with friends, strangers, and in many professional contexts. If you want to be more formal, you can add something like سلام علیکم or follow with polite phrases, but سلام alone is already acceptable in most situations.

Can سلام be used at any time of day?

Yes. It works like hello and is not tied to morning/afternoon/evening.

How do you respond to سلام?

Common responses include:

• سلام (same word back)
• سلام، خوبی؟ = Hi, how are you?
• سلام علیکم (more formal/traditional)
• درود (a more literary/“Persian-purist” alternative)

Why is there a dot at the end: سلام.?

In writing, a period is optional. سلام can appear with no punctuation, or with a period to look like a complete message/sentence (especially in texts or formal writing). In Persian typography you may also see the Persian-style period . used the same way.

What direction is the word written, and what are its letters?

Persian is written right-to-left. سلام is composed of:

• س (s)
• ل (l)
• ا (ā / long a)
• م (m)

Are short vowels written in سلام?

Usually no. Persian normally omits short vowels in everyday writing. The short vowel a in the first syllable (sa-) is understood from context. The ا represents the long ā in the second syllable.

Is this the same as Arabic سلام?

It’s written the same and closely related in meaning, but the pronunciation and everyday usage differ by language. In Persian it’s a very common casual greeting; in Arabic it’s often part of longer greetings like السلام عليكم.

Is سلام ever used to mean “greetings to someone” (like “say hi to X”)?

Yes. You can use it like “give my regards”:

• سلام من رو بهش برسون = Give him my سلام / say hi to him for me.
• بهش سلام برسون = Say hi to him.