Interested in Arabic from Syria, Palestine, Jordan, or Lebanon? Asking how someone is doing is one of the most natural and universal ways to start a conversation in any language, and Arabic is no exception.
Let’s be real, though. Using just one way to ask “How are you?” can be really boring, right? So, here are 10 different ways to ask someone how they’re doing in Levantine Arabic , ranging from more formal to casual.
كيف حالك؟
كيفك؟
كيف حالكم؟
شو أخبارك؟
كيف الأوضاع؟
كل شي تمام؟
كيفك ماشي الحال؟
كيف أمورك؟
كيف صحتك؟
في شي جديد؟
Let’s talk about those phrases, what they mean, and when to use them. We’ll label their level of formality.
كيف حالك؟
(formal) كيف حالك؟
when addressing a male and كيف حالك؟
when addressing a female is a more formal way to ask “how are you?” It’s commonly used in polite conversations or when speaking to people you don’t know well.
كيف الحال؟
is similar to “how are you doing?” and can be used in various contexts, both formal and informal.
كيف أحوالك؟
when addressing a male and كيف أحوالك؟
when addressing a female, literally means “How are your conditions?” However, it is commonly used to mean “How are you?” This phrase is a more casual alternative to كيف حالك؟
and is often used in informal or friendly settings.
A waitress in welcomes guests to a restaurant in Jordan. كيفك؟
(casual) كيفك؟
when addressing a male and كيفك؟
when addressing a female is a casual way to say “How are you?” It is widely acceptable and can be used with strangers without any issue.
On the other hand, شو كيفك؟
for a male and شو كيفك؟
for a female is a friendlier and more informal way to ask “How are you?” This variation is commonly used in conversations with friends or family.
A Jordanian greets her friend on the phone. كيف حالكم؟
(formal ) كيف حالكم؟
is used when addressing a group of two or more people and is a polite way to inquire about their well-being collectively. It carries a formal tone and is appropriate for various contexts.
On the other hand, شو كيف حالكم؟
is a slightly more casual and friendly variation, often used in informal conversations to ask the same question. Adding شو
softens the tone and makes it feel more approachable, commonly used among friends or family.
The host of a Lebanese TV show for kids asks the audience how they are.شو أخبارك؟
(casual) شو أخبارك؟
when addressing a male and شو أخبارك؟
when addressing a female, is a common and casual way to ask “How are you?” in Levantine Arabic. It literally translates to “What’s your news?” and is often used in friendly and informal conversations.
Two old friends in a Syrian series greet eachother after not having seen eachother for a while.كيف الأوضاع؟
(formal) كيف الأوضاع؟
translates to “how are the conditions?” and is another way to ask about someone’s well-being in a slightly more formal manner.
For a less formal approach, often used with friends, you can say شو أوضاعك؟
when addressing a male, or شو أوضاعك؟
when addressing a female. These variations are friendly and casual, making them suitable for informal conversations.
كل شي تمام؟
(casual) كل شي تمام؟
means “everything okay?” It’s a laid-back and casual way to check in on someone’s well-being.
كيفك ماشي الحال؟
(casual) كيفك ماشي الحال؟
when addressing a male and كيفك ماشي الحال؟
when addressing a female, is a colloquial expression that translates to “how are you doing?” It’s often used among friends and peers.
كيف أمورك؟
(casual) كيف أمورك؟
when addressing a male and كيف أمورك؟
when addressing a female, literally translates to “How are your matters/things?” and is commonly used to mean “What’s up?” “What’s new?” or “How are you doing?” It is most often used among friends and family.
From a comedic Jordanian clip . كيف صحتك؟
(casual & formal) كيف صحتك؟
when addressing a male and كيف صحتك؟
when addressing a female, literally translates to “how is your health?” It’s used to mean “how are you?”.
Arabs in Europe are asked to give their opinions on the relative difficulty of different dialects . Don’t miss the full video!في شي جديد؟
(casual) في شي جديد؟
directly translates to “is there anything new?” and is a casual way to ask if there are any updates in someone’s life.
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