كل عام وأنت بخير
is one of the most common Arabic holiday greetings you’ll hear across the Arab world.
It’s widely used in Levantine varieties (Syrian , Lebanese , Jordanian , Palestinian ), as well as in Gulf and Modern Standard Arabic , especially during holidays, birthdays, and other recurring occasions. Egyptian Arabic has a similar version of this greeting, though it’s phrased a little differently .
At its core, the expression is a warm wish that someone be well year after year.
What does the phrase literally mean?
كل عام وأنت بخير
Literally: “Every year, and you are well.”
Word by word:
كل
→ everyعام
→ yearو
→ andأنت
→ you (masculine / feminine)بخير
→ well / in good health
The literal meaning may sound formal in English, but in Arabic it functions as a warm, natural holiday greeting.
Common usage examples (Examples below are in Levantine Arabic)
At the start of a holiday It’s widely used during major celebrations such as Ramadan , Eid al-Fitr , and Eid al-Adha , where short, warm greetings are commonly exchanged, as well as on birthdays and other recurring occasions.
كل عام وأنت بخير
A son wishing his father a happy holiday in Palestinian dialect, from a video about Eid traditions. On someone’s birthday كل عام وأنت بخير أحمد
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Addressing masculine, feminine, and plural The wording changes slightly depending on who you’re addressing.
كل عام وأنت بخير
كل عام وأنتي بخير
كل عام وأنتوا بخير
In everyday speech, the vowel endings may not be clearly pronounced, but choosing the correct pronoun still matters.
The expected response The most natural response is simply mirroring the greeting.
Singular response وأنتَ بخير
وأنتي بخير
Plural response وأنتوا بخير
This pattern is extremely common and sounds natural in both spoken and written Arabic.
Pro tip: Using ألف
for a more natural sound When Arabic speakers say:
كل عام وأنت بألف خير
They’re not being literal. ألف
(“a thousand”) is used to intensify the wish , much like saying “all the best,” “a lot of good,” or “wishing you tons of happiness.”
It makes the greeting warmer, more expressive, and slightly more personal.
This clip comes from a Syrian comedy video that humorously explores holiday traditions and customs. Natural replies with ألف وأنتَ بألف خير
وأنتي بألف خير
وأنتوا بألف خير
If you’re learning common Arabic holiday greetings, mastering كل عام وأنت بخير
and its natural responses will instantly make your Arabic sound more fluent and culturally aware.
To hear it in context, explore everyday conversations on Playaling and see how it appears in real-world videos from across the Arab world.
