msa-ca

17 | From MSA to CA: A Beginner’s guide for transitioning into Colloquial Arabic بالعامية ِ التحية Greeting in CA ِ المعنى بالإنجليزية English Translati on بالعامية ِ الرد Response in CA ِ المعنى بالإنجليزية English Translation الشرح Explanation ِْ عَليكم ِْ السّلام Peace be upon you. ِْ عَليكم ِْ السلام - عليكو ِ السلام “On you” is peace, meaning peace be upon you. In MSA, there is a final damma on the م ; which is dropped in CA. This greeting is used in several settings. For example, when one is passing by a group of people and wants to say hello quickly. It will not be said to ask about how one is doing. In more religious settings, like the mosque, the م and/or final damma will be pronounced. In everyday settings, the م is often deleted and replaced by و . Listen to this funny song [YouTube] that might give you a feel of how native speakers use this greeting.