KalamHow to Say Nice to Meet You in Arabic
The most common way to say nice to meet you in Arabic is تشرفنا (tasharrafnā), literally "we are honored." It works in every dialect. Egyptians also say فرصة سعيدة (furṣa saʿīda), "a happy opportunity," and Moroccans say متشرفين (mtsharrfīn). A polite reply is الشرف لي (ash-sharaf lī), "the honor is mine."
Literally: “we are honored”
Nice to Meet You across the Arab world
Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.
"I'm honored to know you." Formal; also سعيد بلقائك (saʿīd bi-liqā'ik), "happy to meet you."
Furṣa saʿīda is the classic Egyptian nice to meet you, usually said when parting after a first meeting.
LevantineتشرفناtsharrafnaStandard in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. Often paired with ahla w sahla (welcome).
GulfتشرفناtsharrafnaSame phrase in the Gulf, said with a handshake and often a hand on the heart.
DarijaمتشرفينmtsharrfīnMoroccan Darija, "we're honored." Very common in Algeria too.
Other ways to say nice to meet you
How to respond
The honor is mine (MSA; Egyptian: ish-sharaf liyya, Levantine: ish-sharaf ili)
I'm happier (classic Egyptian reply to furṣa saʿīda)
And us even more (Levantine reply to tsharrafna)
We're honored (simply returning it)
How to say it right
The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.
Practise with feedbackTasharrafnā has a doubled r: hold it a little and give it a light trill, ta-shar-RAF-na.
In furṣa, the ṣ is a heavy s said with the tongue low and the mouth open toward the back. It darkens the u before it.
Saʿīda has an ع in the middle: a tight squeeze in the throat between sa and īda. A short pause is better than skipping it.
Ash-sharaf: the l of al- disappears into the sh, so you say ash-SHA-raf, not al-sharaf.
Example sentences
My name is Karim. Nice to meet you!
LevantineNice to meet you, ma'am, hope to see you again.
EgyptianIt's an honor to meet you, Doctor.
Standard (MSA)Nice to meet you, welcome.
DarijaUsing it like a local
Arabic frames meeting someone as an honor rather than a pleasure. Tasharrafnā literally means "we have been honored," and the natural reply, ash-sharaf lī, insists the honor is yours. This polite back-and-forth is a big part of Arab hospitality.
In Egypt, furṣa saʿīda is often said at the end of a first meeting, as you part, much like English "it was nice meeting you." The witty answer ana asʿad, "I'm happier," is so standard that people say it almost automatically.
Handshakes are common, but some religious men and women don't shake hands with the opposite sex. If unsure, wait to see if a hand is offered; a hand on your heart with tasharrafnā is a respectful alternative.
Nice to Meet You: common questions
Can't find what you're looking for? Email our team, we read everything.
What does tasharrafna mean?
تشرفنا (tasharrafnā) means "we are honored," and it's the standard way to say nice to meet you in Arabic. The "we" is polite and inclusive, and it's used by individuals too.
How do you respond to nice to meet you in Arabic?
Say الشرف لي (ash-sharaf lī), "the honor is mine," or simply tasharrafnā back. In Egypt, the reply to فرصة سعيدة (furṣa saʿīda) is أنا أسعد (ana asʿad), "I'm happier."
What does fursa saeeda mean?
فرصة سعيدة (furṣa saʿīda) means "a happy opportunity." It's the Egyptian way of saying nice to meet you, usually said when parting after meeting someone for the first time.
Does nice to meet you change for men and women in Arabic?
Tasharrafnā and furṣa saʿīda don't change. Phrases with "you" or "I am" do: saʿīd (happy) becomes saʿīda if the speaker is a woman, and in dialect tsharraft bi-maʿriftak becomes bi-maʿriftik when talking to a woman.
Related words & phrases
Don't just look it up. Say it.
Kalam gets you speaking real Arabic in five minutes a day, with speaking drills and an AI partner in the dialect your family speaks.
