KalamPeace in Arabic
Peace in Arabic is سلام (salām). It's the same word in every dialect and appears in the greeting السلام عليكم (as-salāmu ʿalaykum), "peace be upon you." A related word, سلم (silm), means peace as opposed to war, and راحة البال (rāḥat al-bāl) means peace of mind.
Literally: “peace, safety, well-being”
Peace across the Arab world
Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.
Used for peace between nations (اتفاقية سلام, ittifāqiyyat salām, peace agreement) and in greetings.
Same word. Also a casual "bye": سلام! or سلام عليكم.
LevantineسلامsalāmSame word. Used as both a quick hi and bye, like "peace" in English slang.
GulfسلامsalāmSame word. سلامات (salāmāt) is a common Gulf hello, and سلامتك (salāmtak) means "get well soon."
DarijaسلامslāmMoroccan Darija drops the first vowel: slām, used as hi and bye.
Other ways to say peace
How to respond
And upon you be peace (reply to as-salāmu ʿalaykum)
Bye / peace (when salām is used as a casual goodbye)
How to say it right
The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.
Practise with feedbackStress the long ā: sa-LAAM. Hold it about twice as long as the short a.
The l in salām is light, like the l in "leaf," not the dark l in "ball."
silm has a short i and no vowel between l and m: SILM, one syllable.
In as-salāmu, the l of al- blends into the s, so it sounds like "as-sa-LAA-mu."
Example sentences
We want to live in peace.
Standard (MSA)Alright, bye!
EgyptianI want a little peace of mind.
LevantineHi, how's it going?
DarijaUsing it like a local
Peace is woven into everyday Arabic. The standard greeting, السلام عليكم, wishes peace on the person you meet, and many goodbyes, like مع السلامة (maʿa as-salāma), "go with safety," come from the same root, s-l-m. The word Islam and the name Salim share it too.
In Islam, السلام (as-Salām) is one of the names of God, listed in the Quran: الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ (Surah Al-Hashr 59:23). The Night of Decree is described as سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ, "Peace it is until the emergence of dawn" (Surah Al-Qadr 97:5).
The Hebrew shalom is a cousin of salām; both come from the same Semitic root. In casual Arabic, سلام on its own is relaxed, like "peace" or "later" in English, so with elders the full greeting is more respectful. In texts, a quick سلام is a perfectly normal way to sign off.
What is the difference between salam and silm?
سلام (salām) is the general word for peace, safety and greetings. سلم (silm) is a more formal word for peace as the opposite of war, and gives us سلمي (silmī), "peaceful," as in a peaceful protest.
How do you say peace of mind in Arabic?
Peace of mind is راحة البال (rāḥat al-bāl), literally "rest of the mind." In Egyptian and Levantine speech it sounds like rāḥit il-bāl. You can also say طمأنينة (ṭuma'nīna), inner tranquility.
What does salam mean in a greeting?
سلام (salām) means "peace." On its own it's a casual hi or bye. In full, السلام عليكم (as-salāmu ʿalaykum) means "peace be upon you," and the reply is وعليكم السلام (wa ʿalaykum as-salām).
Is salam the same as shalom?
They are related. Arabic salām and Hebrew shalom both come from the Semitic root s-l-m, linked to peace, wholeness and safety. The pronunciation differs, but the meaning and use in greetings are very similar.
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