How to say "welcome" in Levantine Arabic
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً
ahlan wa sahlan
- Without tashkeel
- أهلا وسهلا
- Franco / chat alphabet
- ahlan w sahlan
- Literally
- Family and ease (from an old classical greeting meaning 'you have come to family and trodden level ground')
When to use it
This is the standard, ubiquitous greeting for welcoming someone to your home, country, or business. It is used across all Levantine regions and is appropriate for both formal and informal situations. It is often shortened to just 'ahlan' in casual contexts.
Other ways to say it
to a man
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً فِيك
ahlan wa sahlan feek
Welcome (to you, m)
Add the preposition 'feek' to specifically address a single male guest.
to a woman
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً فِيكِي
ahlan wa sahlan feeki
Welcome (to you, f)
Add the preposition 'feeki' to specifically address a single female guest.
to a group
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً فِيكُم
ahlan wa sahlan feekom
Welcome (to you all)
Used when welcoming multiple people at once.
shortened / casual
أَهْلاً
ahlan
Welcome / Hello
Used as a quick, casual welcome or as a general greeting equivalent to 'hello'.
very warm / exaggerated
يَا مِيَّة أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً
ya meet ahlan wa sahlan
A hundred welcomes
Used to show extreme hospitality and warmth, especially common in Syria and Lebanon.
How people reply
أَهْلاً فِيك
ahlan feek
Welcome to you too (replying to a man)
أَهْلاً فِيكِي
ahlan feeki
Welcome to you too (replying to a woman)
أَهْلاً فِيكُم
ahlan feekom
Welcome to you too (replying to a group)
In a sentence
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً فِيكُم بِبَيْتْنَا، تَفَضَّلُوا.
ahlan wa sahlan feekom bbeitna, tfaddalo.
Welcome to our home, please come in.
يَا مِيَّة أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً، نَوَّرْتُوا!
ya meet ahlan wa sahlan, nawwarto!
A hundred welcomes, you brought light to the place!
أَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً فِيك بِلُبْنَان، إِنْ شَاءَ الله تِنْبِسِط.
ahlan wa sahlan feek blibnan, inshallah tinbisit.
Welcome to Lebanon, hopefully you will enjoy yourself.