Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assalomu alaykum | ah-sah-loh-mu ah-lay-KUM | Hello | Polite, universal. Use it with strangers, elders, officials, shopkeepers. |
| Salom | sah-LOM | Hi | Friends, family, colleagues your age, younger people. |
| Xayrli kun | khayr-LI KUN | Good day | Neutral and a little formal; common in emails and on the phone. |
| Xush kelibsiz | khush ke-lib-SIZ | Welcome | What a host or shop says to you when you arrive. |
| Assalomu alaykum, yaxshimisiz? | ah-sah-loh-mu ah-lay-KUM, yakh-shi-mi-SIZ | Hello, how are you? | The greeting and the question together, polite. |
| Salom, qalaysan? | sah-LOM, qa-lay-SAN | Hi, how are you? | Informal, with friends and people your age. |
| Hammaga salom! | ham-ma-GA sah-LOM | Hello, everyone! | Informal, to a group of friends or colleagues. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
Peace be upon you. The reply, Va alaykum assalom, means “and upon you, peace”.
What people say back
Va alaykum assalom (vah ah-lay-kum ah-sah-LOM): “And peace upon you”. The fixed reply. Answering Assalomu alaykum with a plain Salom sounds curt.
In a real exchange
- You: Assalomu alaykum!
Hello! - Shopkeeper: Va alaykum assalom! Xush kelibsiz.
Hello! Welcome. - You: Rahmat. Yaxshimisiz?
Thank you. How are you? - Shopkeeper: Yaxshi, rahmat. Oʻzingiz-chi?
Fine, thanks. And you? - You: Menga bitta non bering.
One loaf of bread, please. - Shopkeeper: Marhamat.
Here you are.
Good to know
- The greeting is Arabic in origin but it is everyday and secular in Uzbekistan: everyone says it to everyone.
- Men usually shake hands, often with the left hand on the chest. Wait for a woman to offer her hand first; a nod with the hand on the chest is always right.
- Greeting is followed by a round of how-are-you questions about you, your family and your work. Answer briefly and ask back.
- Salom works at any time of day, in speech and in messages.
Common mistakes
- Saying Salom to an older person or an official. It is not rude, but it is too casual; use Assalomu alaykum.
- Pronouncing x in xayrli as “ks”. Uzbek x is the rough h of Scottish loch.
This phrase is part of Hello, hi and goodbye in Uzbek: greetings with pronunciation in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.