Greetings

1. السلام علیکم

   As-salām alaikum

   Peace be upon you (Hello)

   Usage

   Standard greeting between Muslims in the Kashmir Valley; the reply is "وعلیکم السلام". Use "نَمَسکار" with Hindus.

   Grammar Note

   A fixed Arabic formula used unchanged. Koul (Modes of Greetings) lists salām alaikum / reply vāalaikum salām as the Muslim-to-Muslim greeting.

2. وعلیکم السلام

   Wa-alaikum as-salām

   And upon you peace (reply)

   Usage

   The fixed reply to "السلام علیکم".

   Grammar Note

   Fixed Arabic formula; do not reorder.

3. نَمَسکار

   Namaskār

   Hello (Hindu greeting)

   Usage

   A greeting between Hindus; the reply repeats the same word.

   Grammar Note

   An interjection listed under this spelling in Wiktionary. Koul gives namaskār ⇄ namaskār as the greeting between equals.

4. وارے چھِوا؟

   Vāray chivā?

   How are you?

   Usage

   A greeting that asks after the other person's well-being; literally "are you fine?".

   Grammar Note

   Koul (Modes of Greetings) has vaaray chivaa? "How are you?". The spelling was composed by rule from the Latin transcription.

5. وارے، تُہِی چھِوا وارے؟

   Vāray, tohi chivā vāray?

   Fine. And you?

   Usage

   A reply to "how are you?" that asks the same back.

   Grammar Note

   Koul has vaaray, toh' chivaa vaaray? "Fine. Are you fine?". The spelling was composed by rule.

6. مہربانی

   Meharbānī

   Thanks to your kindness

   Usage

   A polite reply to "how are you?" or a word of thanks.

   Grammar Note

   Koul lists tuhInz meharbānī "your kindness" as a reply to a greeting; the word is also in the Shauq dictionary.

7. خوش آمدید

   Khōś āmdīd

   Welcome

   Usage

   What you say to greet a guest.

   Grammar Note

   A Persian fixed phrase; it appears in the ks.wikipedia welcome message.

8. مےٚ چھُ ناو [نام]

   Me chu nāv [nām]

   My name is [name]

   Usage

   Self-introduction. Replace [ ] with your name.

   Grammar Note

   Dative construction "to-me is name" (Koul: me chu nāv Rahmān). The copula agrees with the masculine subject ناو: چھُ.

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