sellem سلّم
Moroccan Darija · verb
“sellem” (سلّم) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to greet, pass on regards.
Meanings
- to greet, pass on regards
- to hand over, deliver
- to surrender, give up
Usage
With 3la, sellem means "to greet someone" or "to pass on one's regards": "sellem 3la l-walida", say hello to your mother. It is a very common phrase at the end of a conversation. Without 3la, the verb means "to hand over" or "to deliver": "sellem l-wra9", hand over the papers. "Sellem rasso" means to surrender, and "sellem f..." means to give up something. The related word slam means the greeting. The register is everyday and polite.
Example
سلم على ماماك
selem 3la mamak
“Say hello to your mom for me.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kansllem | sllemt | |
| nta (you, m.) | katsllem | sllemti | sllem |
| nti (you, f.) | katsllmi | sllemti | sllmi |
| howa (he) | kaysllem | sllem | |
| hiya (she) | katsllem | sllmat | |
| 7na (we) | kansllmo | sllmna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katsllmo | sllmto | sllmo |
| homa (they) | kaysllmo | sllmo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sellem” but also “sllem”, “salem”, “slem” and “slm”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “sellem” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to greet someone”; “to hand over, deliver”: sellem in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to greet, say hello”; “to hand over, deliver”: sallem in Tunisian.