सलाम (salaam)
interjection/noun
A greeting/salutation word borrowed from Persian-Arabic via Urdu; primarily used as a respectful or affectionate greeting, and also as a noun meaning a formal salute or greeting gesture.
Sense
1
:
greeting exchanged on meeting someone
interjection
Synonyms: नमस्ते (namaste), आदाब (aadaab, formal, especially in Urdu-influenced speech), राम राम (raam raam, regional/rustic variant)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Delhi you'll hear सलाम (salaam) especially in Muslim neighborhoods and among Urdu-speaking families, often exchanged between an younger person and an elder as a mark of respect. It has a warmer, more old-world courtly flavor than the everyday नमस्ते (namaste), and shows up a lot in Hindi film dialogue set in Lucknow or old Delhi to evoke that refined tehzeeb (etiquette).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes think सलाम (salaam) is interchangeable with नमस्ते (namaste) in all contexts, but it carries a Muslim/Urdu cultural association and can sound out of place in a strictly Hindu religious setting. 2) It is often paired with a name or title in respectful address, as in सलाम, चाचा जी (salaam, chaachaa jii, 'greetings, uncle'), rather than used as a bare standalone word among strangers.
Sample Sentences:
सलाम, चाचा जी! कैसे हैं आप?
Hello, uncle! How are you?
(salaam, chaachaa jii! kaise hain aap?)
जब भी वह अपने बड़ों से मिलता है, सलाम ज़रूर करता है।
Whenever he meets his elders, he always says salaam.
(jab bhii vah apne badon se miltaa hai, salaam zaroor kartaa hai।)
बच्चे ने दरवाज़े पर आते ही सलाम कहा।
The child said salaam as soon as he came to the door.
(bachche ne darvaaze par aate hii salaam kahaa।)
बेटा, अपनी नानी को सलाम करो।
Son, say salaam to your grandmother.
(betaa, apnii naanii ko salaam karo।)
पुरानी दिल्ली की गलियों में लोग आज भी एक-दूसरे को सलाम कहते हुए मिलते हैं।
In the lanes of Old Delhi, people still greet each other with salaam even today.
(puraanii dillii kii galiyon men log aaj bhii ek-doosre ko salaam kahte hue milte hain।)
मैंने उनसे सलाम किया, मगर उन्होंने जवाब नहीं दिया।
I said salaam to him, but he didn't reply.
(mainne unse salaam kiyaa, magar unhonne javaab nahiin diyaa।)
अगर वह मुझसे मिलता तो मैं ज़रूर सलाम करता।
If he had met me, I would certainly have said salaam.
(agar vah mujhse miltaa to main zaroor salaam kartaa।)
फ़िल्म में नवाब साहब जब कमरे में दाख़िल हुए, तो सबने खड़े होकर सलाम कहा।
In the film, when the nawab sahib entered the room, everyone stood and said salaam.
(film men navaab saahab jab kamre men daakhil hue, to sabne khade hokar salaam kahaa।)
आदाब और सलाम, दोनों ही लखनऊ की तहज़ीब का हिस्सा हैं।
Both aadaab and salaam are part of Lucknow's refined etiquette.
(aadaab aur salaam, donon hii lakhnaoo kii tahziib kaa hissaa hain।)
शायद वह मुझसे सलाम करना चाहता हो, पर शर्मा रहा है।
Maybe he wants to greet me with salaam, but he's feeling shy.
(shaayad vah mujhse salaam karnaa chaahtaa ho, par sharmaa rahaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
a formal salute, bow, or gesture of respect
noun, masculine Common in the fixed phrase सलाम करना (salaam karnaa, 'to salute/pay respects'), where सलाम (salaam) is the object of करना (karnaa).
Synonyms: प्रणाम (pranaam, more devotional/formal), नमस्कार (namaskaar, formal)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You'll hear सलाम ठोकना (salaam thoknaa, 'to snap a salute') used informally and a bit sarcastically about bureaucratic or exaggerated displays of deference, poking fun at over-the-top formality -- a very Delhi way of commenting on office politics.
Common Mistakes: 1) सलाम (salaam) as a noun refers to the act of saluting or the gesture itself, not the word of greeting -- learners sometimes conflate the two senses when translating 'he gave a salaam' versus 'he said salaam.' 2) In formal/military or ceremonial contexts, सलाम (salaam) is used the way 'salute' is in English, e.g. a soldier's सलाम (salaam) to a flag.
Sample Sentences:
सिपाही ने अफ़सर को सलाम किया।
The soldier gave the officer a salute.
(sipaahii ne afsar ko salaam kiyaa।)
परेड में सभी जवान एक साथ सलाम करते हैं।
In the parade, all the soldiers salute together.
(pared men sabhii javaan ek saath salaam karte hain।)
वह अफ़सर के सामने खड़ा होकर सलाम ठोक रहा था।
He was standing in front of the officer, snapping a salute.
(vah afsar ke saamne khadaa hokar salaam thok rahaa thaa।)
दफ़्तर में तो लोग बड़े साहब को देखकर ऐसे सलाम ठोकते हैं जैसे फ़ौज में हों।
In the office, people snap salutes at the big boss as if they were in the army.
(daftar men to log bade saahab ko dekhkar aise salaam thokte hain jaise fauj men hon।)
जवान, अफ़सर को सलाम करो!
Soldier, salute the officer!
(javaan, afsar ko salaam karo!)
ध्वज को सलाम दिया जाएगा।
A salute will be given to the flag.
(dhvaj ko salaam diyaa jaaegaa।)
काश वह भी शहीदों को सलाम करने आता।
If only he had also come to give a salute to the martyrs.
(kaash vah bhii shahiidon ko salaam karne aataa।)
मुख्य अतिथि के आने पर बैंड ने सलामी बजाई और सबने सलाम किया।
When the chief guest arrived, the band played a salute and everyone saluted.
(mukhy atithi ke aane par baind ne salaamii bajaaii aur sabne salaam kiyaa।)
शायद वह सैनिक अपने कमांडर को सलाम करे, यही नियम है।
Perhaps that soldier will salute his commander, that is the rule.
(shaayad vah sainik apne kamaandar ko salaam kare, yahii niyam hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
सलाम
(salaam)
(sg.m.oblique):
सलाम
(salaam)
(pl.m.direct):
सलाम
(salaam)
(pl.m.oblique):
सलामों
(salaamon)