Greetings
Peace be upon you, a warm hello
Assalamu alaikum
AHS-sah-lah-moo AH-lah-ee-kum
About this phrase
Why it works
The most common greeting among Muslims in Bangladesh, usable at any time of day with almost anyone, a stranger, a friend, or an elder. The standard reply is 'Walaikum assalam.'
Literally
Peace be upon you
When to use it
The most common greeting among Muslims in Bangladesh, used any time of day with almost anyone.
How it feels
Warm and respectful. Works for both people you know and strangers.
Formality
Neutral, safe with elders and peers alike
Grammar
Word by word
The full explanation
A fixed Arabic-origin greeting with no Bangla verb, assalamu alaikum means 'peace be upon you' and is used unchanged as a set phrase, so it does not inflect.
assalamu: 'peace'.
alaikum: 'upon you'.
Examples
In a conversation
You
Assalamu alaikum
Peace be upon you
Shopkeeper
Walaikum assalam, ki lagbe?
And peace upon you. What do you need?
Common replies
Walaikum assalam
and peace be upon you too
Walaikum assalam, kemon achhen?
and peace upon you too, how are you?