سلامت

What it means

سلامت (salâmat) means health, safety, or soundness, borrowed from Arabic سَلامة (salâma), from the root S-L-M that also gives the greeting سلام (salâm, peace or hello). In everyday Persian سلامت is both a noun (his health is good: سلامتش خوبه) and a toast used when drinking: به سلامتی (be salâmati, to health, cheers). The related noun سلامتی (salâmati) is the form most commonly raised in toasts and well-wishes. A close synonym is بهداشت (behdâsht), but behdâsht refers specifically to hygiene and public health as a system, while سلامت and سلامتی describe the state of being healthy in a personal or celebratory sense. The farewell phrase سلامت باشی (salâmat bâshi, may you be well) is a warm standard goodbye.

How to use it

• به سلامتی! (be salâmati!) “Cheers! / To your health!”
• سلامتت چطوره؟ (salâmatat chetore?) “How is your health?”
• سلامت باشی (salâmat bâshi) “Take care / may you be well.” (goodbye)
• مهم‌ترین چیز سلامتیه (mohemtarin chiz salâmatiye) “The most important thing is health.”

Cultural note

In Iranian social gatherings, be salâmati is the standard toast whether the glasses hold tea, doogh, or anything else. The phrase is not limited to alcohol, which makes it universally applicable in a society where many guests do not drink. Saying سلامت باشی at the end of a visit or phone call is a standard, warm farewell that lands somewhere between take care and wishing you well. The shared root with سلام means the whole family of S-L-M words in Persian carries an undertone of peace and wholeness, giving even a casual goodbye a quietly generous feeling.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab