Hello… or should we say salaam alaikum! Whether you’re traveling to the Middle East for business or pleasure, these two short words will go a long way. Although Arabic is the main language spoken in the region, English is widely used here. But, while you can easily order a meal, catch a taxi or book a hotel without uttering a word of Arabic, there are plenty of reasons why you should at least attempt to learn the local lingo.
Here are some useful phrases and common words to learn before boarding that flight to the Middle East, which can be used in various greetings and exchanges.
Common Arabic Phrases And Words
Inshallah
It means “God willing”, but it is more widely used to mean “maybe” or “I’m not sure”. You can use this word in a variety of scenarios where you may not have the answer to the question. For example, will you arrive on time? How long will the meeting last?
Yalla
One of the most common Arabic words used, yallah means “let’s go” or “come on” and is frequently used by all nationalities in the Middle East to mean that you want something to happen or want things to keep moving along.
Shukran
Quite simply, this means “thank you”. The other person should reply by saying afwan, which means “you’re welcome”.
Hala
A casual and friendly greeting, this is a less formal way of saying hello to friends and well-known colleagues.
Mabrook
When you want to congratulate someone for anything, simply say mabrook to put a smile on their face.
Salaam Alaikum/Wa Alaikum Salaam
This is the most traditional and a more formal Arabic greeting. You’ll need to learn both parts of the greeting; the first person says salaam alaikum and then the other person replies with wa alaikum salaam. It’s literally translated in English as “peace be upon you!” and “and on you be peace'”.
Habibi
An informal way of greeting a friend is to call them habibi (when addressing a man) or habibti (when addressing a woman). You can combine this with Yallah to say Yallah habibi, meaning “hello my friend”.
The Basics
Ay-wa/naam: Yes
La’: No
La shu-kran: No, thanks
Min fadlak (when talking to a male); Min fadliki (when talking to a female): Please
Aasif (M); Assifa (F): sorry
Ma-salama: goodbye
Tawaqaf: Stop
Maza/Man: Who?/What?
Ayna/Lemaza: Where?/Why?
Kam ath-thaman: How much?
Ana mu fa-him (when talking to a male); Ana mu fahhma (when talking to a female): I don’t understand
The Quick And Easy Answer To Everything!
Ana La ataKalam El Aarabya: I don't speak Arabic
Meeting And Greeting
Is-mee [your name]: My name is…
Kaeef halak: How are you?
Anaa min [country]: I’m from…
Ame-ri-ki: America
Brai-ta-ni: Britain
O-ro-pi: Europe
Al hind: India
It’s as important as learning your ABCs (or in this case the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet) to remember the Arabic for numbers for 1-10
Waahad: one
Ithnayn: two
Thaltha: three
arba'a: four
fkhamsa: five
sitta: six
saba'a: seven
thamaanya: eight
tiss'a: nine
ashara: ten
Don’t Get Lost… Find Your Way Around The City in Arabic
Maazera
Whether asking for directions or trying to get someone’s attention, start the conversation with the polite word maazera, which means “excuse me”.
Wayn al hammam?
If you’re looking for the restroom, remember how to say Wayn al hammam? or “Where is the toilet?”.
Ala yamen
Go to the right
Ala yassar
Go to the left
Henna
Here
Common questions
Ayna aqrab maHatet banseen: Where is the nearest petrol station?
Ayna aqrab Saraf aalee: Where is the nearest cash machine?
Ayna Al mustashfaa: Where is the hospital?
And in an emergency, you can ask for…
MosaAda: Help!
Al shurtaa: Police
Moustashfa: Hospital
Dakhtar: Doctor
Hal Ladika hatef: Do you have a phone?
Not only will the locals give you a warm welcome for making the effort to speak their language, but you’ll find it easier to navigate your way around the country – and you’ll enjoy feeling immersed in the local culture. So, whether it’s saying shukran or inshallah, mabrook or salaam alaikum, a little bit of Arabic will take you far.