Are you eager to dive into the rich and diverse world of the Arabic language? Whether you’re planning a trip to an Arabic-speaking country or simply want to impress your friends with your linguistic skills, learning some Arabic everyday phrases can be a fantastic start. This post will guide you through essential phrases in various Arabic dialects: Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf, and Darija. Let’s make Arabic fun and accessible!
Why learn Arabic?
Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people across 22 countries. It’s a language of history, culture, and tradition. Knowing just a few everyday Arabic phrases can enhance your travel experiences, deepen your cultural understanding, and connect you with native speakers on a personal level.
Dialects of Arabic
Arabic has many dialects, each with its unique flavor. While Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is used in formal settings, Arabic everyday phrases are almost always spoken in regional dialects during everyday conversations. Here, we’ll focus on four major ones:
- Egyptian Arabic: Widely understood due to Egypt’s influential media.
- Levantine Arabic: Spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
- Gulf Arabic: Used in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
- Darija: Used in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya (We will focus here on Moroccan Darija).
Greetings
Hello
- Egyptian:
- Levantine:
- مَرْحَبَا
- عَوَافِي
- السَّلام عليكم
- أهلا
(This word is used exclusively as a greeting response in the Levant to the word مرحبا
. It is not typically used to initiate a greeting but rather as a reply. The greeting starts with مرحبا
and the response is either أهلا
or أهلين
or أهلًا
)
A man and woman greet each other in Syrian Arabic.
| Gulf |
| السَّلَام عليكم
|
| قوّة
|
| To a male | To a female |
| حياكَ الله
| حياكي الله
|
- Darija:
- السَّلَام عَلَيْكُمْ
- سَلَامْ
- مَرْحَبَا
How are you?
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | إِزَّيَّكْ؟
| إِزَّيِّكْ؟
|
| Levantine | كِيفَكْ؟
كِيفْ حَالَك؟
شلونَك
| كِيفِكْ؟
كِيفْ حَالِك؟
شلونِك
|
| Gulf | شْلُونَكْ؟
شْحَالَك؟
| شْلُونِك؟
شْحَالِك؟
|
| Darija | لَابَاسْ؟
|
Good morning
| Levantine |
| صَبَاح الخير
|
| To a male | To a female |
| يِسْعِد صَباحَك
| يِسْعِد صَباحِك
|
| Gulf |
| صَبَاح الخير
|
| To a male | To a female |
| صَبَّحك الله بِالخير
| صبَّحك الله بالخير
|
Good evening
Two Egyptians meet for the first time.
| Levantine |
| مسا الخير
|
| To a male | To a female |
| يسعد مساك
| يسعد مساكي
|
| Gulf |
| مساء الخير
|
| To a male | To a female |
| مسّاك الله بالخير
| مسّاكي الله بالخير
|
Good night
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | تصبح على خير
| تصبحي على خير
|
| Levantine | تصبح على خير
| تصبحي على خير
|
| Gulf | تصبح على خير
| تصبحي على خير
|
| Darija | تصبح على خير
| تصبحي على خير
|
Goodbye
| Levantine |
| مع السّلامة
|
| باي
|
| To a male | To a female |
| الله معك
| الله معك
|
| يعطيك العافية
| يعطيكي العافية
|
| بخاطرك
| بخاطرك
|
| Gulf |
| مع السلامة
|
| في أمان الله
|
| To a male | To a female |
| الله معاك
| الله معاكي
|
Common courtesy
Mastering Arabic everyday phrases includes knowing the right expressions for courtesy. Phrases like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” are essential for polite interactions.
Please
| Egyptian |
| To a male | To a female |
| من فضلك
| من فضلك
|
| لو سمحت
| لو سمحتي
|
| Levantine |
| إذا ممكن
|
| To a male | To a female |
| لو سمحت
| لو سمحتي
|
| إذا بتريد
| إذا بتريدي
|
| Gulf |
| To a male | To a female |
| ما عليك أمر
| ما عليكي أمر
|
| لو سمحت
| لو سمحتي
|
| من فضلك
| من فضلك
|
Thank you
| Egyptian |
| ألف شكر
|
| شكرًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| كتّر خيرك
| كتّر خيرك
|
| Levantine |
| يِسْلَمُو
|
| شُكْرًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| يِعْطِيك العَافْيَة
| يعطيكي العافية
|
| تسلم
| تسلمي
|
| Gulf |
| شكرًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| ما قصَّرت
| ما قصّرتي
|
| يعطيك العافية
| يعطيكي العافية
|
| مشكور
| مشكورة
|
- Darija:
- الله يجازيك بخير
- بارك الله فِيك
- شُكْرًا بِزَّافْ
You’re welcome
| Egyptian |
| العفو
|
| عفوًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| ولا يهمَّك
| ولا يهمِّك
|
| Levantine |
| العفو
|
| عفوًا
|
| ولو
|
| To a male | To a female |
| تكرم عينَك
| تكرَم عينك
|
| Gulf |
| يَا هَلَا
|
| عفوًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| ممنونة
| ممنون
|
Darija:
Excuse me/Pardon me
| Egyptian |
| To a male | To a female |
| أستأذنَك
| أستأذنِك
|
| عن إِذنَك
| عن إذنِك
|
| Levantine |
| عفوًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| إذا بتريد
| إذا بتريدي
|
| ما تواخذني
| ما تواخذيني
|
| لو سمحت
| لو سمحتي
|
| Gulf |
| عفوًا
|
| To a male | To a female |
| اسمح لي
| اسمحي لي
|
| لو سمحت
| لو سمحتي
|
| Darija |
| To a male | To a female |
| سمح ليَّا
| سمحي ليّا
|
Sorry/I apologize
| Egyptian |
| معلش
|
| بعتذر
|
| To a male | To a female |
| حقَّك عليّا
| حقِّك عليّا
|
| A male | A female |
| أنا آسف
| أنا آسفة
|
| Levantine |
| عفوًا
|
| بعتذر
|
| To a male | To a female |
| حقَّك عليي
| حقِّك عليي
|
| A male | A female |
| أنا آسف
| أنا آسفة
|
| متأسف
| متأسفة
|
| Gulf |
| عفوًا
|
| بعتذر
|
| To a male | To a female |
| حقَّك عليّا
| حقِّك عليّا
|
| A male | A female |
| أنا آسف
| أنا آسفة
|
| متأسف
| متأسفة
|
| Darija |
| كنعتدر
|
| To a male | To a female |
| سمحلي
| سمحي لي
|
Getting around
When traveling, Arabic everyday phrases like “Where is…?” or “How much does it cost?” will be incredibly useful.
Where is…?
- Egyptian: فين… ؟
- Levantine: وين… ؟
A Palestinian girl replies to some questions like where she is.
- Gulf: وين… ؟
- Darija: فين… ؟
How much (it) costs?
- Egyptian: بكام؟
- Levantine: قدّيش؟
- Gulf: بكم؟
- Darija: بشحال؟
Yes/No
| Dialect | Yes | No |
| Egyptian | أيوة
آه
| لأ
َلأّ
|
| Levantine | إِي
| لا
لأ
|
| Gulf | إيه
إيوة
إيه نعم
| لا
|
| Darija | إيه
| لا
|
I don’t understand
| Egyptian |
| A male | A female |
| مش فاهم
| مش فاهمة
|
Cloze Listen activity from 10 Phrases to Solve a Misunderstanding on Playaling.
- Levantine: ما فهِمت
- Gulf: ما فهمت
- Darija: مافهمتش
Can you help me?
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | ممكن تساعدني؟
| ممكن تساعديني؟
|
| Levantine | فيك تساعدني؟
ممكن تساعدني؟
| فيكي تساعديني؟
ممكن تساعديني؟
|
| Gulf | تقدر تساعدني؟
| تقدري تساعديني؟
|
| Darija | واخا تعاوني؟
| واخا تعاونيني؟
|
Dining out
Knowing Arabic basic phrases for dining out ensures you can comfortably navigate restaurants and cafes.
I’m hungry
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | أنا جعان
| أنا جعانة
|
| Levantine | أنا جوعان
| أنا جوعانة
|
| Gulf | أنا جوعان
| أنا جوعانة
|
| Darija | فيَّا جوع
|
I’m thirsty
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | أنا عطشان
| أنا عطشانة
|
| Levantine | أنا عطشان
| أنا عطشانة
|
| Gulf | أنا عطشان
| أنا عطشانة
|
| Darija | فيَّا لعطش
|
Delicious
- Egyptian:
- Levantine:
- Gulf:
- Darija:
The bill, please
| Egyptian |
| To a male | To a female |
| الشيك، لو سمحت
| الشيك، لو سمحتي
|
| الحساب، لو سمحت
| الحساب، لو سمحتي
|
| Levantine |
| To a male | To a female |
| الحساب، لو سمحت
| الحساب، لو سمحتي
|
| Gulf |
| To a male | To a female |
| الحساب، لو سمحت
| الحساب، لو سمحتي
|
- Darija:
- رِيسِي عَفَاك
- بِشْحَالْ عَفَاكْ
Emergencies
In an emergency, being able to use Arabic everyday phrases could be crucial.
Help!
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | إِلحقني
| إلحقيني
|
| Levantine | ساعدني
| ساعديني
|
| Gulf | إلحقني
| إلحقيني
|
| Darija | عاونّي
| عاونيني
|
Call the police
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | اطلب البوليس
| اطلبي البوليس
|
| Levantine | اطلب الشّرطة
| اطلبي الشرطة
|
| Gulf | اطلب الشّرطة
| اطلبي الشرطة
|
| Darija | عيّط للبوليس
| عيطي للبوليس
|
I need a doctor
| Dialect | To a male | To a female |
| Egyptian | أنا محتاج دكتور
| أنا محتاجة دكتور
|
| Levantine | بحاجة لطبيب
أنا بحاجة دكتور
|
| Gulf | أبي طبيب
|
| Darija | أنا خصني طبيب
|
Cultural notes
Understanding the cultural context of these phrases is just as important as learning the words themselves. Here are a few tips:
- Greetings: Arabic-speaking cultures place a high value on greetings. Take the time to greet people properly, and use the appropriate phrases depending on the time of day and formality of the situation.
- Politeness: Politeness is crucial. Always say please, thank you, and you’re welcome. It’s a sign of respect and good manners.
- Body Language: In many Arabic cultures, physical gestures, such as a handshake or a slight bow of the head, accompany greetings. Careful not to point the soles of your feet or shoes in the direction of anyone. Be mindful of personal space and gender interactions, as these can vary.
- Hospitality: Expect hospitality, and be ready to reciprocate. Offering and accepting tea or coffee is common, and it’s polite to accept at least a small amount.
Practice makes perfect
The best way to learn these everyday Arabic phrases is through practice. Engage with native speakers, immerse yourself in real-world videos and music, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Language learning is a journey, and every step brings you closer to fluency. To support your learning, try our unique cross-dialectical Audio Dictionary, where each word is accompanied by audio pronunciations, example sentences, detailed grammatical information, and more. You can explore the dictionary and other activities and exercises by signing up for Playaling and enjoying the free trial.
Conclusion
Arabic is a beautiful and complex language with a rich cultural heritage. By learning these Arabic everyday phrases, you’re not just memorizing words; you’re opening the door to new experiences and connections. Happy learning!
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