Arabic can be a tough language to learn, especially if it isn't your first language. In this guide, we're exploring some of the basic Arabic words that you can start to learn as a head start before learning Arabic by taking lessons, or just as a helpful guide before visiting an Arabic country.
There are plenty of beautiful Arabic words to learn, but they are very different for those who are used to English, and learning the alphabet is one of the biggest challenges. For some, speaking basic Arabic will be easier than writing Arabic.
The good news is, according to Mondly.com, "When you know the most common 100 Arabic words, you can understand 50% of the texts written in Arabic." So, it makes sense to learn the very basics first and start to string together some sentences.
Variations of Arabic
Did you know that Arabic is spoken as the first language in over 30 countries, spanning a wide region including much of the Middle East, Levant region and Africa. Expect to find that there are local varieties and a few different ways to say things.
Egyptian Colloquial is one of the most widespread dialects, so if you want to learn a specific type of Arabic then make sure you discuss this with your tutor if you are taking lessons. The history of Arabic stemmed many different varieties. Modern Standard Arabic is the most popular, and is recognised as an official language by the UN. All of the words you find will on this list are recognised in Modern Standard Arabic.
Arabic Words
If you are looking to learn Arabic words to get you started then these are among the most popular (and useful).
مرحبا (mrhban) - Hello
The obvious place to start is at "hello". This is how to start your conversations when you are in a country where Arabic is the main language. There are variations, just like there are in English, so أهلا – (ʿahlan) is a more informal version, a bit like saying “Hi” whereas أهلا وسهلا (ʿahlan wa-sahlan) is more akin to “How do you do?”
There are more greetings that you can learn, based on the time of the day.
Good morning = الخيرصباح – sabah alkhayr
Good afternoon = مساءالخير – masa’ alkhayr
Good evening = مساءالخير – masa’ alkhayr
As well as some of the greetings for different times of the day, there are also some Arabic greetings that are a bit more informal:
Hi = أهلا- Ahlan
Hey = مهلا- Mahlan
What’s up? = ماأخبارك؟ – Ma Akhbarakura?
How’s it going? = كيفتجري الامور؟ – Kayfa Tajri Alumur?
You can also wish Arabic people who celebrate festivals like Ramadan a blessed Ramadan by saying "Ramadan Mubarak".
مع السلامه (mae alsalama) = Goodbye
Another basic word to learn in Arabic is "الى اللقاء" which is how Arabic people usually say goodbye. There are variations of this word, too. See you soon — أراك لاحقاً — ‘arak lahqaan, is another way that we can say goodbye but this is a little more informal.
شكرا لك (shkran lak) = Thank you
Being polite in Arab countries is certainly important, and any time somebody serves you in a store or restaurant, or is kind or polite to you in some other way, you should make a point of saying "thank you" as you would in English speaking countries.
If you are to learn one Arabic phrase to speak in the locals' language, this is probably the one to learn.
"أنا آسف" (ana 'asif) = Sorry/apology
There are a few different ways in which to apologise in the language, there isn't a "one size" way of saying sorry like there is in England and other English-speaking countries but the closest we have is this, "ana 'asif". So, if you bump into somebody on the street accidentally or have another cause to say sorry, this is the simplest way to do so.
You can get more specific with your apologies, of course, āsef ʾennī etʾaḫḫart ʿaleīk (اسف إني اتأخرت عليك) means "Sorry I’m late".
"اسمي" (ismee) = My name is
Looking for some easy words to learn in Arabic? Well, this is one that is both easy and also very useful. The reasons why it is so simple for English speakers to remember is that the pronunciation, "ismee", sounds a bit like "it's me". So when you are introducing yourself, if your name is Matthew, you would simply say "ismee, Matthew".
Asking Questions in Arabic
When you reach a certain level of Arabic then you might need to ask questions. The words below will help you when it comes to forming these questions. In the written form, you may also notice the backwards question mark (Arabic is written from right to left, so this makes sense).
| Where | ‘ayn | أين؟ |
| When | mataa | متى؟ |
| What | maathaa | ماذا؟ |
| Why | limaathaa | لماذا؟ |
These are particularly useful if you need to know where something is, or what time something is going to happen. These are some of the basics that can be tricky as you need to turn these Arabic words into sentences, of course.
The video above shows 50 common questions that you may want to ask in Arabic, as well as how you pronounce these questions.
Answering Questions
If you're going to take part in even the most simple conversations then you need to know how to answer questions with "yes" or "no" or even "I don't know". These are simple to learn and put into practice, and luckily they are some of the easiest terms to actually say.
| Yes in Arabic | ‘ajal | أجل |
| No in Arabic | laa | لا |
| I don’t know in Arabic | laa a’rif | لا أعرف |
Useful Arabic Phrases to Get Around
As well as some useful words there are some great phrases that you should save on your phone or try to learn off by heart, these will make it much easier to get around and to function day to day while you are in an Arabic country.
I’m lost = أنا تائه. – Ana Ta’eh
If you don't know where you are then you may well need some help. It can be very worrying to get lost in a country you aren't familiar with so knowing how to explain your situation to someone may help greatly.
Where’s the * ? = اين ال؟ – Ayna Al?
If you are looking to find something such as a bus station, train station, hotel, taxi rank...you will be able to ask by saying "Ayna Al" and then the word you are looking for. If you know your hotel name you may just be able to use this.
"Ayna Al Mahatat Alqitar" for example is the question "where is the train station?"
Police = شرطة – Shurtah
Hopefully you don't have to use this language in any emergency situations, but if you do then it is worth having the knowledge imprinted on your brain. This is how to call for police in the Arabic languages.
I’m allergic to * = * لدىحساسيه من – Hal Tathhab Hathehy Alhafelah ela *
This is a bit more of a difficult thing to say if you are used to very simple English words, and for some of us, we can bypass this particular lesson. For instance, if you don't have any allergies. If you do have allergies though, you will need to know this.
You should then follow it with one of the following depending on what you are allergic to:
Nuts = المكسرات- Almukasirat
Fish/seafood = سمكة- Samaka
Milk = حليب- Halib
Wheat = قمح- Qamh
How to Learn More Arabic Words
We are lucky enough to live in an age where you can learn popular Arabic words and learn how to pronounce Arabic words online without necessarily having to sit with another person and learn, but some will always learn better with a tutor. At Superprof, we have a range of exceptional Arabic teachers who can help you even if you are an absolute beginner.
Other ways to learn more Arabic words that you can use include:
- Buying a phrase book. There are a variety of different phrase books on the market and while it may feel a bit old-fashioned, you can put one in your pocket and use it if you get a little lost.
- Watch television or listening to songs in Arabic. This is one of the tried-and-tested methods of learning how to speak a language is to watch shows in that language.
- Speak to people in the language and practice. It isn't easy, but if you can find people who speak the language you can always test out your knowledge and whether you have learned the basics correctly. This is a way to check that you have got the correct pronunciation, too.
Summary – Learning Arabic Words
These basic Arabic words should get you underway on your quest to learn the language, but there are, of course, so many more words that you need to learn if you are going to hold full conversations. Before visiting a country it is always polite to learn the basics of the language. With so many Arabic countries, this is one of the most useful languages in the world.
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