The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Arabic
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Arabic. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | السلام عليكم | al-sa-LAAM a-LAY-kum |
| Hello (informal) | مرحبا | MAR-ha-ba |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | ma-a al-sa-LA-meh |
| Thank you | شكرا | SHUK-ran |
| Please | من فضلك | min FADH-lak |
| Yes | نعم | NA-am |
| No | لا | LA |
| Sorry | آسف | A-sef |
| I don't understand | أنا لا أفهم | a-NA la AF-ham |
| Do you speak English? | هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟ | hal ti-ta-KHA-dhath al-in-glee-ZEE-yeh |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | صباح الخير | sa-BAH al-KHEER |
| Good evening | مساء الخير | ma-SAA al-KHEER |
| How are you? | كيف حالك؟ | KEEF HA-lak? |
| My name is… | اسمي… | IS-mee… |
| Nice to meet you | تشرفنا | ta-shar-RAF-na |
| I am from Israel | أنا من إسرائيل | A-na min is-ra-EEL |
| See you | أراك لاحقًا | a-RAK la-HI-kan |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | وين البوابة؟ | WEIN el-BA-wa-beh? |
| Is the flight delayed? | الرحلة متأخرة؟ | el-RIH-leh mut-AKH-reh? |
| Boarding pass | بطاقة صعود | bi-TA-kat su-OOD |
| My suitcase didn't arrive | شنطتي ما وصلت | SHAN-ta-ti ma wa-SAL-at |
| I have a connecting flight | عندي رحلة متابعة | IN-di RIH-leh mu-TA-ba-a |
| Window/aisle seat | مقعد جنب الشباك/الممر | MAK-ad JANB el-shi-BAK/el-ma-MAR |
| Where is passport control? | وين الجوازات؟ | WEIN el-ja-WA-zat? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please. | إلى هذا العنوان من فضلك. | i-LA ha-DHA al-UN-wan MIN fad-LAK |
| How much to the center? | كم إلى المركز؟ | kam i-LA al-MAR-kaz? |
| One ticket to… | تذكرة واحدة إلى… | TAZ-ki-ra WA-hi-da i-LA… |
| Which platform? | أي رصيف؟ | ay ra-SIF? |
| Where is the bus station? | أين محطة الحافلات؟ | AY-na ma-HAT-tat al-HA-fi-lat? |
| Stop here, please. | قف هنا من فضلك. | qif HU-na min FAD-lak. |
| Is it far? | هل هو بعيد؟ | hal HU-wa ba-EED? |
| Turn left/right. | انعطف يسارًا/يمينًا. | in-A-tif ya-SA-ran/ya-MI-nan. |
| Straight. | مباشرة. | mu-BA-sha-ra. |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | عندي حجز | ʿIN-di ḤAZJ |
| Check-in | تسجيل دخول | tas-JIL du-KHUL |
| Check-out | تسجيل خروج | tas-JIL khu-RUJ |
| Is breakfast included? | الفطور مشمول؟ | al-fu-TUR mash-MUL? |
| Room key | مفتاح الغرفة | mif-TAḤ al-GHUR-fah |
| Wi-Fi password | كلمة سر الواي فاي | ka-li-MAT sir al-WAI FAI |
| Can I leave my luggage? | ممكن أترك الحقائب؟ | MUM-ken AT-ruk al-ḥa-QA-ib? |
| The air conditioner doesn't work | المكيف لا يعمل | al-mu-KAY-yif la YAʿ-mal |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Table for two | طاولة لشخصين | TAW-leh li-SHAKH-tsayn |
| The menu, please | القائمة من فضلك | al-QA-i-mah min FADH-lak |
| What do you recommend? | ماذا تنصح؟ | MA-dha TAN-sakh? |
| The bill, please | الحساب من فضلك | al-khi-SAB min FADH-lak |
| Tap water | مياه الحنفية | mi-YAH al-kha-na-FI-yeh |
| I have a nut allergy | لدي حساسية من المكسرات | la-DAY kha-sa-SI-yeh min al-mu-kha-sa-RAT |
| No meat | بدون لحم | bi-DUN LAH-m |
| It was excellent | كان ممتاز | KAN mum-TAZ |
| Can I pay by card? | هل يمكنني الدفع بالبطاقة؟ | hal YUM-ki-ni ad-DAF' bil-bi-TA-ka? |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | بِكَم؟ | bi-KAM? |
| It's too expensive | غَالِي جِدًّا | GHA-li JID-dan |
| Do you accept card? | بِتَاخُدُوا كَرْت؟ | bi-TA-khu-du KART? |
| I'm just looking | بَشُوف بَسّ | ba-SHUF BASS |
| Can I have a receipt? | مُمْكِن إِيصَال؟ | MUM-kin I-SAL? |
| Where is an ATM? | فِين مَاكِنَة صَرْف؟ | FIN MA-ki-na SARF? |
| A smaller size | مَقَاس أَصْغَر | ma-KAS AS-ghar |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Arabic | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | نجدة! | NAJ-da! |
| Call a doctor | اتصل بطبيب | it-TI-sil bi-TA-bib |
| Call the police | اتصل بالشرطة | it-TI-sil bil-SHUR-ta |
| Where is a pharmacy? | أين الصيدلية؟ | AYN es-SAY-da-LI-ya? |
| I don't feel well | أنا لست بخير | a-NA LAS-tu bi-KHEIR |
| I'm lost | أنا ضائع | a-NA DA-yi' |
| I need a hospital | أحتاج إلى مستشفى | akh-TAJ i-LA mus-TASH-fa |
| It hurts here | أشعر بألم هنا | ASH-ur bi-A-lam HU-na |
Where it takes you
Countries that speak Arabic
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Arabic?
"شكرا" (SHUK-ran). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Arabic do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Arabic is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Arabic as an official language?
Arabic is a main language in 13 countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟" (hal ti-ta-KHA-dhath al-in-glee-ZEE-yeh) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data