Arabic Phrasebook

Hello / Peace be upon you

السلام عليكم

As-salāmu ʿalaykum

💡 Standard Muslim greeting. Respond with 'Wa alaykum assalam'.

And peace be upon you (response)

وعليكم السلام

Wa ʿalaykum as-salām

💡 The expected reply to 'As-salāmu ʿalaykum'.

Good morning

صباح الخير

Ṣabāḥ al-khayr

💡 Response is 'Sabah an-noor' (morning of light).

Good evening

مساء الخير

Masāʾ al-khayr

💡 Response is 'Masa' an-noor'.

Welcome / You are welcome

أهلاً وسهلاً

Ahlan wa sahlan

💡 Warm welcome phrase; reply with the same.

How are you?

كيف حالك؟

Kayfa ḥālak?

💡 Use 'Kayfa ḥālik?' for a woman.

I am fine, thank God

بخير، الحمد لله

Bikhair, al-ḥamdu lillāh

💡 'Alhamdulillah' is the standard positive response.

My name is…

اسمي…

Ismī…

💡 Say your name directly after.

Nice to meet you

تشرفنا

Tasharrafnā

💡 Formal and polite for first meetings.

Goodbye / Go in peace

مع السلامة

Maʿa as-salāma

💡 Used by the one staying behind to the one leaving.

Thank you

شكراً

Shukran

💡 Universal and well-understood everywhere.

Thank you very much

شكراً جزيلاً

Shukran jazīlan

💡 More emphatic form of gratitude.

You are welcome

عفواً

ʿAfwan

💡 Also means 'Excuse me / pardon me' in other contexts.

Please (requesting)

من فضلك

Min faḍlak

💡 Use 'Min faḍlik' for a woman.

Excuse me / Sorry

آسف

Āsif

💡 For mistakes. Use 'Aasifa' if you are a woman.

No problem

لا بأس

Lā baʾs

💡 Reassures the other person it is fine.

God willing (I hope so)

إن شاء الله

In shāʾ Allāh

💡 Used constantly; can mean yes, maybe, or politely no.

What God wills (Expressing admiration)

ما شاء الله

Māshāʾ Allāh

💡 Expresses appreciation or admiration — very common.

One

واحد

Wāḥid

💡 Essential for ordering and shopping.

Two

اثنان

Ithhnān

💡 In speech: 'itnain'.

Three

ثلاثة

Thalātha

💡 Spoken version: 'talaata'.

Four

أربعة

Arbaʿa

💡 Pronounced 'arbaa' casually.

Five

خمسة

Khamsa

💡 A common price-quoting number.

Ten

عشرة

ʿAshara

💡 Basis for many multiples.

Hundred

مئة

Miʾa

💡 Key for prices: 'mia riyal' = 100 SAR.

How much does it cost?

كم السعر؟

Kam as-siʿr?

💡 Essential for shopping. Point to items too.

Where is…?

أين…؟

Ayna…?

💡 Follow with the destination name.

Airport

المطار

Al-maṭār

💡 Show this on your phone if needed.

Hotel

الفندق

Al-funduq

💡 Or use 'hotel' — widely understood.

Taxi

تاكسي

Tāksī

💡 Same word, just Arabic pronunciation.

How far is it?

كم تبعد؟

Kam tabʿud?

💡 Useful for judging walk vs taxi.

Stop here, please

قف هنا من فضلك

Qif hunā min faḍlak

💡 Gesture pointing down reinforces the message.

Turn right

دوّر يمين

Dawwir yamīn

💡 Pair with hand gesture for clarity.

Turn left

دوّر يسار

Dawwir yasār

💡 Pair with hand gesture.

Straight ahead

على طول

ʿAlā ṭūl

💡 Literally: 'along the way'.

How much?

بكم؟

Bikam?

💡 Short and universally understood.

Too expensive

غالي جداً

Ghālī jiddan

💡 Opens room for negotiation in markets.

Can you reduce the price?

ممكن تخفض السعر؟

Mumkin tukhaḍiḍ as-siʿr?

💡 Bargaining in souqs is expected.

I want to buy…

أريد أشتري…

Urīd ashtarī…

💡 Point at the item too.

Do you have…?

عندك…؟

ʿIndak…?

💡 Follow with the item name in English if needed.

I am just looking

أنا بس أتفرج

Ana bass atfarraj

💡 Useful to avoid pressure selling.

I will take it

سآخذه

Saākhidhuh

💡 Signals you are ready to buy.

Do you accept credit card?

هل تقبل بطاقة الائتمان؟

Hal taqbal biṭāqat al-iʾtimān?

💡 Many places accept Mada and Visa.

I have a reservation

عندي حجز

ʿIndī ḥajz

💡 Show your confirmation on your phone.

Check-in

تسجيل الوصول

Tasjīl al-wuṣūl

💡 Generally understood in English too.

Check-out

تسجيل المغادرة

Tasjīl al-mughādara

💡 Confirm time at check-in.

Room key

مفتاح الغرفة

Miftāḥ al-ghurfa

💡 Point to the door to clarify.

The air conditioning is not working

المكيف لا يعمل

Al-mukayyif lā yaʿmal

💡 Very important in Saudi summers.

More towels please

مناشف إضافية من فضلك

Manāshif iḍāfiyya min faḍlak

💡 Gesture to your room or bathroom.

What time is breakfast?

متى وقت الإفطار؟

Matā waqt al-ifṭār?

💡 Most hotels serve 6–10am.

A table for two, please

طاولة لاثنين من فضلك

Ṭāwila li-ithnayn min faḍlak

💡 Hold up fingers to show number.

The menu, please

القائمة من فضلك

Al-qāʾima min faḍlak

💡 Many restaurants have English menus too.

I am vegetarian

أنا نباتي

Ana nabātī

💡 Use 'nabātiyya' if you are a woman.

Without meat

بدون لحم

Bidūn laḥm

💡 Clear and specific for dietary needs.

It is delicious!

لذيذ!

Ladhīdh!

💡 Great to show appreciation to the chef.

The bill, please

الحساب من فضلك

Al-ḥisāb min faḍlak

💡 Or gesture writing in the air.

Water

ماء

Māʾ

💡 Bottled water is safest.

Without spice / mild please

بدون توابل

Bidūn tawābil

💡 Saudi food can be quite spiced.

I am lost

أنا ضائع

Ana ḍāyiʿ

💡 Use 'ḍāyiʿa' if you are a woman.

Can you help me?

هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟

Hal yumkinuk musāʿadatī?

💡 Saudis are generally very helpful to tourists.

North / South / East / West

شمال / جنوب / شرق / غرب

Shamāl / Janūb / Sharq / Gharb

💡 On maps and road signs.

Near / Far

قريب / بعيد

Qarīb / Baʿīd

💡 Saudis often underestimate distances.

Street / Road

شارع / طريق

Shāriʿ / Ṭarīq

💡 Used in addresses and directions.

Help!

النجدة!

An-najda!

💡 Loud and clear — universally understood as a call for help.

Call the police!

اتصل بالشرطة!

Ittaṣil biʾsh-shurṭa!

💡 Police emergency number in Saudi: 911.

I need a doctor

أحتاج طبيباً

Aḥtāj ṭabīban

💡 Show this on your phone if speaking is difficult.

Hospital

مستشفى

Mustashfā

💡 Most large cities have international-standard hospitals.

I have been robbed

سُرقت

Suriqtu

💡 Go to the nearest police station ('markaz shurta').

I am allergic to…

أنا حساس من…

Ana ḥassās min…

💡 Follow with the allergen; show a card if possible.

I have lost my passport

فقدت جواز سفري

Faqadtu jawāz safarī

💡 Contact your embassy immediately.