Learning Arabic can connect you to a rich cultural heritage and help you communicate in 22 countries where it is the official language. Knowing some basic Arabic words is a great beginning, whether you’re a traveller, a business professional, or just curious about the language. This guide covers some of the basic Arabic words, giving you the essential vocabulary to get started with the language.
Also, we will be using the Arabic alphabet (الابجدية). It’s best to learn the alphabet before diving into the language. We will cover words in Modern Standard Arabic. Although it may seem tricky, Arabic is a phonetic language with consistent pronunciation. The transliterations in brackets are there to help and don’t follow strict guidelines.
So, let’s get started…..
Why Learn Basic Arabic Words?
- Improve Travel Experiences: Communicate better and fully experience local cultures.
- Improve Business Interactions: Strengthen relationships with Arabic-speaking clients, partners or native people.
- Foster Cultural Understanding: Understand Arabic traditions and customs more deeply.
- Boost Cognitive Skills: Learning a new language sharpens your mind and expands your viewpoints.
Here is the list of the most common and basic Arabic words that you must know:
Greetings and Common Phrases:
These words and phrases will help you greet people and have basic Arabic conversations for beginners.
- Hello – مرحبا (Marhaba)
- Goodbye – مع السلامة (Ma’a as-salama)
- Please – من فضلك (Min fadlik)
- Thank you – شكرا (Shukran)
- Yes – نعم (Na’am)
- No – لا (La)
- Excuse me – عفواً (Afwan)
- How are you? – كيف حالك؟ (Kayfa halak?)
- I am fine – أنا بخير (Ana bekhair)
- What is your name? – ما اسمك؟ (Ma ismuk?)
- My name is… – اسمي (Ismi)
- Good morning – صباح الخير (Sabah al-khair)
- Good evening – مساء الخير (Masa’ al-khair)
- Good night – تصبح على خير (Tusbah ala khair)
- Nice to meet you – تشرفت بمعرفتك (Tasharraftu bima’rifatika)
Arabic Pronouns:
Knowing pronouns is essential for forming sentences.
1. Singular:
- “I” – انا (Ana)
- “You” (feminine) – انتِ (Anti)
- “You” (masculine) – انتَ (Anta)
- “He” – هو (Howwa)
- “She” – هي (Heyya)
2. Dual:
- “We” – نحن (NaHnu)
- “You” – انتما (Antuma)
- “They” – هما (Humaa)
3. Plural:
- “We” – نحن (NaHnu)
- “You” (feminine) – انتن (Antunna)
- “You” (masculine) – انتم (Antum)
- “They” (feminine) – هن (Hunna)
- “They” (masculine) – هم (Hum)
Arabic Adjectives & Adverbs:
These words will help you describe things and express yourself more clearly.
- “Many, lots of” – كثير (Katheer)
- “Few” – قليل (Qalil)
- “Big” – كبير (Kabir)
- “Small” – صغير (Saghir)
- “Tall” – طويل (Tawil)
- “Short” – قصير (Qasir)
- “Near” – قريب (Qarib)
- “Far” – بعيد (Ba’id)
- “Good, nice” – جيد (Jayyed)
- “Bad” – سيء (Saye’)
- “Easy” – سهل (Sahl)
- “Difficult” – صعب (Saab)
- “Beautiful” – جميل (Jamil)
- “Ugly” – قبيح (QabiH)
- “Delicious” – لذيذ (Laziz)
- “Hot” – سخن (Sakhn)
- “Cold” – بارد (Bared)
- “Very” – جدا (Jidan)
Arabic Numbers:
Numbers are crucial for daily conversations, especially when dealing with money, dates, or quantities.
- One – واحد (Wahid)
- Two – اثنان (Ithnan)
- Three – ثلاثة (Thalatha)
- Four – أربعة (Arba’a)
- Five – خمسة (Khamsa)
- Six – ستة (Sitta)
- Seven – سبعة (Sab’a)
- Eight – ثمانية (Thamaniya)
- Nine – تسعة (Tis’a)
- Ten – عشرة (Ashara)
Arabic Time Related Words:
Understanding these words will help you talk about time and schedule events.
- “Day” – يوم (Yawm)
- “Week” – أسبوع (usboue)
- “Month” – شهر (Cha-Hr)
- “Year” – سنة (Sana)
- “Today” – اليوم (Al’yawm)
- “Yesterday” – امس (Ams)
- “Tomorrow” – غدا (Ghadan)
- “Hour” – ساعة (Sa’aa)
- “Minute” – دقيقة (Daqiqa)
- “Time” – زمن (Zaman)
- “Before” – قبل (Qabl)
- “After” – بعد (Ba’aad)
- “Now” – الان (Al’aan)
Arabic Days of the Week:
These words will help you plan your week.
- Sunday – الأحد (Al-Ahad)
- Monday – الاثنين (Al-Ithnayn)
- Tuesday – الثلاثاء (Ath-Thulatha)
- Wednesday – الأربعاء (Al-Arba’a)
- Thursday – الخميس (Al-Khamis)
- Friday – الجمعة (Al-Jum’a)
- Saturday – السبت (As-Sabt)
Arabic Basic Questions:
Use these words to ask basic questions and get the information you need.
- Where? – أين؟ (Ayn?)
- When? – متى؟ (Mata?)
- Why? – لماذا؟ (Limadha?)
- How? – كيف؟ (Kayfa?)
- What? – ماذا؟ (Madha?)
- Who? – من؟ (Man?)
Common Arabic Words:
These verbs are used frequently and are essential for forming sentences.
- “To do” – يفعل (Yaf’al)
- “To be” – يكون (Yakun)
- “To become” – يصبح (YusbiH)
- “To say” – يقول (Yaqol)
- “To come” – ياتي (Ya’ati)
- “To go” – يمشي (Yamshi)
- “To arrive” – يصل (Yasil)
- “To see” – يرى (Yaraa)
- “To send” – يرسل (Yursil)
- “To have” – يملك (Yamlek)
- “To take” – يأخذ (Ya’akhuz)
- “To wait” – ينتظر (Yantadir)
- “To meet” – يلتقي (Yaltaqi)
- “To live” – يعيش (Yaa’ish)
- “To think” – يفكر (Yufakker)
- “To give” – يعطي (Yua’ti)
- “To receive” – يتلقى (Yatalaqa)
- “To know” – يعرف (Ya’arif)
- “To make” – يصنع (Yasnaa)
- “To use” – يستعمل (Yasta’mil)
- “To learn” – يتعلم (Yata’alam)
- “To eat” – يأكل (Ya’akul)
- “To drink” – يشرب (Yashrub)
- “To laugh” – يضحك (YadHak)
- “To read” – يقرا (Yaqraa)
- “To like” – يحب (Yuhibb)
- “To write” – يكتب (Yaktub)
Arabic Words for Things:
These words are useful for talking about common items.
- “Thing” – شيء (Chay’a)
- “Nothing” – لا شيء (La chay’a)
- “House” – منزل (Manzil)
- “Car” – سيارة (Sayyara)
- “Words” – كلمات (Kalimat)
- “Language” – لغة (Logha)
- “Water” – ماء (Ma-aa)
- “Movie” – فيلم (Film)
- “Food” – أكل (Akl)
- “Tea” – شاي (Chai)
- “Phone” – هاتف (Hatif)
Arabic People:
These words help you refer to people and their relationships.
- “Woman” – امرأة (Imra-aa)
- “Man” – رجل (Rajul)
- “Girl” – بنت (Bint)
- “Boy” – ولد (Walad)
- “Friend” – صديق (Sadik)
- “Person” – شخص (Chakhs)
- “Husband” – زوج (Zawj)
- “Wife” – زوجة (Zawja)
- “Family” – عائلة (A-ila)
- “Name” – اسم (Ism)
Arabic Food and Drink:
These words will help you talk about food and drinks.
- Water – ماء (Ma’a)
- Bread – خبز (Khubz)
- Tea – شاي (Shay)
- Coffee – قهوة (Qahwa)
- Rice – أرز (Aruzz)
- Chicken – دجاج (Dajaj)
- Fish – سمك (Samak)
- Fruit – فاكهة (Fakihat)
- Vegetables – خضار (Khodar)
Arabic Colours:
These words are essential for describing things.
- Red – أحمر (Ahmar)
- Blue – أزرق (Azraq)
- Green – أخضر (Akhdar)
- Yellow – أصفر (Asfar)
- Black – أسود (Aswad)
- White – أبيض (Abyad)
Arabic Family and People:
These words help you talk about family members and people.
- Mother – أم (Umm)
- Father – أب (Ab)
- Brother – أخ (Akh)
- Sister – أخت (Ukht)
- Friend – صديق (Sadiq)
- Man – رجل (Rajul)
- Woman – امرأة (Imra’a)
- Child – طفل (Tifl)
Arabic Directions:
Knowing these words will help you give and understand directions.
- Right – يمين (Yamin)
- Left – يسار (Yasar)
- Straight – مستقيم (Mustaquim)
- Up – فوق (Fawq)
- Down – تحت (Taht)
Arabic Miscellaneous Words:
These common words are useful for everyday conversations.
- Help – مساعدة (Musa’ada)
- Money – مال (Mal)
- Market – سوق (Souq)
- Hospital – مستشفى (Mustashfa)
- School – مدرسة (Madrasa)
Final Takeaway:
So that’s all about the Arabic vocabulary for beginners. Learning these essential basic Arabic words gives you a good starting point for understanding and speaking the language. Regular practice, talking with native speakers, and exploring the cultural context will help you improve. No matter which of the seven emirates you are visiting, learning these basic Arabic words can enhance your experience and help you connect with locals. Over time, you will become more confident and fluent in Arabic.
