Phrases › Arabic (Gulf)
Phrases
In Arabic (Gulf), hello is مرحبا (marhaba) and thank you is شكرا (shukran). Here are 38 everyday Arabic (Gulf) phrases with pronunciation, for travel and a first conversation.
How to say hello in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say thank you in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say goodbye in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say please in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say sorry in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say how are you in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say nice to meet you in Arabic (Gulf) · How to say my name is in Arabic (Gulf)
| English | Arabic (Gulf) | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | مرحبا "السلام عليكم" (as-salamu alaykum) is the common Islamic greeting, widely used | marhaba |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | maʿ as-salama |
| Please | لو سمحت "law samahti" when speaking to a woman | law samaht |
| Thank you | شكرا "مشكور/مشكورة" (mashkoor/mashkoora) also very common | shukran |
| Yes | أيوه / نعم "naʿam" is slightly more formal/polite | aywa / naʿam |
| No | لا | la |
| Excuse me / Sorry | آسف "aasfa" if the speaker is a woman | aasif |
| Do you speak English? | تتكلم انجليزي؟ "titkallmeen" when asking a woman | titkallam ingleezi? |
| I don't understand | ما أفهم | ma afham |
| Please speak slowly | تكلم شوي شوي، لو سمحت | titkallam shway shway, law samaht |
| How much is it? | بكم هذا؟ | bikam hatha? |
| Where is the bathroom? | وين الحمام؟ | wain al-hammam? |
| I'd like this, please | أبي هذا، لو سمحت "أبغى" (abgha) is a common Gulf alternative to "abi" | abi hatha, law samaht |
| The bill, please | الحساب، لو سمحت | al-hisaab, law samaht |
| Where is …? | وين …؟ insert the place name after "wain" | wain …? |
| Help! | ساعدوني! | saʿiduni! |
| I need a doctor | أحتاج دكتور | ahtaj doctor |
| Call the police! | اتصل بالشرطة! | ittasil bish-shurta! |
| I don't speak Arabic | ما أتكلم عربي | ma atkallam arabi |
| Can you help me? | تقدر تساعدني؟ "tigdareen" when asking a woman | tigdar tsaʿidni? |
| English | Arabic (Gulf) | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | مرحبا "السلام عليكم" (as-salamu alaykum) is the common Islamic greeting | marhaba |
| How are you? | شلونك؟ to a woman: شلونج (shlonich); كيف حالك (kayf haalak) is also understood | shlonak? |
| I'm fine, thank you. | الحمد لله، بخير، شكراً. | alhamdulillah, bikhair, shukran. |
| And you? | وأنت؟ to a woman: وأنتِ (w inti) | w inta? |
| What's your name? | شو اسمك؟ Kuwait/Bahrain: شنو (shinu); woman: اسمج (ismich) | shu ismak? |
| My name is … | اسمي … put your name in the gap | ismi … |
| Nice to meet you. | تشرفنا. | tasharrafna. |
| Where are you from? | من وين أنت؟ to a woman: أنتِ (inti) | min wain inta? |
| I'm from … | أنا من … put your country in the gap | ana min … |
| English | Arabic (Gulf) | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Slower, please. | تكلم شوي شوي، لو سمحت to a woman: تكلمين (titkallamin) | titkallam shway shway, law samaht |
| Again, please. | ممكن تعيد، لو سمحت؟ to a woman: تعيدين (ti'eedin) | mumkin ti'eed, law samaht? |
| I don't understand. | ما أفهم | ma afham |
| How do you say … in Arabic (Gulf)? | شلون تقول … بالعربي؟ pointing: شلون تقول هذا بالعربي؟ (shloon tgool hatha bil-arabi?); to a woman: تقولين (tgoolin) | shloon tgool … bil-arabi? |
| What does … mean? | شو يعني …؟ Kuwait/Bahrain: شنو يعني (shinu ya'ni) | shu ya'ni …? |
| I'm learning Arabic (Gulf). | أنا أتعلم عربي a woman says the same | ana ata'allam arabi |
| One moment, please. | لحظة، لو سمحت casual: ثواني (thawani) | lahza, law samaht |
| English | Arabic (Gulf) | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the nearest grocery store? | وين أقرب بقالة؟ 'baqala' = small food shop; Gulf speakers pronounce q as g (agrab bagala) | wain aqrab baqala? |
| How do you say this in Arabic? | شلون تقول هذا بالعربي؟ to a woman: "تقولين" (tgoolin) | shloon tgool hatha bil-arabi? |
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