Everyday Phrases in ArabicA1

You’ll soon greet people in Arabic, ask about their names and wellbeing, respond politely, and end a conversation with confidence. Start with the first unit to explore writing direction and the sounds behind your first phrases.

العربية English Request Translation

Arabic and Right-to-Left Writing

Arabic is a Semitic language spoken by people in many Arab countries, and each country has words and accents used in daily life. Arabic is read from right to left, so you begin reading a phrase from the right side. Vowel marks appear in learning materials to show pronunciation, such as the fatḥa in , the kasra in , and the ḍamma in . In ordinary texts, vowel marks are usually omitted, but new words are written with vowel marks so that you know how to pronounce them.

Many words are made from a root containing original letters, and the root then fits into a pattern that adds meaning or function. The root ك ت ب carries the idea of writing, so we say for the verb, for the written thing, for the place or table designated for work, and for the person who writes. Learning the root together with the pattern connects these words instead of requiring you to memorize each word separately.

Reading direction and roots in Arabic words
Idea
Arabic is read from RIGHT TO LEFT.
The root letters k-t-b appear in different words carrying the meaning of writing or what is related to it.
Written vowel marks help determine the pronunciation of the word.

Daily Greetings and Responses

You begin an informal meeting by saying , and you can also say . is used with one person or with a group, while is used to welcome a guest or a friend who has arrived at the place.

In a formal meeting or when addressing a group, say . The other person responds with . You can use the formal greeting at work, when receiving a guest, and when entering a store or office. After the greeting, you can move on to asking about the person’s well-being or name.

Beginning a meeting with a greeting and the appropriate response
Phrase	Purpose
مَرْحَبًا.	The speaker uses it to begin a friendly meeting.
أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا.	The speaker uses it to welcome the visitor.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ.	The speaker uses it to offer a formal greeting.
وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ.	The speaker uses it to respond to the formal greeting.
مَرْحَبًا بِكَ.	The speaker uses it to welcome a man who has come to the meeting.

Morning and Evening Greetings

In the morning you say , and the listener usually responds by saying . In the evening you use , and the response is . These phrases are said when arriving at work, meeting a neighbor, or starting a phone call.

Some responses and greetings vary by country and family, but these forms are understood in many Arab countries. You can combine a time-of-day greeting with a general greeting, such as .

Greeting phrases according to the time of the meeting
Word	Definition
صَبَاحُ الخَيْرِ	Said in the morning as a greeting, and the commonly used phrase may differ depending on the country.
صَبَاحُ النُّورِ	Said in response to a morning greeting.
مَسَاءُ الخَيْرِ	Said in the evening as a greeting when meeting someone.
مَسَاءُ النُّورِ	Said in response to an evening greeting.

Asking About Well-Being and Names

To ask a man how he is, say , and to ask a woman how she is, say . The ending of the pronoun in and differs according to the person being addressed, not according to the speaker. You answer the question by saying , and then you can ask the same person for a man or for a woman.

To ask a man his name, say , and to ask a woman her name, say . Begin the answer by saying , then state the name, such as or . The ending of the pronoun in and changes when addressing a man or a woman, while remains the same when giving the speaker’s name.

Asking about well-being and name during a meeting
Phrase	Purpose
كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟	He asks a man about how he is.
كَيْفَ حَالُكِ؟	He asks a woman about how she is.
أَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، شُكْرًا.	He answers the question about how he is.
مَا اسْمُكَ؟	He asks a man for his name.
مَا اسْمُكِ؟	He asks a woman for her name.
اِسْمِي لَيْلَى.	The speaker states their name.

Politeness and Short Answers

You use when asking a man for something, and when asking a woman for it. In a store, say to the seller, and say to a woman. After someone helps you, say . The person usually responds by saying , and the same word is used for a light apology, such as .

You answer a question that requests agreement by saying , and a question that requests negation by saying . When you do not know the answer or do not want to specify it, you say . These words can appear on their own, or inside a sentence such as , , and .

Polite phrases and answers in conversation
Word	Definition
مِنْ فَضْلِكَ	Said when politely asking a man for something.
شُكْرًا	Said after receiving help or a service.
عَفْوًا	Said in response to thanks or for a light apology.
نَعَمْ	Used to agree to a question or suggestion.
لَا	Used for refusal or negation in response to a question.
رُبَّمَا	Used when the answer is not certain.

Asking for Clarification and Saying Goodbye

When you do not understand something someone says, say . To ask someone to slow down, say to a man , and use the same form when addressing a woman in Standard Arabic. You can add or for politeness, such as .

At the end of the meeting, say , which is suitable between friends and at work. Say when leaving a place or saying goodbye to someone, and the other person responds with the same phrase or by saying . For example, after buying bread, say to the seller .

Asking for help and ending the meeting
Phrase	Purpose
أَنَا لَا أَفْهَمُ.	The speaker indicates that they did not understand the words.
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ بِبُطْءٍ؟	He asks a man to speak slowly.
هَلْ يُمْكِنُكَ أَنْ تُعِيدَ؟	He asks a man to repeat the words.
إِلَى اللِّقَاءِ.	The speaker says goodbye to someone they expect to meet again.
مَعَ السَّلَامَةِ.	The speaker ends the meeting politely.

You can now greet people, introduce yourself, ask how someone is, request clarification, and close a meeting with fitting phrases. Continue to Introducing Yourself in Arabic to build your first conversation, then practice these expressions in short everyday situations.