Basic Arabic Words for Everyday Life
Want to learn Arabic? Whether you’d like to acquire some basic knowledge or actually become fluent, the first step will be the same. Start by learning some basic Arabic words and phrases! That’s not only more fun than memorizing grammar rules, but it will also help you to get to speak faster.
By the way, if you’re serious about learning Arabic, check out my Arabic alphabet chart. Being able to read the Arabic alphabet will make your learning much easier. I’ve also compiled some useful tips on how to learn Arabic.
Ready to learn some basic Arabic words? Yallah!
Basic Arabic Words
Below are the most basic Arabic words to start with. They are quite short and easy to remember, and will be really useful in everyday life.
I’m using spoken Arabic (Levantine Arabic, which is spoken in the Middle East such as Jordan or Lebanon).
| English | Arabic (Latin Script) | Arabic (Arabic Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | na’am | نعم |
| No | la | لا |
| Thank you | shukran | شكراً |
| You’re welcome | afwaan | عفواً |
| Please (when giving something) | tafaddal | تفضل |
| Please (when asking for something) | min fadlak | من فضلك |
| Let’s (…), come on | yallah | يلا, |
| Stop, enough, only | bas | بس |
| Excuse me | law samaht | لو سمحت |
| Okay, good | tayyeb | طيب |
To make sure you use these words correctly, I recommend that you check out my articles on thank you in Arabic and yes in Arabic.
Greetings
Greetings are quite an important part of Arabic culture. In fact, not greeting when you enter a room can be considered quite rude (depending on the situation, of course). Arabic greetings are very diverse. Which one to use also depends on the addressee’s age and your relationship with that person. Same as in English, you won’t talk to an elderly in the same way as you talk to your mates.
If you’d like to learn more about the individual greetings and when to use them, check out my article on Arabic greetings.
| English | Arabic (Latin Script) | Arabic (Arabic Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Hi / hello | ahlan | أهلا |
| Hello | marhaba | مرحبا |
| Good morning | sabah al kheir | صباح الخير |
| Good evening | masaa al khair | مساء الخير |
| Good night | layla saida | ليلة سعيدة |
| Peace be upon you | as salamu aleikum | السلام عليكم |
| Bye | salam | سلام |
| Good bye | ma’a salama | مع السلامة |
Introduce Yourself
Introducing yourself in Arabic is probably much easier than you think. The verb “to be” doesn’t exist in Arabic. You’ll just say ismi (my name), followed by your name. For example: ismi Kitty (my name is Kitty). Here’s more information on how to introduce yourself in Arabic.
| English | Arabic (Latin Script) | Arabic (Arabic Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ism | اسم |
| My name is | Ismi | انا اسم |
| Nice to meet you | Tasharrafna | تشرفنا |
Love
Love is a beautiful feeling and truly worth expressing. Arabic is a very romantic language and there are countless ways to express love and affection, be it for your partner or just a dear friend or family member.
| English | Arabic (Latin Script) | Arabic (Arabic Script) |
|---|---|---|
| I love you (to a man) | ana bahebak | انا بحبك |
| I love you (to a woman) | ana bahebek | انا بحبك |
| Darling / My love (to a man) | habibi | حبيبي |
| Darling / My love (to a woman) | habibti | حبيبتي |
Did you know that there’s hardly any Arab who doesn’t use those beautiful words on a daily basis? When it comes to love, culture plays an important role too. Learn the meaning of habibi (and when to use it) and how to say I love you in Arabic.
Mabrook!
Mabrook (congratulations), you’ve learnt the most important basic Arabic words and phrases! Feel free to check out my other Arabic language resources and my tips to learn Arabic to take your language learning to the next level.
