Arabic - Arabo

Introduction

Flag of the Arab League, which includes most of the nations that recognize Arabic as an official language

Spread of the Arabic language in the world

Arabic language as an official language

Arabic as a co-official language, or nations where Arabic is spoken by a majority of people

Arabic language as a co-official language due to the presence of minorities, historical or cultural reasons

Arabic is a Central Semitic language spoken by approximately 340 million people. It is the official language of the following countries: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Western Sahara, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia is Yemen.

Arabic is divided into 2 "registers": Modern Standard Arabic (the register described in this phrase book, and Colloquial Arabic, itself divided into its regional varieties which differ greatly from each other. Modern Standard Arabic is mainly used in its written form, on TV, at the administrative level, it is universally recognized as the official form of the Arabic language and, as such, can be used with any educated person in Arabic-speaking regions.

Guide to transcription

Arabic letters are written in various forms depending on their position within the word.

Isolated form	Initial form	Intermediate form	Final form	First name	Notes and transcript
ا	ا	ﺎ	ﺎ	ʼAlif	(If there are 2 consecutive ʼalif, the second ’alif is placed on top of the first in a horizontal position, so the two ʼalif are joined in" آ ", called ʼalif madda, transliterated" ʼā ") to
ﺏ	ﺑ	ﺒ	ﺐ	Bāʼ	b
ﺕ	ﺗ	ﺗ	ﺖ	Tāʼ	t
ﺝ	ﺟ	ﺠ	ﺞ	Jīm	j
ح	ﺣ	ﺤ	ﺢ	Has	ḥ
ﺥ	ﺧ	ﺨ	ﺦ	khāʾ	kh
ﺩ	ﺩ	ﺪ	ﺪ	From the	d
ﺫ	ﺫ	ﺬ	ﺬ	Dhāl	dh
ﺭ	ﺭ	ﺮ	ﺮ	Rāʼ	r
ﺯ	ﺯ	ﺰ	ﺰ	Zāy	z
ﺱ	ﺳ	ﺴ	ﺲ	Sīn	s
ﺵ	ﺷ	ﺸ	ﺶ	Shīn	sh
ﺹ	ﺻ	ﺼ	ﺺ	Ṣād	ṣ
ﺽ	ﺿ	ﻀ	ﺾ	Ḍād	ḍ
ﻃ	ط	ﻄ	ﻂ	Ṭāʼ	ṭ
ﻅ	ﻇ	ﻈ	ﻆ	Ẓāʼ	ẓ
ﻉ	ﻋ	ﻌ	ﻊ	ʻAyn	ʻ
ﻉ	ﻏ	ﻐ	ﻎ	Ghayn	gh
ﻑ	ﻓ	ﻔ	ﻒ	Does	f
ﻕ	ﻗ	ﻘ	ﻖ	Qāf	q
ﻙ	ﻛ	ﻜ	ﻚ	Kāf	k
ﻝ	ﻟ	ﻠ	ﻞ	Lām	L
ﻡ	ﻣ	ﻤ	ﻢ	Mīm	m
ﻥ	ﻧ	ﻨ	ﻦ	Nūn	n
ﻩ	ﻫ	ﻬ	ﻪ	Has	h
ﻭ	ﻭ	ﻮ	ﻮ	Wāw	w
ﻱ	ﻳ	ﻴ	ﻲ	Yāʼ	y
ة	-	-	ﺔ	Tāʼ marbūṭa	h or t, as appropriate
ﻯ	-	-	ﻰ	ʼAlif makṣūra	to
ﻻ	ﻻ	ﻼ	ﻼ	lāmalif	there

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

to: as in Italian and sometimes as a cross between one to it's a is
is:
the: as in Italian
or:
u: as in Italian
to: coma the first to in home

Consonants

b: as in Italian
t: as in Italian
th: as the s in salt but with the tongue between his teeth
j: as the g in genius, like the second g in garage in Levant and in much of the North Africa, as the g in cat in Egypt
ḥ: as the h in English house but by compressing the pharynx with the root of the tongue
kh: as the c in expensive but with the passage between tongue and palate not completely closed
d: as in Italian
dh: as the s in jar but with the tongue between his teeth
r: as the r in frog
z: as the s in melted
s: as the s in salt
sh: how sc in scene
ṣ: as the s in only but by compressing the pharynx with the root of the tongue
ḍ: as the d in Italian but compressing the pharynx with the root of the tongue
ṭ: as the t in Italian but compressing the pharynx with the root of the tongue
ẓ: how dh or z in Arabic
ʻ: as the h in Arabic but by compressing the pharynx with the root of the tongue and causing the vocal cords to vibrate
gh: as the g in owl but with the passage between tongue and palate not completely closed
f: as in Italian
q: as the c in home but with the tongue resting further back, against the uvula
k: as the c in thing
L: as in Italian
m: as in Italian
n: as in Italian
h: as the h in English house
w: as the u in man when it is placed at the beginning of a word and when it is followed by a short vowel or by the sukun, that is ْ; or like the second u in future in the other case
y: like the first the in yesterday or like the the in site

Other notes on pronunciation

Diacritical marks (ḥarakāt)

The diacritics are placed above and below the consonants to ensure correct vocalization of the words, which otherwise could be of dubious interpretation.

Sukun: represented with ْ, that is a small circle, is placed over a letter to indicate that it is silent, and that therefore it will be pronounced with a slight aspiration.
Shadda: represented with ّ, that is a small "w", is placed above a letter to indicate that it must be doubled phonetically.
Damma: represented with ُ, that is a small wāw, is placed over a letter to indicate that a short "u" should be pronounced immediately after it.
Kasra: represented with ِ, is placed under a letter to indicate that a short "i" should be pronounced immediately after it.
Fatha: represented with َ, is placed above a letter to indicate that immediately after it a short "a" should be pronounced.

Basic

Basic words

Yup : نعم (pron.:na`am)
No : لا (pron.:lā)
Help : مساعدة (pron .: Musā`adah)
Attention : ( )
You are welcome : ( )
Thank you : شكرا (pron.:shukran)
Do not mention it : ( )
No problem : ( )
Unfortunately : ( )
Here : هنا (pron .: huna)
There / there : هناك (pron .: hunak)
When? : متى (pron.:matā)
Thing? : ما (pron.:ma)
Where is it? : اين (pron.:ayn)
Why? : لماذا (pron.:li-madha)

Signs

Welcome : عفوا (pron.:`afwan)
Open : مفتوح (pron.:maftūḥ)
Closed : مغلق (pron.:mughlaq)
Entry : دخول (pron.:dukhūl)
Exit : خروج (pron.:khurūj)
To push : ادفع (pron.: idfa`)
Pull : اسحب (pron.:isḥab)
Toilet : حمام (pron .: ḥammām)
Free : ( )
Busy : ( )
Men : رجال (pron.:rijāl)
Women : سيدات (pron.:sayidāt)
Forbidden : ممنوع (pron.: mamnū`)
Smoking prohibited : ( )

Hello : مرحبا (pron .: marhaba)
Good morning : صباح الخير (pron.:sabaḥ al-khair)
Good evening : مساء الخير (pron.: masā` al-khair)
Good night : تصبح على الخير (pron.:tiṣbaḥ `alal-khair)
How are you? : كيف حالك؟ (pron .: Kayfa ḥālak (male) / Kayfa ḥālik (female))
Fine thanks : بخير, شكرا (pron.:bi-khair shukran)
And you? : ( )
What's your name? : ما اسمك؟ (pron.:ma ismak?)
My name is _____ : أنا اسمي (pron.:ana ismi _____)
Nice to meet you : تشرفنا (pron.:tasharafna)
Where do you live? : ( )
I live in _____ : ( )
Where do you come from? : ( )
How old are you / are you? : ( )
Excuse me (permission) : لو سمحت (pron.:lau samaḥt)
Excuse me! (asking for forgiveness) : (feminine) انا اسفه (masculine) انا اسف (pron .: Ana Aasif (male) / Ana Aasifah (female))
As he said? : (female) انا اسفه (male) انا اسف (pron .: Ana Aasif (male) / Ana Aasifah (female))
I'm sorry : ( )
See you later : مع السلامة (pron.:ma`a as-salāmah)
See you soon : ( )
We feel! : ( ),
I don't speak your language well : لا اتكلم عَرَبيْ جيدا (pron.:lā atakallam ’arabī)
I speak _____ : ( )
Is there anyone speaking _____? : هل هنا اي شخص يتكلم _____؟ (pron.:hal hunaa ayy shakhṣ yatakallam _____?)
- ...Italian : الإيطالية ()
- ...English : الانجليزية (pron.:al-ingliziyya)
- ...Spanish : الإسبانية ()
- ...French : ( )
- ...German : الألمانية ()
Can you speak slower? : ( )
Could you repeat that? : ( )
What does it mean? : ( )
I do not know : ( )
I do not understand : لا افهم (pron .: laa afham)
How do you say _____? : ( )
Can you spell it for me? : ( )
Where is the toilette? : اين الحمام؟ (pron.:ayn al-Hammaam?)

Emergency

Authority

I've lost my purse : حقيبتي ضاعت (pron.: aqiibati ḍaa`at)
I've lost my wallet : محفظتي ضاعت (pron.:maḥafaẓati ḍaa`at)
I was robbed : ( )
The car was parked in the street ... : ( )
I haven't done anything wrong : (pron.:ma emelet eshi ghalat)
It was a misunderstanding : (pron.:kan so 'tafahom)
Where are you taking me? : (pron.:wein akhedni?)
Am I under arrest? : (pron.:ana motaqaleh?)
I am an Italian citizen : أنا مواطن إيطالي ()
I want to speak to a lawyer : (pron.:beddi ahki ma mohami)
Can I pay the fine now? : هل يمكنني دفع غرامة الآن؟ ()

On the telephone

Ready : ( )
A moment : ( )
I dialed the wrong number : ( )
Stay online : ( )
Sorry if I disturb, but : ( )
I'll call back : ( )

Safety

leave me alone : (to a female) اتركني (to a male) اتركيني (pron .: Utrukni (to a male) / Utrukiini (to a female))
Do not touch me! : ما تلمسني (pron .: But tilmisni)
I'll call the police : سأتصل شرطة (pron .: sa unadi al-shurta)
Where is the police station? : ( )
Police! : شرطة (pron.:shurta)
Stop! Thief! : (pron.:Qif! Harāmi!)
I need your help : أحتاج مساعدة لو سمحت (pron.:ahtaj musā`ada lau simaḥt)
I'm lost : تايه (pron .: ana tāyih (masculine) / ana tāyhah (feminine))

Health

It's an emergency : إسعاف (pron.:is`aff)
I feel bad : (female) انا مريض (male) انا مريضة (pron .: ana marīḍ (masculine) / ana marīḍah (feminine))
I am hurt : إنني مصاب (pron .: innani musabun)
Call an ambulance : ( )
It hurts here : ( )
I have fever : ( )
Should I stay in bed? : ( )
I need a doctor : احتاج دكتر (pron.:Atḥāj duktur)
May I use the phone? : هل ممكن استخدم التلفون؟ (pron.:hal momkin astakhdim at-telef?)
I am allergic to antibiotics : ( )

Transportation

At the airport

Could I have a ticket to _____? : (pron.:Ṭazkara wahida ila _____ law samaht)
When does the plane leave for _____? : ( )
Where does it stop? : ( )
Stops at _____ : ( )
Where does the bus to / from the airport leave from? : ( )
How long do I have for check-in? : ( )
Can I take this bag as hand luggage? : ( )
Is this bag too heavy? : ( )
What is the maximum weight allowed? : ( )
Go to exit number _____ : ( )

Bus and Train

How much is the ticket for _____? : (pron.:Adash tazkara ila ____?)
A ticket to ..., please : (pron.:Ṭazkara wahida ila ___ law samaht)
I would like to change / cancel this ticket : (pron.:Ḥazal qitar / bus biyruh ila wayn?)
Where is this train / bus headed? : ( )
Where does the train to _____ leave from? : ( )
Which platform / stop? : ( )
Does this train stop at _____? : ( )
When does the train leave for _____? : ( )
When does the bus arrive in _____? : ( )
Can you tell me when to get off? : ( )
Sorry, I booked this place : ( )
Is this seat free? : ( )

Taxi

Taxi : ( )
Take me to _____, please : ( )
How much does it cost up to _____? : ( )
Take me there, please : ( )
Taximeter : ( )
Turn on the meter, please! : ( )
Stop here, please! : ( )
Wait here a moment, please! : ( )

To drive

I would like to rent a car : ( )
One way street : ( )
No parking : ( )
Speed limit : ( )
Gas station : ( )
Petrol : ( )
Diesel : ( )
Traffic light : ( )
Street : ( )
Square : ( )
Pavements : ( )
Driver : ( )
Pedestrian : ( )
Pedestrian crossing : ( )
Driving license : ( )
Overtaking : ( )
Fine : ( )
Deviation : ( )
Toll : ( )
Border crossing : ( )
Border : ( )
Customs : ( )
Declare : ( )
Identity card : ( )
Driving license : ( )

Orient yourself

How do i get to _____? : ( )
How far away ... : ( )
- ...The train station? : ( )
- ... the bus station? : ( )
- ...the airport? : ( )
- ...the center? : ( )
- ... the hostel? : ( )
- ... the hotel _____? : ( )
- ... the Italian consulate? : ( )
- ... the hospital? : ( )
Where there are many ... : ( )
- ... hotel? : ( )
- ... restaurants? : ( )
- ...Cafe? : ( )
- ...places to visit? : ( )
Can you point me on the map? : ( )
Turn left : ( )
Turn right : ( )
Straight ahead : ( )
To _____ : ( )
Passing through _____ : ( )
Front _____ : ( )
Pay attention to _____ : ( )
Crossroad : ( )
North : ( )
South : ( )
East : ( )
West : ( )
Upward : ( )
Over there : ( )

Hotel

You have a free room? : ( )
What is the price of a single / double room? : ( )
The room has ... : ( )
- ...the sheets? : ( )
- ...the bathroom? : ( )
- ...the shower? : ( )
- ...the phone? : ( )
- ...TV? : ( )
- Can I see the room? : ( )
- You have a room... : ( )
- ...smaller? : ( )
- ... calmer? : ( )
- ...bigger? : ( )
- ...cleaner? : ( )
- ...cheaper? : ( )
- ... with a view of (sea) : ( )
OK, I'll take it : ( )
I will stay for _____ night (s) : ( )
Can you recommend another hotel? : ( )
Do you have a safe? : ( )
Do you have key lockers? : ( )
Is breakfast / lunch / dinner included? : ( )
What time is breakfast / lunch / dinner? : ( )
Please clean my room : ( )
Can you wake me up at _____? : ( )
I'd like to check out : ( )
Common dormitory : ( )
Shared bathroom : ( )
Hot / boiling water : ( )

To eat

Vocabulary

Trattoria : ( )
Restaurant : ( )
Snack bar : ( )
Breakfast : ( )
Snack : ( )
Starter : ( )
Lunch : ( )
Dinner : ( )
Snack : ( )
Meal : ( )
Soup : ( )
Main meal : ( )
Sweet : ( )
Appetizer : ( )
Digestive : ( )
Hot : ( )
Cold : ( )
Sweet (adjective) : ( )
Salty : ( )
Bitter : ( )
Sour : ( )
Spicy : ( )
Raw : ( )
Smoked : ( )
Fried : ( )

The bar

Do you serve alcoholic beverages? : ( )
Do you serve at the table? : ( )
One / two beers, please : ( )
A glass of red / white wine, please : ( )
A large beer, please : ( )
A bottle, please : ( )
water : ( )
Tonic water : ( )
Orange juice : ( )
Coca Cola : ( )
soda : ( )
One more, please : ( )
When do you close? : ( )

At the restaurant

A table for one / two people, please : ( )
Can you bring me the menu? : ( )
Can we order, please? : ( )
Do you have any house specialties? : ( )
Is there a local specialty? : ( )
Is there a menu of the day? : ( )
I am a vegetarian / vegan : ( )
I don't eat pork : ( )
I only eat kosher food : ( )
I just want something light : ( )
I would like to _____ : ( )
- Meat : ( )
  - Well done : ( )
  - To the blood : ( )
- Rabbit : ( )
- Chicken : ( )
- Turkey : ( )
- Bovine : ( )
- Pig : ( )
- Ham : ( )
- Sausage : ( )
- Fish : ( )
- Tuna : ( )
- Cheese : ( )
- Eggs : ( )
- Salad : ( )
- Vegetable : ( )
- Fruit : ( )
- Bread : ( )
- Toast : ( )
- Croissant : ( )
- Krapfen : ( )
- Pasta : ( )
- Rice : ( )
- Beans : ( )
- Asparagus : ( )
- Beet : ( )
- Carrot : ( )
- Cauliflower : ( )
- Watermelon : ( )
- Fennel : ( )
- Mushrooms : ( )
- Pineapple : ( )
- Orange : ( )
- Apricot : ( )
- Cherry : ( )
- Berries : ( )
- Kiwi : ( )
- Mango : ( )
- Apple : ( )
- Aubergine : ( )
- Melon : ( )
- Potato : ( )
- Chips : ( )
- Pear : ( )
- Fishing : ( )
- Peas : ( )
- Tomato : ( )
- Plum : ( )
- Cake : ( )
- Sandwich : ( )
- Grapes : ( )
Can I have a glass / cup / bottle of _____? : ( )
- Coffee : ( )
- You : ( )
- Juice : ( )
- Sparkling water : ( )
- Beer : ( )
Red / white wine : ( )
Can I have some _____? : ( )
- Spices : ( )
- Oil : ( )
- Mustard : ( )
- Vinegar : ( )
- Garlic : ( )
- Lemon : ( )
- salt : ( )
- pepper : ( )
- Butter : ( )
Waiter! : ( )
I finished : ( )
It was great : ( )
The Bill please : ( )
We pay each for himself (Roman style) : ( )
Keep the change : ( )

Money

Vocabulary

Credit card : ( )
Money : ( )
Check : ( )
Travel checks : ( )
Currency : ( )
To change : ( )

Do you accept this currency? : ( )
Do you accept credit cards? : ( )
Can you change my money? : ( )
Where can I exchange the money? : ( )
What is the exchange rate? : ( )
Where is the bank / ATM / exchange office? : ( )

Shopping

Useful words

To buy : ( )
Do the shopping : ( )
Shopping : ( )
Shop : ( )
Library : ( )
Fishmonger : ( )
Shoe shop : ( )
Pharmacy : ( )
Bakery : ( )
Butcher's shop : ( )
Post Office : ( )
Travel agency : ( )
Price : ( )
Expensive : ( )
Cheap : ( )
Receipt : ( )

When do the shops open? : ( )
Do you have this in my size? : ( )
Does he have it in other colors? : ( )
Which color do you prefer? : ( )
- Black : ( )
- White : ( )
- Grey : ( )
- Red : ( )
- Blue : ( )
- Yellow : ( )
- Green : ( )
- Orange : ( )
- Violet : ( )
- Brown : ( )
How much? : ( )
Too expensive : ( )
I can not afford it : ( )
I don't want this : ( )
Can I try it on (dress)? : ( )
You want to cheat me : ( )
I'm not interested : ( )
Do you also send abroad? : ( )
OK, I'll take this : ( )
Where do I pay? : ( )
Can I have a bag? : ( )

I need... : ( )
- ...toothpaste : ( )
- ...toothbrush : ( )
- ... tampons : ( )
- ...soap : ( )
- ...shampoo : ( )
- ...painkiller : ( )
- ...medicine for colds : ( )
- ...blade : ( )
- ...umbrella : ( )
- ... sun cream / milk : ( )
- ...postcard : ( )
- ...stamp : ( )
- ... batteries : ( )
- ... books / magazines / newspaper in Italian : ( )
- ...Italian dictionary : ( )
- ...pen : ( )

Numbers

Numbers
N.	Writing	Pronunciation	N.	Writing	Pronunciation
1			21
2			22
3			30
4			40
5			50
6			60
7			70
8			80
9			90
10			100
11			101
12			200
13			300
14			1.000
15			1.001
16			1.002
17			2.000
18			10.000
19			20.000
20			1.000.000

Useful words

zero : ( )
number : ( )
half : ( )
double : ( )
less than : ( )
more than : ( )
same : ( )
comma : ( )
point : ( )
more : ( )
for : ( )
less : ( )
divided : ( )

Time

Time and date

What time is it? : ( )
It is precisely one o'clock : ( )
Quarter to _____ : ( )
What time will we meet? : ( )
At two o'clock : ( )
When will we see you? : ( )
See you on Monday : ( )
When are you leaving? : ( )
I'm leaving / leaving tomorrow morning : ( )

Duration

_____ minute / minutes (ago) : ( )
_____ hour / hours (ago) : ( )
_____ day (s) (ago) : ( )
_____ week (s) (ago) : ( )
_____ month / months (ago) : ( )
_____ year / years (ago) : ( )
three times a day : ( )
in an hour / in an hour : ( )
often : ( )
never : ( )
always : ( )
rarely : ( )

Common expressions

Now : ( )
Later : ( )
Before : ( )
Day : ( )
Afternoon : ( )
Evening : ( )
Night : ( )
Midnight : ( )
Today : ( )
Tomorrow : ( )
Tonight : ( )
Yesterday : ( )
Yesterday night : ( )
The day before yesterday : ( )
Day after tomorrow : ( )
This week : ( )
Last week : ( )
Next week : ( )
Minute / I. : ( )
hour (s) : ( )
day (s) : ( )
week (s) : ( )
month (s) : ( )
year / s : ( )

Days

The days of the week
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Writing
Pronunciation

Months and Seasons

	winter			spring
	December	January	February	March	April	May
Writing
Pronunciation
	summer			Autumn
	June	July	August	September	October	November
Writing
Pronunciation

Grammatical appendix

Basic forms
Italian	Writing	Pronunciation
I
you
he / she / it
we
you
they

Flexed forms
Italian	Writing	Pronunciation
me
you
lo / la-gli / le-ne-si
there
you
them / ne

Other projects

Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Arabic
Commons contains images or other files on Arabic
Wikiquote contains quotes from or about Arabic

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