Essential Arabic phrases

The words that make your first weeks in Abu Dhabi smoother — with pronunciation you can actually say.

Greetings

السلام عليكم
as-salaamu alaykum
Peace be upon you — the standard greeting; reply 'wa alaykum as-salaam'.
مرحبا
marhaba
Hello — the easy, everyday greeting.
شكراً
shukran
Thank you ('afwan' is you're welcome).
من فضلك / لو سمحت
min fadlak / law samaht
Please / excuse me.

Social

شو أخبارك؟
shu akhbaarak
'What's your news?' — a common Gulf way to ask how are you.
يلا
yalla
Come on / let's go — heard constantly across the UAE.
خلاص
khalaas
Done / enough / okay — an all-purpose filler word.

Daily life

بكم؟ / كم السعر؟
bikam / kam as-siʿr
How much is it?
وين الحمام؟
wayn al-hammaam
Where's the restroom? ('wayn' is the Gulf 'where').

Food

الحساب لو سمحت
al-hisaab law samaht
The bill, please.
ماي
maay
Water (Gulf colloquial; 'maa'' in formal Arabic).

Emergency

النجدة / مساعدة
an-najda / musaaʿada
Help! — for emergencies.

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