Greetings
السلام عليكم
as-salamu alaykum
Peace be upon you — the standard formal greeting. The reply is 'wa alaykum as-salam'.
مرحبا
mar-ha-ba
Hello, welcome — the everyday casual greeting across the Gulf.
شكراً
shuk-ran
Thank you. 'Afwan' is you're welcome.
لو سمحت
law sa-maht
Excuse me / if you please — the polite opener for asking anything.
Daily life
الوادي
al-wadi
The wadi — a mountain valley that is dry most of the year and a torrent after rain. Fujairah's are the reason people drive here at weekends.
الجبل
al-jabal
The mountain. The Hajar range walls this emirate off from the rest of the country and is why it rains here.
البحر
al-bahr
The sea — here the Gulf of Oman, not the Arabian Gulf. Different water, different weather, different shipping.
دبا
dib-ba
Dibba — the town at the emirate's far north, split between Fujairah, Sharjah and Oman. Say which Dibba you mean.
خلاص
kha-las
Done, enough, finished. The most useful single word in the Gulf.
Work
الميناء
al-mina
The port. In Fujairah this is not small talk — the port and the oil industry zone are the local economy.
الهوية
al-hawiya
The Emirates ID — your proof of residency and the key to a bank account, a postpaid SIM, a registered tenancy and a driving licence.
Food
الحساب لو سمحت
al-hisab law samaht
The bill, please.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.