Dubai is home to hundreds of nationalities and both Arabic and English are spoken across the city. Learning a few Arabic words can certainly make the trip more memorable! As you explore the city you're very likely to hear Russian, Tagalog, Hindi, Urdu, Portuguese and many other languages. Follow our detailed guide for a list of handy phrases.

Essential Arabic words and phrases for your Dubai trip

Embrace the local language while on holiday with these Arabic expressions.

Dubai is a modern metropolis, home to hundreds of nationalities. While the city’s official language is Arabic, English-speaking visitors will find it remarkably easy to get by. However, learning a few basic Arabic words and phrases can make the trip more memorable. Embrace cross-cultural interactions and make new friends with these essential Arabic phrases.

Arabic greeting forms

Hello and goodbye: While in Dubai, the most common greetings visitors will come across are marhaba (hello) and maasalaamah (goodbye or with peace). These are considered standard greetings for everyday situations and would be an appropriate way to say hello to restaurant staff or hotel concierges. 

Formal greetings: Ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) is also used in more formal meetings and can be shortened to ahlan to suit most scenarios. And you may also hear salaam alaikum (peace be with you), to which the standard response is wa'alaikum salaam (and with you be peace).

Mornings and evenings: For saying hello to people at different times of the day, you can say sabaah alkhayr (good morning) and masaa' alkhayr (good evening). And to say goodbye at the end of the day you can say tusbih alaa khayr (good night).

General conversation in Arabic

Start a conversation: If you want to get a conversation going, then there’s no better opener than kaif halak (how are you?).

Introduce yourself: Follow this up by introducing yourself with ismii… (my name is…) and round off a successful exchange with a friendly tasharaft bimaerifatak (nice to meet you). You’ll be making new friends before you know it.

Being polite: One of the first words most tourists pick up when in Dubai is shukran (thank you). Practise when making purchases at the souk – this small gesture is always appreciated.

Excuse yourself: Afwan is your go-to phrase for moving through busy crowds in the mall, leaving the dinner table temporarily or deterring enthusiastic sellers at the souk.

Yes and no: Na’am (yes) and la (no) are the basic words that, when paired with a smile, will get any traveller through their day-to-day interactions.

Phrases for shopping and exploring

Finding your way: Whether you’re looking for shopping malls, museums or golden beaches during your travels in Dubai, wayn al... (where is) will see you through most situations. Or if you want to buy something specific, ayn yumkiny shira means ‘where can I buy’ followed by your item of choice.

Asking the price: To find out how much something costs, ask bikam haadha?

Haggling: Be polite and say 'please' while negotiating – by saying min fadlik if you're talking to a woman, and min fadlak if you're talking to a man. Haggling is common at markets such as the Gold Souk and Textile Souk, and showing manners can give you the edge.

Be positive: While mabrook translates directly to 'congratulations', it's also used more as a positive affirmation in regular conversation, similar to 'great'.

Time to go: Yallah is a popular catch-all phrase that means everything from ‘let’s go’ to ‘hurry’. A commanding phrase, this is for when you want your travel partner to pick up their pace to the next stop on your Dubai itinerary, but never to direct restaurant staff and other strangers.

Arabic phrases for eating and drinking

The menu: To ask for the menu at a restaurant, you can say min fadlak, ureed qa’imat al-ta’am.

Bon appetite: If you want to say enjoy your meal, the Arabic phrase is atmna laka wajbatan shahia. You might also hear the word sahtain, which literally means "two healths" and is commonly said by hosts before eating.

Praise the food: After a really good meal, you can offer your compliments to the staff or the chef by saying al-ta’am kan mumtaz (the food was excellent).

When you're full: Khalaas (stop, finish, or enough) is a simple word, and used in more informal settings such as letting a friend know that you're done eating in a restaurant.