Helpful Levantine/Palestinian (Ammiya) Arabic Phrases for Visitors to Middle East or Palestine: Many people in the Middle East speak English, and so it is possible to travel around without knowing any Arabic. However, it would be useful and polite to try to learn a few basic Levantine Arabic (Shami Arabic) phrases to help you interact with the people of Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine) that you meet.
Below are just a few Levantine/Palestinian Colloquial Arabic phrases that may be useful for a visit to Levant countries or Palestine in particular:
| English translation | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hi (colloquial, between friends and family ) | !هاي | haay! |
| Hello | مرحبا | marhaba |
| Hello (response) | اهلين | Ahlain |
| Greetings | السلام عليكم | as-salaam 3aleikum |
| Greetings (response) | وعليكم السلام | wa-3aleikum as-salaam |
| Good morning | صباح الخير | SubaaH al-kheir |
| Response to good morning | صباح النور | SubaaH an-nuur |
| Good evening | مساء الخير | masaa al-kheir |
| Response to good evening | مسا النور | masaa an-nuur |
| Good night | تصبح على خير | tiSbaH 3ala kheir |
| Come in/welcome/please have a seat | تفضّل | tafaDDal tafaDDali |
Meetings people and asking them how are they doing
| English translation | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| How are you? (notes on ak/ik) | كيف حالك؟ كيفك؟ | kiif Haalak? kiif Haalik? kiifak? kiifik? |
| What’s news? | شو اخبارك | shu akhbaarak? |
| Everything good? | كله تمام؟ | kullu tmaam? |
| I’m well | منيح كويس الحمد لله | mniH (very Levantine) kwayyis (colloquial Arabic) al-Hamdu li-llah (formal) |
| Fine | تمام | tmaam |
| Long time no see (notes on ak/ik) | يلي زمان ما شفتك | yalli zmaan maa shiftak/ik |
| What’s your name? (notes on ak/ik) | شو اسمك | shu ismak/ismik? |
| Where are you from? | من وين انت؟ | min wein inta/inti? |
| Where are you? | وينك؟ | waynak? waynik? |
| Pleased to meet you | تشرفنا | tasharrafna |
To say I do not speak good Arabic Language
| English translation | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| I don’t understand Arabic | انا ما بعرف عربي | maa ba3rif 3arabi |
| I don’t speak Arabic | ما بحكي عربي | ma baHki 3arabi |
| Do you speak English? | بتحكي انغليزي ؟ | btiHki ingileezi? |
| Excuse me (to get attention) | عفواً عن إذنك بلاذن | 3afwan 3an iznak bil izn |
| Yes (casual) | آه | ah (pronounced like “o” in North American “bottle”) |
| Yes | نعم | na3m |
| No | لا | laa |
| Thank you Many thanks | شكراً الف شكر | shukran alf shukr |
| You’re welcome | عفواً العفو | 3afwan al-3afu (alternative) |
| You’re welcome (slang) | تكرم | tikram |
| How much is this? | قدّيش هذا؟ | addeish haadha? |
| This is very expensive! | هذا غالي كتير! | haadha ghaali ktiir! |
Goodbye and some useful Levantine Ammiya Arabic phrases
| English translation | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| Goodbye | مع السلامه | ma3 as-salaameh |
| See you later! | بشوفك بعدين! | bshufak ba3dein! |
| Congratulations! | مبروك | mabruk |
| Bless him/her! (when talking about a child) | ماشاء الله | mashallah! |
| Bon appetit/Enjoy your meal | صحتين | SaHtein |
| I miss you | اشتقتلك | shta2tilak shta2tilik |
| I love you | بحبك | bHibbak (m) bHibbik (f) |
| Stop! Enough! | خلاص | khalaaS! |
| Maybe | يمكن | yimkin |
| May I…? | ممكن؟ | mumkin? |
| No problem/cool/fine | بسيطة | baseeTah |
| My good friend! | حبيبي | Habiibi! |
| Let’s go | يلا | yallah |
| Swear to god | والله | wallah |
| For sure, definitely | اكيد | akiid |
| walaw | ولو | It’s OK, of course, don’t mention it |
| I want… | بدي… | biddi… |
| What do you want to do? | شو بدك تسوي؟ | shu biddak tisawwi/itsawwi? (pronunciation is regional) |
| OK | طيب، طب | Tayyib, Tab (shorter, more colloquial) |
| God willing | ان شاء الله | inshallah |
Hotels and Shopping
| English translation | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| How much is it? | اديش هو؟ | addeesh ha’u |
| Where is an ATM? | وين جهاز الصراف | wen jehaez is saraafe |
| Where is a hotel? | وين الاوتيل | wen fundu? |
| Do you have vegetarian food? | في عندكم طعام نباتي | Fee indkun taaam nabaatee |
| One ticket please | تذكرة اذا بتريد | tazkire izabitreed |
| That’s too expensive | هادا غالي كتيير | Hada ghaalee ikteer |
| Do you want…? | بدك.. بدك | Bidak/Bidek (m/f) |
| I want | بدي | Bide |
| Water | مي | miy |
| Bread | خبز | Khubiz |
Arabic Numbers in Levantine/Palestinian Colloquial Arabic
| Numbers | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| 1 | واحد | waahed |
| 2 | اتنين | ‘itnayn |
| 3 | تلاته | talaate |
| 4 | اربعه | arba |
| 5 | خمسة | khamse |
| 6 | سته | sitteh |
| 7 | سبعة | sabba’ |
| 8 | تمانية | tamaanye |
| 9 | تسعة | tessa |
| 10 | عشرة | ashara |
Days of the Week in Levantine/Palestinian Colloquial Arabic
| Days of the Week | Arabic Phrase | Pronunciation |
| Monday | الاتنين | Altineen |
| Tuesday | التلاتاء | Altalatah |
| Wednesday | الاربعاء | AlArbah |
| Thursday | الخميس | AlKhames |
| Friday | الجمعة | Aljumeh |
| Saturday | السبت | Alsabt |
| Sunday | الاحد | Alahad |
Final remarks
Here are just a few useful Levantine/Palestinian Colloquial Arabic phrases for any visitor to Levant countries or Palestine in particular, which will hopefully be of value to travelers. What is important to know is that the Arabic spoken in the Palestinian territories is Levantine Arabic. This is a different, regional dialect to MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) which is the official written language of the Arab world, and which is often taught in the West.
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