Arabic is one of the most spoken languages in the world with over 200 million speakers. It is spoken in 24 countries and is the official language of all the countries of northern Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and in much of the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As the religious language of Islam, it is also the second language of millions of Muslims around the world. It is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
The Arabic language can be divided into three main categories:
Quranic (Classical Arabic):
This is the Arabic of Islam's holy book, the Quran (or Koran). It is archaic, which means that it is very old, dating from the late 600's when the Quran was written down. It is used in the Quran and in the holy books of Islam. No one speaks Classical Arabic as a native, nor is it used for conversation. It is learned primarily for reciting and reading the Quran.
Formal or Modern Standard Arabic:
This is an updated version of Classical Arabic which is taught in the schools of Arab countries. It is the language of the news, modern literature and education. No one speaks it as a native language but it is used as a common language for people who speak very different varieties of Arabic or by second-language speakers.
Spoken or Colloquial Arabic:
There are many local varieties of Arabic, many languages in their own right. The most widely spoken and understood of these is Egyptian Arabic. Other distinct varieties are Iraqi, Levantine (Lebanese/Syrian/Jordanian/Palestinian) and Moroccan Arabic.
Some common Arabic phrases are presented here for your information
Pronunciation
A: as in 'had'
E: as in 'bet'
I: as in 'hit'
O: as in 'hot'
U: as in 'put'
Basics
I: ana
You (sg): inta/inti (m/f)
He: huwa
She: hiya
We: nahnu
You (pl): untum/inti (m/f)
They: uhum
Greetings
Hello: as-salam alaykum
Hello (response): wa alaykum e-salam
Goodbye (person leaving): ma'a salama
Goodbye (person staying): alla ysalmak
Good morning: sabaH ala-kheir
Good afternoon: masa' al-kheir
Good night: tisbaH ala-kheir
Welcome: ahlan wa sahlan OR marHaba
Basics
Yes: aiwa/na'am
No: la
Maybe: mumkin
Please: min fadhlik
Thank you: shukran
You're welcome: afwan
Excuse me: lo tismaH
OK: tayib
No problem: mafi mushkila
Small talk
How are you?: kef Halak?
Fine thanks: zein al-Hamdulillah
What's your name?: shismak?
My name is?: ismi ?
I understand: ana fahim
I don't understand: la afham
I speak?: ana atakallam ?
Do you speak?: titkallam ??
English: inglizi
French: fransawi
German: almani
I don't speak Arabic: ma-atakallam arabi
Getting Around
Where is (the)??: wein (al-) ??
Airport: al-matar
Bus stop: mokaf al-bas
Bus station: maHattat al-bas
Taxi stand: maHattat tax
Bus: bas
Car: sayyara
Horse: Hsan
Camel: jamal
Taxi: tax
Directions
Address: onwan
Street: shari'
Number: raqam
City: madina
Here: hni
There: hnak
Next to: yam
Opposite: gbal/mgabel
Behind: wara
To: min
Signs
Entry: dukhol
Exit: khuruj
Toilets (men): Hammam lirrijal
Toilets (women): Hammam linnisa'a
Hospital: mustashfa
Police: shurta
Days
Monday: yom al-idhnayn
Tuesday: yom al-dhaladh
Wednesday: yom al-arba'
Thursday: yom al-khamis
Friday: yom al-jama'a
Saturday: yom as-sabt
Sunday: yom al-Had
Numbers
Zero: sifr
One: waHid
Two: idhnin
Three: dhladha
Four: arba'a
Five: khamsa
Six: sitta
Seven: sab'a
Eight: dhimania
Nine: tis'a
Ten: ashra
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