Happy World Arabic Language Day!
Every year since December 18, 2012, the whole world has been coming together to celebrate World Arabic Language day on December 18, because that’s the day in 1973 that Arabic became the sixth official language of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
One of the most widely spoken languages in the world, Arabic is used in everyday life by over 290 million people in 22 countries, making the Arabic language a pillar of the cultural diversity of humankind. Whether through its classic or dialectal forms, Arabic has influenced and contributed to a variety of fields such as architecture, poetry, philosophy and song around the globe. It opens the doors to an incredible variety of identities and beliefs and its history exposes the richness of its links to other languages. Arabic has played a dynamic role in the dissemination of knowledge, and Greek and Roman sciences and philosophies of Renaissance Europe have gleaned Arabic. Furthermore, it has become the language of cultures from the coast of India to the Horn of Africa.
If you would like to participate in World Arabic language day, but don’t know any Arabic yet, you’re in luck. Sometimes the best way to learn Arabic is to dive right in and learn basic Arabic words and some simple conversational phrases!
And what’s a better day to start than World Arabic Language Day?
Below you’ll find a list of traditional greetings and other basic conversation starters, plus common ways to respond to them.
Hellos and goodbyes
| English | Transliteration | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Hello in Arabic | marHaban | مرحبا |
| Welcome in Arabic | marHaban | مرحبا |
| Hello my friend in Arabic | ‘ahlan Sadeeqatee (female) ‘ahlan Sadeeqiee (male) |
أهلا صديقتي أهلا صديقي |
| Good morning in Arabic | SabaaH alkhayr | صباح الخير |
| Good evening in Arabic | masaa ʼ alkhayr | مساء الخير |
| How are you in Arabic | kayfa Haaluki? (to a female) kayfa Haaluka? (to a male) |
كيف حالك؟ كيف حالك؟ |
| I’m good in Arabic | jayyid | جيد |
| I’m okay in Arabic | ‘aadee | عادي |
| I am fine in Arabic | ʼana bikhayr | أنا بخير |
| Thank you in Arabic | shukran | شكرا |
| And what about you in Arabic | wa ʼanti? wa ʼanta? |
و أنتِ؟ و أنتَ؟ |
| What’s new in Arabic | maa aljadeed? | ما الجديد؟ |
| Nothing new in Arabic | laa shay’ jadeed | لا شيء جديد |
| I have to go in Arabic | yajib ‘an ‘aTHhaba al’aan | يجب أن اذهب الآن |
| I will be right back in Arabic | saʼarji ʻu Haalan | سأرجع حالا |
| Good bye in Arabic | maʻ assalaamah | مع السلامة |
| Good night in Arabic | tuSbiH ʻalaa khayr (to a male) tuSbiHeena ʻalaa khayr (to a female) |
تصبح على خير تصبحين على خير |
| See you later in Arabic | ʼaraaka fee maa baʻd (to a male) ʼaraake fee maa baʻd (to a female) |
أراك في مابعد |
Now you’re ready to have simple conversations in Arabic
Zainab: Hello! how are you?
Shireen: I’m fine, thank you. What about you?
Zainab: I’m okay.
Shireen: I’ll be right back.
Zainab: See you later!
Shireen: Goodbye!
Here’s the same conversation in Arabic:
Zainab: marhaban! kayfa Haaluki?
Shireen: ʼana bikhayr, shukran! wa ʼanti?
Zainab: ‘ʻaadee.
Shireen: sa ʼarji ʻu Haalan.
Zainab: ʼaraaki fee maa ba ʻd!
Shireen: maʻ assalaamah!
Introductions and small talk
| English | Transliteration | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| What’s your name in Arabic | maa ʼismuki? (to a female) maa ʼismuka? (to a male) |
ما إسمك؟ ما إسمك؟ |
| My name is in Arabic | ʼismee… | …إسمي |
| Where are you from in Arabic | min ʼayna ʼanti? (to a female) min ʼayna ʼanta? (to a male) |
من أين أنت؟ من أين أنت؟ |
| I’m from in Arabic | ʼana min… | …أنا من |
| Where do you live in Arabic | ʼayna taskuneena? (to a female) ʼayna taskun? (to a male) |
أين تسكنين؟ أين تسكن؟ |
| I live in the United States in Arabic | ʼaʻeeshu fee alwilaayaat almotaHidah | أعيش في الولايات المتحدة |
| What do you do for a living in Arabic | maa mihnatuki? (to a female) maa mihnatuka? (to a male) |
ما مهنتك؟ ما مهنتك؟ |
| I work as in Arabic | ʼa ʻmal… | …أعمل |
| How old are you in Arabic | kam huwa ʻumruki? (to a female) kam huwa ʻumruka? (to a male) |
كم هو عمرك؟ كم هو عمرك؟ |
| I’m (twenty) years old in Arabic | ʻumree ʻishreena sanah | عمري (عشرين) سنة |
| Nice to meet you in Arabic | mutasharifatun bimaʻrifatik (to a female) mutasharif bimaʻrifatik (to a male) |
متشرفة بمعرفتك متشرف بمعرفتك |
| Do you speak Arabic in Arabic | hal tatakallam allughah al‘arabiyah? | هل تتكلم اللغة العربية؟ |
| Slightly / Some in Arabic | qaleelan | قليلا |
| I don’t understand in Arabic | laa ʼafham | لا أفهم |
| I don’t know in Arabic | laa ʼaʻrif | لآ أعرف |
| You’re welcome in Arabic | ʻafwan | عفوا |
| My Arabic is bad in Arabic | lughatee al ʻarabiya laysat kamaa yajib | لغتي العربية ليست كما يجب |
In conclusion,
Now that you’ve had a taste of what learning Arabic is like, why not try learning Arabic for beginners with the Kaleela Arabic learning app? Kaleela is the premier of all Arabic language learning apps because not only can you learn to read Arabic and learn to speak Arabic, but the Kaleela app also teaches you the different Arabic dialects. That means you can learn Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic, and even Modern Standard Arabic right from your mobile, all in a time and place that’s convenient and comfortable for you! Download it to your IOS or Android device today from kaleela.com.
