basic Palestinian Arabic

Arabic is the national language of Palestine, with the local dialect referred to as Amia. This means if you have studied MSA or Fusha than the Arabic you hear on the street in Palestine will sound different. If you have studied spoken Arabic in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, or Egypt you will hear many similarities.

I found Palestine to be a perfect place to learn Arabic because programs are usually quite cheap and people on the street are very open to helping you learn especially in cities like Hebron and Nablus where less people speak English. In each city page you will find at the bottom links for Arabic programs or tutors, the best programs are considered to be An-Najah Univeristy, Bethlehem University, and Birzeit University. 

Below you will find what I consider the most useful Palestinian Arabic phrases for traveling with links to more advanced vocabulary and verb sets if you are interested: 

  • Vocabulary: Palestinian Arabic vocabulary flashcards with over 550 words
  • Verbs: Palestinian Arabic verb flashcards with over 100 verbs

common phrases:

  • Hello: مرحبا (marhaba) or اهلين (ahlayn)
  • Welcome: اهلا و سهلا (ahlan wa sahlan)
    • Response: اهلا فيك (ahlan feek)
  • Thank you: شكرا (shukran) or يسلمو (eeslamu)
  • Thanks to your hands: يسلمو يديك (eeslamu eedayk)
  • Good Morning: صباح الخير (sabah al kheir)
    • Response: صباح النور/ الورد (sabah al noor or al ward)
  • Good Evening: مسا الخير (masa al kheir)
    • Response: مسا النور (masa al noor) 
  • See you later: بشوفك
  • Goodbye/Go in Peace: مع سلامة (ma’ salama)
  • Goodnight: تصبح الخير (tisbah al kheir)
  • Nice to Meet You: فرصة سعيدة (sharafna) or شرفنا (fursa sayeeda)
  • How Are You? (masculine): كيف حالك (keefak) or كيفك (keef halak)
  • How Are You? (feminine): كيف حالك (keefik) or كيفك (keef halik)
    • Good, thank God: تمام الحمدلله (tamam alhamduleelah)
    • Living: (عيش(ة (ayeesh–masc.) (ayeesha–fem.)
    • Fine: (منيح (ة (mineeh–masc.) (mineeha–fem.)
  • What’s the News/What’s New?: شو الاخبار (shu al akhbar)
    • Everything is good: كل شي تمام (kul shee tamam)
  • Enjoy the Food/Bon Apetite: صحه (saha)
    • Response: On your heart: على قلبك (ala qalbak)
  • Congratulations: مبروك (mabrook)
  • Thank you for your service: يعطيك العافية (yateek ala’feya)
    • You also say this when you want a taxi to stop. 
  • How Old Are You?: قديش عمرك (qadesh umrak–masc/umrik–fem)
  • Where do you live?: (وين ساكن(ة (wayn sakan–masc/sakana–fem)
  • Where are you from?: من وين انت (min wayn inta–masc/inti–fem)
  • Do you speak Arabic?: بتحكي عرابي؟ (bitihky arabey)
  • Do you speak English?: بتحكي انجليزي 9 (bitihky injleezey)
    • A little: شوي (shway)
    • Light/A small amount: حفيف (hafeef)
  • I swear to God: والله (wallah)
  • God Willing: ان شاالله (inshallah)
    • often when making plans Palestinians will say Inshallah–this can be confusing because it can mean yes or no.
  • Praise God: الحمدلله (alhamdulilah)
  • God Willed: ماشاالله (masha’allah)
    • often used when you see a cute baby or child
  • Really or Seriously: عنجد (anjad)

food/Shopping:

  • How Much?:  (qadesh) (kam)
  • Do you have?: (indak–masc.) (indik–fem.)
  • Is there?: (feeh?)
  • Where can I buy: (wayn mumkin ashtaree)
  • Expensive: (ghalee)
  • Cheap: (rakhees)
  • Half Kilo: (nos kilo)
  • Delicious: (zaakee)
  • Disgusting: (muqrif)
  • Fruit: (fuwakay)
    • Apples: (tufah)
    • Bananas: (mowz)
    • Grapes: (inab)
    • Watermelon: (bateekh)
    • Oranges: (burtuqal)
    • Peach: (khokh)
    • Pomegranate: (ruman)
    • Apricots: (mish mish)
    • Dates: (tamar)
    • Figs: (teen)
  • Vegetables: (khudar)
    • Tomatoes: (bandura)
    • Potatoes: (batata)
    • Onions: (basal)
    • Eggplant: (baytinjan)
    • Cauliflower: (zahra)
    • Carrot: (jazar)
    • Cucumber: (ikhyar
    • Lemon: (limon)
    • Zuchini: (kusa)
    • Avocado: (abokado)
    • Pepper: (filfil)
    • Lettuce: (khas)
  • Spices/Herbs: (baharat)
    • Ginger: (zanjabeel)
    • Cinnamon: (qurfa)
    • Mint: (na’na’)
    • Parsley: (baqdunis)
    • Garlic: (towm)
    • Thyme: (za’atar)
  • Other:
    • Cheese: (jibnay)
    • Rice: (rowz)
    • Chicken: (jaj)
    • Meat: (lahmay)
    • Oil: (zayt)
    • Olives: (zaytoon)
    • Yogurt: (laban)
    • Honey: (asal)
    • Butter: (zibday)
    • Pasta: (makaronay)
    • Eggs: (bayd)
    • Bread: (khobz or kohbiz)
    • Soup: (shoorba)
  • Drinks:
    • Water: (maiy)
    • Juice: (aseer)
    • Tea: (shaiy)
    • Coffee: (qahuway or ahuway)

numbers

  • One: واحد (wahad)
  • Two: اتنين (itnayn)
  • Three: تلاتة (talata)
  • Four: اربعة (arba’)
  • Five: خمسة (khamsay)
  • Six: ستة (sitay)
  • Seven: سبعة (saba’a)
  • Eight: تمانية (tamaneya)
  • Nine: تسعة (tisa’a)
  • Ten: عشرة (ashra)
  • Eleven: احداش (ihdash)
  • Twelve: اطناش (itnash)
  • Thirteen: تلطاش (talatash)
  • Fourteen: اربعطاش (arab’tash)
  • Fifteen: خمسطاش (khamistash)
  • Sixteen: سطاش (satash)
  • Seventeen: سبعطاش (saba’tash)
  • Eighteen: تمنطاش (tamantash)
  • Nineteen: تسعطاش (tisa’tash)
  • Twenty: عشرين (ashreen)
  • Twenty One: واحد و عشرين (wahad wa ashreen)
  • Twenty Two: اتنين و عشرين (itnayn wa ashreen) 
  • …..
  • Thirty: تلاتين (talateen)
  • Forty: اربعين (arba’een)
  • Fifty: خمسين (khamseen)
  • Sixty: ستين (siteen)
  • Seventy: سبعين (saba’een)
  • Eighty: تمانين (tamaneen)
  • Ninety: تسعين (tisa’een)
  • One Hundred: مية (meeyay)
  • Two Hundred: ميتين (meyaytayn)
  • Three Hundred: تلات مية (talat meeyay)
  • One Thousand: الف (alf)

Directions

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