Common Kuwaiti Arabic Phrases
Ebrahim Al-Adsani
Introduction
· Arabic is one of the most spoken languages in the world with over 200 million speakers. It is spoken in 24 countries.
· 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 takes many forms and can be divided into three main categories:
· Classic Arabic.
· Formal or Modern Standard Arabic.
· Spoken Arabic.
· The Arabic phrases presented here are most applicable to the Gulf states
Pronunciation
· A: as in ‘had’
· E: as in ‘bet’
· I: as in ‘hit’
· O: as in ‘hot’
· U: as in ‘put’
Basics
· I: a-na
· You (sg): in-ta/in-ti (m/f)
· He: oh-wa
· She: Eh-ya
· We: Eh-nu
· You (pl): In-tuw
· They: Oh-ma
Greetings
· Hello: as-salam alaykum
· Hello (response); wa alaykum asalam
· How are you: kaif halak
· I am fine (Thank God): Al hamdulillah
· Goodbye (person leaving): ma’asalama
· Goodbye (person staying): allysalmak
· Good morning: sabah al-khair
· Good afternoon: masa’a al-khair
· Good night: tisbah ala khair
· Welcome: ahlan wa sahlan OR marhaba
Basics
· Yes: E or na’am
· No: la
· Maybe: mumkin
· Please: min fadhlik
· After you: Taffadhal
· Thank you: shukran
· You are welcome: afwan
· Excuse me: Atni (m) Atini (f)
· OK: tayib or Inshallah
· No problem: mafi mushkila
Small talk
· How are you: kef Halak
· Fine thanks : zein or al-Hamdulillah
· What’s your name: shismek
· My name is….ismi…
· I understand: ana afhum
· I don’t understand: ma afhum
· I speak… ana atakallam…
· Do you speak…..titkallam…..
· English: inglizi
· French: fransawi
· German: almani
· I do’t speak Arabic: maatakallam arabi
Getting Around
· Where is (the)….wein (al-)……
· Airport: al-matar
· Bus stop: mokaf al-bas
· Bus station: maHattat al-bas
· Taxi stand: maHattat taxi
· Hospital: Mos-thash-fa
· Police Station: Makhfar
· Supermarket: Jam-ee-yah
· Toilet: Ham-mam
Directions
· Addres: onswan
· Street: shari’
· Number: raqam
· City: madina
· Here: ehni
· There: ehnak
· Next to: yam
· Opposite: gbal/mogabel
· Behind: wara
· From: min
Days
· Monday: yom al-ithnayn
· Tuesday: yom al-thalatha
· Wednesday: yom al-arba’
· Thursday: yom al-khamees
· Friday: yom al-jama’a
· Saturday: yom as-sabt
· Sunday: yom al ahad
Numbers
· Zero: sifr
· One: waHid
· Two: ithnin
· Three: thlatha
· Four: arba’a
· Five: khamsa
· Six: sitta
· Seven: sab’a
· Eight: thimania
· Nine: tis’a
· Ten: ashra