Gulf Desi Hub

You do not need to speak Arabic to work in the Gulf, but a hundred words changes everything: the storekeeper understands you, the police officer relaxes, the foreman trusts you, and the doctor treats the right problem. These are the words workers actually use every day. Learn ten a week.

Greetings and politeness

• As-salaam alaykum — peace be upon you (greeting). Reply: wa alaykum as-salaam.
• Sabah al-khair — good morning. Masa al-khair — good evening.
• Shukran — thank you. Afwan — you are welcome / excuse me.
• Min fadlak — please (to a man). Min fadlik — please (to a woman).
• Insha’Allah — if God wills. Ma’a salama — goodbye.
• Na’am — yes. La — no. Mumkin? — is it possible?

At the worksite

• Shughl — work. Mudeer — manager. Muhandis — engineer. Ummal — workers.
• Yalla — let’s go / hurry. Khalas — finished / enough. Shuwayya shuwayya — slowly, little by little.
• Ta’al — come. Ruh — go. Hina — here. Fein? / Wain? — where?
• Fi — there is. Ma fi — there is not.
• Mushkila — problem. Ma fi mushkila — no problem.
• Aleem / ta’ban — painful / tired. Harr — hot. Ma’a — water.
• Salaama — safety. Khatar — danger. Khudh baalak — be careful.

Money, time and numbers

• Kam? — how much / how many? Fuloos — money. Rateb — salary.
• Ghali — expensive. Rakhees — cheap.
• Wahid, ithnain, thalatha, arba’a, khamsa — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
• Sitta, sab’a, thamania, tis’a, ashara — 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• Al-yaum — today. Bukra — tomorrow. Ams — yesterday. Al-an — now.
• Sa’a — hour / watch. Usbu’ — week. Shahr — month.

Shopping, food and transport

• Khubz — bread. Ruz — rice. Dajaj — chicken. Samak — fish. Laham — meat.
• Halal — permitted. Haraam — forbidden.
• Souq — market. Baqala — grocery shop. Saydaliya — pharmacy.
• Sayyara — car. Bass — bus. Matar — airport. Tareeq — road.

Documents and officials

• Iqama / bitaqa — residence permit / card. Jawaz safar — passport. Ta’sheera — visa.
• Kafeel — sponsor. Aqd — contract. Sharika — company.
• Shurta — police. Mustashfa — hospital. Tabeeb — doctor.
• Musa’ada! — help! Ana mareed — I am sick.

Six sentences worth memorising

• Ana ismi… — my name is…
• Ana min al-Hind / Pakistan / Bangladesh / Nepal / Sri Lanka. — I am from…
• Ma atakallam arabi zayy, shuwayya shuwayya. — I don’t speak Arabic well, only a little.
• Mumkin tesa’idni? — can you help me?
• Wain al-mustashfa? — where is the hospital?
• Ma’lish, mumkin marra thaniya? — sorry, can you repeat that?

Spoken Gulf Arabic varies by country and street usage differs from textbook Arabic, so pronunciation here is written the way workers say it, not in formal transliteration. Add the words your foreman uses in the comments and we will build the next lesson from them.