HikmahBridge Arabic · Dialect reference
Gulf Spoken Arabic Word Bank
183 everyday words and phrases in Gulf spoken Arabic, grouped by situation, with a pronunciation aid and English. This is a dialect, not standard Arabic (MSA).
In development
Please read first. This is a draft reference. The words were gathered from a class handout supplied by the site owner and re-grouped and re-written here. They have not been reviewed by a native speaker. Gulf Arabic differs from country to country and city to city: some words here (for example abga, aish) are common in Saudi Arabia and may sound different elsewhere in the Gulf. Spellings and pronunciation vary. There is no audio on this page: the Arabic voices in browsers speak standard Arabic, so they would not sound like the Gulf words shown here. Where the handout writes the letter qaf as a hard g (for example galam, giddaam), both are shown.
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Showing all 183 words and phrases
Greetings and courtesy
Hello, how are you, thank you, goodbye.
صباح الخيرsabaah al-khayrGood morning
صباح النورsabaah an-noorReply to good morning
مساء الخيرmasaa’ al-khayrGood evening
مساء النورmasaa’ an-noorReply to good evening
مرحباmarhabaHello / welcome
أهلا وسهلاahlan wa sahlanWelcome
كيف الحالkeif al-haalHow are you?
كيف حالكkeif haalakHow are you?
كيفكkeifakHow are you? (short, informal)
كيف الصحةkeif as-sihhaHow is your health?
كويس / طيب / زينkuwayyis / tayyib / zainGood (three everyday words)
تعبانta’baanTired
مريضmareedSick
فضلfaddalPlease, come (an invitation)
استريحistareehPlease take a seat (as glossed in the handout)
اجلسijlisSit
شكراshukranThanks
عفواafwanYou’re welcome
أشكركashkurukI thank you
مبروكmabrookCongratulations
مع السلامةma’a as-salaamaGoodbye
Pronouns and pointing words
Who, here, there, this.
أناanaI
نحنnahnuWe
أنتantaYou (one person)
أنتمantumYou (all)
هوhuwaHe
همhoomThey
هناhinaHere
هناكhunaakThere
هذاhaazaThis / it
Small words and question words
The short words that hold sentences together.
لاlaaNo / not / don’t
ماmaaNo / what / don’t
فيfiIn / is
منminFrom
مين / منmeen / manWho?
إلىilaTo / towards
علىalaAt / on
حتىhattaUntil
معma’aWith
بعدba’dAfter
قبلgabl (qabl)Before
بدونbidoonWithout
متىmataWhen?
كمkamHow much? / how many?
أين / وين / فينayn / wain / fainWhere?
إيشaishWhat?
إيش فيaish fiWhat is (in it)?
ليشlaishWhy?
شويةshwayaA little
قليلgaleel (qaleel)Little / less
كثيرkateerA lot / many
زيادةziyaadaExtra
Movement, directions and position
Getting around and telling someone where to go.
تعالta’aalCome
روحrohGo
امشيamshiWalk / let’s go
ارجعirja’Return / go back
جيبjeebBring
خذkhuzTake
شيلsheelLift / pick up
أمسكamsikCatch / hold
وصلwassalReach / arrive
لفluffTurn
يمينyameenRight
يسارyasaarLeft
على طولala toolStraight on
طواليtawwaaliStraight on (another way to say it)
شارعshaari’Street / road
قريبqareebNear
بعيدba’eedFar
فوقfawqUp / above
تحتtahtUnder / down
أسفلasfalDown / below
جنبjumbBeside
أمامamaamIn front
قدامgiddaam (qiddaam)Ahead / forward
خلفkhalfBehind
وراءwaraa’Behind
بينbaynBetween
أنزلanzilGet down / get off
أنزل تحتanzil tahtGet down (below)
أطلعatla’Go up / get out / leave
برةbarraOutside
جواjowwaInside
أطلع برةatla’ barraGet out
أطلع فوقatla’ fawqGo up
Everyday actions and requests
Wanting, knowing, drinking, opening, working.
أبغىabgaI want / want
أنا أبغىana abgaI want
أنا أبغى شايana abga shaayI want tea
ما أبغىma abgaI don’t want
أنا ما أبغى شايana ma abga shaayI don’t want tea
أشربashrabDrink
أنا ما أشرب شايana ma ashrab shaayI don’t drink tea
شايshaayTea
موياmoyaWater (spelling varies)
جيب شايjeeb shaayBring tea
جيب موياjeeb moyaBring water
سكرsukkarSugar
بدون سكرbidoon sukkarWithout sugar
حليبhaleebMilk
أدريadriI know (a fact)
ما أدريma adriI don’t know (a fact)
أعرفa’rifI know (a person or place)
ما أعرفma a’rifI don’t know (a person or place)
أنا ما أعرف عبداللهana ma a’rif abdullahI don’t know Abdullah
أكيدakeedSure / certainly
سويsawwiDo
إيش سويaish sawwiWhat are you doing? (the handout’s short form)
اقدرiqdarCan / able
افتحiftahOpen
سكرsakkirClose
أقفلaqfilLock
افتح البابiftah al-baabOpen the door
أقفل البابaqfil al-baabLock the door
بابbaabDoor
شباكshubbaakWindow
بيعbee’Sell
اشتريishtariBuy
شغلshughlWork (a job)
عملamalWork
اشتغلishtaghilTo work
عندindHave / at (someone’s place)
Places, objects and travel
Things you point at and places you ask for.
بيتbaitHouse / home
مسجدmasjidMosque
مدرسةmadrasaSchool
سوقsooqMarket
دكان / بقالةdukkaan / bagaalaShop / grocery
مكتبmaktabOffice
كتابkitaabBook
قلمgalam (qalam)Pen
جوازjawaazPassport
رقمraqamNumber
نسيتnaseetI forgot
أنا نسيت جوازana naseet jawaazI forgot (my) passport
إنسىinsaForget
لا تنسىlaa tansaDon’t forget
مطارmataarAirport
طيارةtayyaaraAirplane
سيارةsayyaaraCar
أركب في سيارةarkab fi sayyaaraGet in the car
ساعةsaa’aWatch / time / hour
Days and time words
Today, tomorrow and the days of the week.
يومyawmDay
اليومal-yawmToday
بكرةbukraTomorrow
بعد بكرةba’d bukraThe day after tomorrow
أمسamsYesterday
أول أمسawwal amsThe day before yesterday
الآنal-aanNow
السبتas-sabtSaturday
الأحدal-ahadSunday
الإثنينal-itnainMonday
الثلاثاءath-thalaathaTuesday
الأربعاءal-arbi’aaWednesday
الخميسal-khameesThursday
الجمعةal-jum’aFriday
Numbers one to ten, and first to twelfth
These are shared with standard Arabic.
واحدwaahid1
اثنينithnain2
ثلاثةthalaatha3
أربعةarba’a4
خمسةkhamsa5
ستةsitta6
سبعةsab’a7
ثمانيةthamaaniya8
تسعةtis’a9
عشرةashara10
الأولal-awwal1st
الثانيath-thaani2nd
الثالثath-thaalith3rd
الرابعar-raabi’4th
الخامسal-khaamis5th
السادسas-saadis6th
السابعas-saabi’7th
الثامنath-thaamin8th
التاسعat-taasi’9th
العاشرal-aashir10th
الحادي عشرal-haadi ashar11th
الثاني عشرath-thaani ashar12th
Practise
Eight questions each, chosen at random from the lists above: you see the English and pick the Gulf word. Only words that have one clear English meaning are used, so near-synonyms never appear as competing answers. Your best score is saved in this browser only. It is separate from My Progress and does not sync between devices.
My, your, his: endings added to a word
In Gulf Arabic, as in standard Arabic, “my”, “our” and so on are endings attached to the noun: -ee my, -na our, -ka your, -kum your (all), -hu his, -hoom their, -ha her. Only the “you” forms for a man are covered so far; the forms for a woman are not.
Father
- Myأبيabee
- Ourأبوناabuuna
- Your (one person)أبوكabuuka
- Your (all)أبوكمabuukum
- Hisأبوهabuuhu
- Theirأبوهمabuuhoom
- Herأبوهاabuuha
Mother
- Myأميummi
- Ourأمناummuna
- Your (one person)أمكummuka
- Your (all)أمكمummukum
- Hisأمهummuhu
- Theirأمهمummuhoom
- Herأمهاummuha
Son
- Myابنيibnee
- Ourابنناibnuna
- Your (one person)ابنكibnuka
- Your (all)ابنكمibnukum
- Hisابنهibnuhu
- Theirابنهمibnuhoom
- Herابنهاibnuha
Daughter
- Myبنتيbinti
- Ourبنتناbintuna
- Your (one person)بنتكbintuka
- Your (all)بنتكمbintukum
- Hisبنتهbintuhu
- Theirبنتهمbintuhoom
- Herبنتهاbintuha
Sister
- Myأختيukhti
- Ourأختناukhtuna
- Your (one person)أختكukhtuka
- Your (all)أختكمukhtukum
- Hisأختهukhtuhu
- Theirأختهمukhtuhoom
- Herأختهاukhtuha
Brother
- Myأخيakhee
- Ourأخوناakhuna
- Your (one person)أخوكakhuka
- Your (all)أخوكمakhukum
- Hisأخوهakhuhu
- Theirأخوهمakhuhoom
- Herأخوهاakhuha
Book
- Myكتابيkitaabee
- Ourكتابناkitaabuna
- Your (one person)كتابكkitaabuka
- Your (all)كتابكمkitaabukum
- Hisكتابهkitaabuhu
- Theirكتابهمkitaabuhoom
- Herكتابهاkitaabuha
House
- Myبيتيbaiti
- Ourبيتناbaitana
- Your (one person)بيتكbaitak
- Your (all)بيتكمbaitakum
- Hisبيتهbaituhu
- Theirبيتهمbaitahum
- Herبيتهاbaitha
The same endings on small words
The same endings attach to with, from, have and give, and to haqq (belonging to), which Gulf speakers use for “mine, yours”. It is often pronounced hagg.
With (مع)
- Me / myمعيma’ee
- Us / ourمعناma’ana
- You / your (one person)معكma’ak
- You / your (all)معكمma’akum
- Him / hisمعهma’hu
- Them / theirمعهمma’hum
From (من)
- Me / myمنيminni
- Us / ourمناminna
- You / your (one person)منكminnak
- You / your (all)منكمminkum
- Him / hisمنهminhu
- Them / theirمنهمminhum
Have (عند)
- Me / myعنديindi
- Us / ourعندناindana
- You / your (one person)عندكindak
- You / your (all)عندكمindakum
- Him / hisعندهindahu
- Them / theirعندهمindahum
Give (أعطي)
- Me / myأعطينيateeni
- Us / ourأعطيناateena
- You / your (one person)أعطيكateek
- You / your (all)أعطيكمateekum
- Him / hisأعطيهateehu
- Them / theirأعطيهمateehum
Belonging to (حق)
- Me / myحقيhaqqi
- Us / ourحقناhaqqana
- You / your (one person)حقكhaqqak
- You / your (all)حقكمhaqqakum
- Him / hisحقهhaqqahu
- Them / theirحقهمhaqqahum
ما عنديma indiI don’t have
روح عندهroh induhGo to him
تعال عنديta’aal indiCome to me
اسميismiMy name
اسمكismakYour name
اسمهismuhHis name
إيش اسمكaish ismakWhat’s your name?
Gulf and standard Arabic (MSA) side by side
Five common words that differ. The lessons on this site teach MSA, so this shows how the two relate. The MSA column is for reference and comes from the site’s own MSA lessons, not from the handout.
- أبغى (abga) → أريد (ureed) — I want
- وين (wain) → أين (ayn) — Where?
- إيش (aish) → ماذا (maadhaa) — What?
- ليش (laish) → لماذا (limaadhaa) — Why?
- كويس / زين (kuwayyis / zain) → جيد (jayyid) — Good
What this page does not cover yet
- Native Gulf Arabic review: pending. No native Gulf speaker has reviewed this word bank yet. There is no Gulf conversation content: only the word recognition practice above exists.
- Planned Sentences with verbs for I, you, he and she (the handout gives bare verb forms such as “sawwi”).
- Planned The forms for speaking to a woman.
- Planned Audio recorded by a Gulf speaker.
- Planned Review by a native Gulf speaker, and a note of which country each word belongs to.
A few handout entries were left out because the writing was unclear or the spelling looked doubtful, rather than guessing. This word bank is separate from the Pre-A1 and A1 lessons and is not counted in their totals.