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Culture

Arabic Language – اللغة العربية

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.

If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

Nelson Mandela

 

The United Arab Emirates is a modern country, which is home to over two hundred different nationalities. While the country’s official language is Arabic, English is widely spoken. However, learning basic Arabic can make your stay much more memorable. Embrace cross-cultural interactions and make new friends.

Modern Standard Arabic – Al-Fusha الفصحى

MSA is used in formal settings such as new broadcasts, political speeches, schools and in university education and is seen as the highest form of language throughout the Arabic speaking world. Basically, it is the language used for writing and formal speaking.

The Arabic Alphabet

The Arabic language contains 28 letters. Arabic letters are simple in their shape but there is similarity between some groups. By adding dots to the letter or by changing the place of these dots, new letters can be formed. Arabic language is written from right to left.

 

Column1Column2Column3Column4Column5
LetterTransFinalMidInit
ا aـا ـا ا
ألف
alif
ب bـب ـبـ بـ
باء
baa
ت tـت ـتـ تـ
تاء
taa
ث thـث ـثـ ثـ
ثاء

thaa
ج jـج ـجـ جـ
جيم
jiim
ح Hـح ـحـ حـ
حاء
Haa
خ xـخ ـخـ خـ
خاء
xaa
د dـد ـد د
دال
daal
ذ dhـذ ـذ ذ
ذال
dhaal
ر rـر ـر ر
راء
raa
ز zـز ـز ز
زاي
zayn
س sـس ـسـ سـ
سين
siin
ش shـش ـشـ شـ
شين
shiin
ص Sـص ـصـ صـ
صاد
Saad
ض D, DHـض ـضـ ضـ
ضاد
Daad
ط Tـط ـطـ طـ
طاء
Taa
ظ DHـظ ـظـ ظـ
ظاء
DHaa
ع ^ـع ـعـ عـ
عين
^ayn
غ ghـغ ـغـ غـ
غين
ghayn
ف fـف ـفـ فـ
فاء
faa
ق q, g, jـق ـقـ قـ
قاف
qaaf
ك k, chـك ـكـ كـ
كاف
kaaf
ل lـل ـلـ لـ
لام
lam
م mـم ـمـ مـ
ميم
miim
ن nـن ـنـ نـ
نون
nuun
ه hـه ـهـ هـ
هاء
haa
و w, uu, ooـو ـو و
واو
waaw
ي yـي ـيـ يـ
ياء
yaa

 
ة (taa marbuuTa, or ‘hidden t’) is not a letter but a variant of ه. It is the last letter of many feminine adjectives and nouns. If it is joined to the previous letter, it is written ـة .

The combination of ل lam and ا alif is written لا (pronounced ‘laa’, meaning ‘no’) as an initial and independent, and ـلا as a middle or final.

To form words, the letters are joined from right to left. Only the letters alif, daal, dhaal, raa, zayn, and waaf are not connected to the left.

 

Basic Arabic Words and Expressions

 

Column1Column2
HelloMarhaba
مرحبا
Peace be upon youSalam Aaleikom
السلام عليكم
Good morningSabah il-klair
صباح الخير
Good eveningMasa il-khair
مساء الخير
WelcomeAhlan
أهلا
Good byeMaa is-salamah
مع السلامة
PleaseMin fadlik
من فضلك
Excuse meAffwaan
عفوا
ThanksShukran
شكرا
YesNaam
نعم
NoLa
لا
How are you?Kayfa haluk
كيف حالك
Fine, thank godIl-ham-di-lellah bi-khair
الحمدلله بخير
So god willInshallah
إن شاءالله
My name isAna ismi
أنا اسمي
I am fromAna min
أنا من
Nice to meet youFursah saaeedah
فرصة سعيدة
Where isWayn
وين

 

Arabic Dialect

Arabic dialect is used in informal conversations among friends, colleagues and at home. Spoken Arabic varies from country to country and from city to city. The greater geographic distance between countries, the greater is the difference between the spoken dialects. The difference between MSA and Arabic dialect can be observed in pronunciation and vocabulary. Despite these dialectal variations, most Arabic speakers understand each other.

Emirati Dialect

The Emirati dialect is one of the many Arabic dialects spoken in the United Arab Emirates. This dialect shares the characteristics of the south Arabian spoken Arabic variety as well as that of the gulf region.

Visit the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding and practise Emirati dialect with the Emirati Representatives!
https://emirates-information.com/culture/majlis/

Learn Emirati dialect at Al Ramsa Institute Dubai!

Speak Emirati dialect and

  • find more Emirati friends
  • understand how Emiratis/Arabs thinks
  • attract more customers and businesses
  • in turn show respect to Emiratis and Arabs
  • exercise your brain

Online courses are available.

For information concerning courses click on the link below:
https://alramsa.ae

 

Free lessons Spoken Emirati

 

Self-Introduction

 

Car Accident & Emirati Words

 

Common Verbs

 

Phrases while Phone Conversation

 

Phrases while Buying

 

Buy & Sell

 

Job Interview

 

Job Questions

 

House Rent

 

Business Related Words

 

Love promising in Emirati dialect

 

Complimenting Words