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Learn the Most Important Intermediate Arabic Words

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Arabic is the richest language in the world.

With 12,300,000 words, Arabic blows other languages out of the water.

Luckily, with the rise of technology, people tend to take a lazier approach to everything—including communication.

As fewer and fewer words are being used, the number of words that language learners need to memorize continues to reduce. 

Starting out with Arabic could be a little bit difficult, especially when you’re presented with a new script and totally different sentence structures than what you’re used to in your native language. Assuming you’ve passed the beginner level, your next step is to learn some intermediate Arabic words and phrases to help you press forward. 

Learning vocabulary is the most important variable once you have the basics down. 

And as with everything in life, you’ll have to go through all the necessary steps to reach your end goal. In other words, achieving fluency means working your way up by first tackling the beginner and intermediate levels in Arabic. 

That’s why we’ve put together this article. 

Below, we’ve broken down the most important intermediate words by category, including the parallel translations and romanizations for every word.

    → In addition to memorizing these words, we recommend you check out our Lower Intermediate series to continue building your language skills!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Arabic Table of Contents
  1. Large Numbers – الأَعداد (al-ʾaʿdād)
  2. Nouns – الأَسماء (al-ʾasmāʾ)
  3. Verbs – الأَفعال (al-ʾafʿal)
  4. Adjectives – صِفات (ṣifāt)
  5. Adverbs – أَحوَال (ʾaḥwal)
  6. Prepositions – ظُروف (ẓurūf)
  7. Conjunctions – حُرُوفُ العَطْف (ḥuruūfu al-ʿaṭf)
  8. Particles – الحُروف (al-ḥurūf)
  9. Conclusion

1. Large Numbers – الأَعداد (al-ʾaʿdād)

Someone Raising Up a Sign that Says 28

The first set of intermediate Arabic vocabulary words we’ll cover are those we use for numbers. We already went over the numbers 1-10 in our Beginner Words article, so here we’ll focus on the numbers from ten onward. 

NumberArabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
10عَشَرَة‘ashra“Ten”
11إحدى عَشَرaḥada ‘ashar“Eleven”
12إثنا عَشَرiṯnā ‘ashar“Twelve”
13ثَلاثَةَ عَشَرṯālatha ‘ashar“Thirteen”
14أَرَبَعَةَ عَشَرarba’ata ‘ashar“Fourteen”
15خَمسَةَ عَشَرḫamsata ‘ashar“Fifteen”
16سِتَّةَ عَشَرsittata ‘ashar“Sixteen”
17سَبعَةَ عَشَرsab’ata ‘ashar“Seventeen”
18ثَمانِيَةَ عَشَرṯamāniyata ‘ashar“Eighteen”
19تِسعَةَ عَشَرtis’ata ‘ashar“Nineteen”
20عِشرون‘ishrun“Twenty”
30ثلَاثونṯālaṯun“Thirty”
40أَربَعونarba’un“Fourty”
50خَمسونḫamsun“Fifty”
60سِتّونsittun“Sixty”
70سَبعونsab’un“Seventy”
80ثَمانونṯamānun“Eighty”
90تِسعونtis’un“Ninety”
100مِئَةmi’a“A hundred”
1,000أَلفalf“A thousand”
10,000عَشَرَة آلاف’ashratu alaf“Ten thousand”
100,000مِئَةُ أَلفmi’atu alf“A hundred thousand”
1,000,000مِليونmillion“A million”

2. Nouns – الأَسماء (al-ʾasmāʾ)

Words in a Dictionary: Hospitable, Hospital, Hospitality

Time – الوَقت (al-waqt)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
القَرنal-qarn“Century”
الصَباح al-ṣabāḥ“Morning”
المَساء al-masāʾ“Evening”
الفَصلal-faṣl“Quarter”
الفَصل الدِراسيal-faṣl al-dirāsī“Semester”

Places – الأَماكِن (al-ʾamākin)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
المِنطَقَةal-minṭaqah“Region”
الإدارَة al-ʾidārah“Department”
القَريَة al-qaryah“Village”
الحَديقَة al-ḥadīqah“Park”
البَنك al-bank“Bank”
الصَيْدَلِيَّة al-ṣaydaliyyah“Pharmacy”
المُستَشفى al-mustašfā“Hospital”
المَخبَز al-maḫbaz“Bakery”
الجَرف al-ǧarf“Cliff”
الشاطِئ al-šāṭiʾ“Beach”
الجَزيرَة al-ǧazīrah“Island”
التَل al-tal“Hill”

Technology – التِكنولوجيا (al-tiknūlūǧīā)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
الشاشَةal-šāšah“Screen”
لَوْحَةُ المَفاتيحlawḥaẗu al-mafātīḥ“Keyboard”
الفَأرَةal-faʾrah“Mouse”
الجِهاز اللَوْحيal-ǧihāz al-lawḥī“Tablet”
التِلِفِزيون al-tilifizīūn“TV”
وِحدَةُ التَحَكُّم wiḥdaẗu al-taḥakkum“Console”
الشاحِن al-šāḥin“Charger”
مَوْقِع الوِيبmawqiʿ al-wib“Website”
حِساب ḥisāb“Account”
كَلِمَةُ المُرورkalimaẗu al-murūr“Password”
مَلف malaf“File”
مُجَلَّد muǧallad“Folder”
بَرنامَجbarnāmaǧ“Software”

Home – المَنزِل (al-manzil)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
الغُرفَةal-ġurfah“Room”
الطابَق al-ṭābaq“Floor”
غُرفَةُ الجُلوسġurfaẗu al-ǧulūs“Living room”
الحَمّام al-ḥammām“Bathroom”
الثَلّاجَة al-ṯallāǧah“Fridge”
خِزانَةُ المَلابِسḫizānaẗu al-malābis“Wardrobe”

City & Transportation – المَدينَة والمُوَاصَلات (al-madīnah walmuwaṣalāt)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
الضَوَاحيal-ḍawaḥī“Suburbs”
الجِوَار al-ǧiwar“Neighborhood”
الطَريق السَريعal-ṭarīq al-sarīʿ“Highway”
الزُقاق al-zuqāq“Alley”
المَيدانal-maīdān“Roundabout”
مُفتَرَق طُرُقmuftaraq ṭuruq“Crossroad”

People – الناس (al-nās)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
العَمal-ʿam“Uncle”
العَمَّة al-ʿammah“Aunt”
الحَفيد al-ḥafīd“Grandson”
الحَفيدَة al-ḥafīdah“Granddaughter”
الرَضيع al-raḍīʿ“Baby”
الجَد al-ǧad“Grandfather”
الجَدَّةal-ǧaddah“Grandmother”

Body Parts – أَجزاءُ الجِسم (ʾaǧzāʾu al-ǧism)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
إصبَعʾiṣbaʿ“Finger”
ظَهر ẓahr“Back”
بَطن baṭn“Belly”
صَدر ṣadr“Breast”
كَتِف katif“Shoulder”
ساق sāq“Leg”
فَخذ faḫḏ“Thigh”
مُؤَخِّرَة muʾaḫḫirah“Butt”
قَدَم qadam“Foot”
خَد ḫad“Cheek”
ذَقن ḏaqn“Chin”
جَبينǧabīn“Forehead”

Food – الطَعام (al-ṭaʿām)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
سِكّينsikkīn“Knife”
شَوْكَة šawkah“Fork”
مِلعَقَة milʿaqah“Spoon”
نَبيذ nabīḏ“Wine”
طَبَقṭabaq“Dish”
مُقَبِّلات muqabbilāt“Starter”
حَلوَى ḥalwa“Dessert”
مَشروب mašrūb“Drink”
قَهوَةqahwah“Coffee”

Work & Studies – العَمَل والدِراسَة (al-ʿamal waldirāsah)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
مُمَرِّضَةmumarriḍah“Nurse”
ضابِط شُرطَةḍābiṭ šurṭah“Police officer”
مُحامي muḥāmī“Lawyer”
نادِل nādil“Waiter”
جامِعَةǧāmiʿah“University”

Clothes – المَلابِس (al-malābis)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
بَنطَلونbanṭalūn“Pants”
كَنزَة kanzah“Sweater”
تي شيرتtī šīrt“T-shirt”
قَميصqamīṣ“Shirt”
مِعطَف miʿṭaf“Coat”
جَوْرَب ǧawrab“Sock”
حِذاء ḥiḏāʾ“Shoe”
فُستان fustān“Dress”
قُبَّعَةqubbaʿah“Hat”

3. Verbs – الأَفعال (al-ʾafʿal)

A List of Verbs

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
خَدَمَḫadama“To serve”
غادَرَġādara“To leave”
سَمَحَsamaḥa“To allow”
أَرسَلَʾarsala“To send”
اِستَقبَلَistaqbala“To receive”
عاشَʿāša“To live”
اِتَّصَلَittaṣala“To call”
تَذَكَّرَtaḏakkara“To remind”
قَدَّمَqaddama“To introduce”
قَبِلَqabila“To accept”
رَفَضَrafaḍa“To refuse”
عَمِلَʿamila“To work”
لَعِبَlaʿiba“To play”
تَعَرَّفَtaʿarrafa“To recognize”
اِختارَiḫtāra“To choose”
لَمَسَlamasa“To touch”
شَرَحَšaraḥa“To explain”
نَهَضَnahaḍa“To get up”
فَتَحَfataḥa“To open”
أَغلَقَʾaġlaqa“To close”
فازَfāza“To win”
خَسِرَḫasira“To lose”
وَجَدَwaǧada“To exist”
نَجَحَnaǧaḥa“To succeed”
غَيَّرَġayyara“To change”
أَتىʾatā“To come”
دَرَسَdarasa“To study”
نامَnāma“To sleep”
مَشىmašā“To walk”
حاوَلَḥāwala“To try”
تَوَقَّفَtawaqqafa“To stop”
اِستَمَرَّistamarra“To continue”
طَبَخَṭabaḫa“To cook”
اِنتَمىintamā“To belong”
خاطَرَḫāṭara“To risk”
تَعَلَّمَtaʿallama“To learn”
اِلتَقىiltaqā“To meet”
أَنشَأَʾanšaʾa“To create”
حَصَلَḥaṣala“To get”
دَخَلَdaḫala“To enter”
خَرَجَḫaraǧa“To exit”
عَرَضَʿaraḍa“To offer”
قَدَّمَqaddama“To bring”
اِستَخدَمَistaḫdama“To use”
وَصَلَwaṣala“To reach”
حَضَّرَḥaḍḍara“To prepare”
أَضافʾaḍāf“To add”
دَفَعَdafaʿa“To pay”
اِعتَبَرَiʿtabara“To consider”
اِشتَرىištarā“To buy”
دَفَعَdafaʿa“To push”
تَسَوَّقَtasawwaqa“To shop”
سافَرَsāfara“To travel”

4. Adjectives – صِفات (ṣifāt)

A Woman Sitting by the Sea

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
رائِعrāʾiʿ“Awesome”
فَظيع faẓīʿ“Horrible”
غَريب ġarīb“Weird”
مُعَقَّد muʿaqqad“Complicated”
سَميك samīk“Thick”
رَقيق raqīq“Thin”
قَريب qarīb“Near”
بَعيد baʿīd“Far”
ضَيِّق ḍayyiq“Narrow”
عَريض ʿarīḍ“Wide”
ناعِم nāʿim“Soft”
صَلبṣalb“Hard”
مُمتَلِئmumtaliʾ“Full”
فارِغ fāriġ“Empty”
خَفيف ḫafīf“Light”
ثَقيل ṯaqīl“Heavy”
فَريد farīd“Unique”
خاص ḫāṣ“Special”
جَديد ǧadīd“New”
قَديم qadīm“Old”
فَقير faqīr“Poor”
غَني ġanī“Rich”
نَظيف naẓīf“Clean”
قَذِر qaḏir“Dirty”
ضَعيف ḍaʿīf“Weak”
قَوِيqawi“Strong”
نَحيف naḥīf“Slim”
سَمين samīn“Fat”
مُثير لِلشَفَقَةmuṯīr lilšafaqah“Cute”
مُتَوَسِّط mutawassiṭ“Mean”
مُضحِك muḍḥik“Funny”
لَطيف laṭīf“Nice”
سَعيد saʿīd“Happy”
حَزين ḥazīn“Sad”
هادِئ hādiʾ“Quiet”
مُتَحَمِّس mutaḥammis“Excited”
خَطير ḫaṭīr“Dangerous”
مُمِلّmumill“Boring”
حارḥār“Spicy”
ثاني ṯānī“Second”
التالي al-talī“Next”
السابِق al-sābiq“Previous”
ما قَبل الأَخيرmā qabl al-ʾaḫīr“Second-to-last”
بُرتُقالي burtuqalī“Orange”
وَردي wardī“Pink”
رَمادي ramādī“Gray”
بَنَفسَجي banafsaǧī“Purple”
أُرجُوَانيʾurǧuwanī“Magenta”
فَيْروزيfayrūzī“Turquoise”

5. Adverbs – أَحوَال (ʾaḥwal)

When – مَتى (matā)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
بِالفِعلbilfiʿl“Already”
وَقت طَويلwaqt ṭawīl“A long time”
الآن al-ʾān“Now”
مَرَّةً أُخرىmarraẗan ʾuḫrā“Again”
أَخيراً ʾaḫīran“At last”
ثُمَّ ṯumma“Then”
بَعدَ ذَلِكbaʿda ḏalik“Thereafter”

How Often – كَم مَرَّة (kam marrah)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
أَحياناًʾaḥyānan“Sometimes”
نادِراً nādiran“Rarely”
عادَةً ʿādaẗan“Usually”
بِشَكلٍ عامbišaklin ʿām“Generally”
طَوالَ الوَقتṭawala al-waqt“All the time”

Where – أَيْنَ (ayna)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
لا مَكانlā makān“Nowhere”
في مَكانٍ ماfī makānin mā“Somewhere”
في مَكانٍ آخَرfī makānin ʾāḫar“Elsewhere”
أَعلىʾaʿlā“Up”
أَسفَل ʾasfal“Down”
فَوْقَ fawqa“Over”
تَحتَ taḥta“Under”
بَعيد baʿīd“Far”
قَريبqarīb“Close”

How – كَيْف (kayfa)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
بِهُدوءbihudūʾ“Softly”
بِبُطء bibuṭʾ“Slowly”
بِسُرعَة bisurʿah“Quickly”
بِهُدوء bihudūʾ“Calmly”
بِسُهولَة bisuhūlah“Easily”
لِحُسنِ الحَظ liḥusni al-ḥaẓ“Luckily”
بِبَساطَةbibasāṭah“Simply”

How Much – كَم (kam)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
كافيkāfī“Enough”
خاصَّةًḫāṣṣaẗan“Especially”
تَقريباً taqrīban “Almost”
بِكَمbikam“How much”
الكَثير al-kaṯīr “So many”
القَليلal-qalīl“So few”
حَوَالَيḥawalaī“About”

6. Prepositions – ظُروف (ẓurūf)

Time – الزَمان (al-zamān)

A Clock Showing a Quarter of an Hour

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
قَبلqabl“Before”
بَعدbaʿd“After”

Space – المَكان (al-makān)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
بِجانِبbiǧānib“Next to”
إلى اليَمينʾilā al-yamīn“To the right”
إلى اليَسار ʾilā al-yasār“To the left”
عِندَ ʿinda“At”
أَمامʾamām“In front of”
خَلف ḫalf“Behind”
تَحت taḥt“Under”
فَوْقfawq“Over”

Other – أُخرى (ʾuḫrā)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
بَيْنَbayna“Between”
بِفَضل bifaḍl“Thanks to”
رَغم raġm“Despite”
بِدون bidūn“Without”
مَعmaʿ“With”

7. Conjunctions – حُرُوفُ العَطْف (ḥuruūfu al-ʿaṭf)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
لا هَذا وَلا ذاك…lā haḏā walā ḏāk…“Neither…nor…”
وبِالتاليwabittalī“So”
غَيْرَ ذَلِكġayra ḏalik“Otherwise”
مُنذُ ذَلِك الحينmunḏu ḏalik al-ḥīn“Since (as)”
مَتىmatā“When”
لِذَلِكliḏalik“Therefore”

8. Particles – الحُروف (al-ḥurūf)

Arabic WordRomanizationEnglish Translation
مِنْ min“From”
إلى ʾilā“To”
عَنْ ʿan“From” / “About”
عَلى ʿalā“Upon” / “Over”
إلّا ʾillā“Except”
لَكِنْ lakin“However”
إنَّ ʾinna“Indeed”
أَنْ ʾan“To (do something)”
بََلى balā“Certainly”
بَلْ bal“Rather”
قَدْ qad“Might”
سَوفَ sawfa“Will”
حَتَّى ḥattā“Until”
لَمْ lam“Not”
لا “No”
لَنْ lan“Will not”
لَوْ law“If”
لَمّا lammā“Not yet”
ما “Not”
لا“Not”
إنْ ʾin“If”
ثُمَّ ṯumma“Then”
أوْ ʾaw“Or”

Conclusion

Congratulations on getting this far. Too many words to learn at once, I know. 

Do you have any techniques in mind for memorizing all of this vocabulary? 

I’ve got a few.

Try using flashcards, word lists, or mnemonics.

Lucky for you, ArabicPod101 is an Arabic learning resource that integrates each of these tools into its system. 

With ArabicPod101 (mobile app or desktop), you can save new vocabulary words in your online flashcard deck or word lists. Moreover, you get to study with content that is best for your language level, with the possibility to request a personalized learning plan from an experienced, native Arabic-speaking language expert.

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اِستَمتِع بِالتَعَلُّم!
istamtiʿ biltaʿallum!
Enjoy learning!

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