Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Arabic could be just what you need to find it.

Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Arabic partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At ArabicPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Arabic lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to make Arabic dating easy for you.

Table of Contents

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date
2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date
3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
4. Arabic Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day
5. Arabic Quotes about Love
6. Marriage Proposal Lines
7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines
8. Will Falling in Love Help You Learn Arabic Faster?

Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date

So, you have met your Arabic love interest. Congratulations! Who knows where this could take you…?! However, the two of you have just met and you’re not ready to say the Arabic word for love just yet. Great, it is better to get to know him/her first. Wow your prospective love by using these Arabic date phrases to set up a spectacular first date.

Would you like to go out to dinner with me?

• تخرجي تتعشي معايا؟
• toḫrogī tetʿaššī maʿāyā?

The important question! In most cultures, this phrase indicates: ‘I’m romantically interested in you’. Flirting in Arabic is no different, so don’t take your date to Mcdonald’s!

Are you free this weekend?

• عندك وقت في أجازة نهاية الأُسبوع؟
• ʿandek waʾt fī ʾagāzeẗ nehāyeẗ el-ʾosbūʿ?

This is a preamble to asking your love interest on a date. If you get an immediate ‘Yes’, that’s good news!

Would you like to hang out with me?

• عاوز نخرج سوا؟
• ʿāwez noḫrog sawā?

You like her/him, but you’re not sure if there’s chemistry. Ask them to hang out first to see if a dinner date is next.

What time shall we meet tomorrow?

• هنتقابل بكرة إمتى؟
• hanetʾābel bokrah ʾemtā?

Set a time, and be sure to arrive early! Nothing spoils a potential relationship more than a tardy date.

Where shall we meet?

• هنتقابل فين؟
• hanetʾābel feīn?

You can ask this, but also suggest a place.

You look great.

• شكلك رائع.
• šaklek rāʾeʿ.

A wonderful ice breaker! This phrase will help them relax a bit – they probably took great care to look their best just for you.

You are so cute.

• أنت جميلة جداً.
• ʾanti ǧamīlaẗun ǧidan.

If the two of you are getting on really well, this is a fun, flirtatious phrase to use.

What do you think of this place?

• رأيك إية في المكان ده؟
• raʾyak ʾeīh fī el-makān dah?

This another good conversation starter. Show off your Arabic language skills!

Can I see you again?

• ممكن أشوفك تاني؟
• momken ʾašūfek tānī?

So the date went really well – don’t waste time! Make sure you will see each other again.

Shall we go somewhere else?

• نروح مكان تاني؟
• nerūḥ makān tānī?

If the place you meet at is not great, you can suggest going elsewhere. It is also a good question to follow the previous one. Variety is the spice of life!

I know a good place.

• أنا عارف مكان لطيف.
• ʾanā ʿāref makān laṭīf.

Use this with the previous question. However, don’t say if you don’t know a good place!

I will drive you home.

• هوصلك بيتك.
• hawaṣṣalek beītek.

If your date doesn’t have transport, this is a polite, considerate offer. However, don’t be offended if she/he turns you down on the first date. Especially a woman might not feel comfortable letting you drive her home when the two of you are still basically strangers.

That was a great evening.

• كانت ليلة رائعة.
• kānat laylaẗan rāʾiʿah.

This is a good phrase to end the evening with.

When can I see you again?

• أشوفك تاني إمتى؟
• ʾašūfek tānī ʾemtā?

If he/she replied ‘Yes’ to ‘Can I see you again?’, this is the next important question.

I’ll call you.

• هتصل بيك.
• hatteṣel bīk.

Say this only if you really mean to do it. In many cultures, this could imply that you’re keeping the proverbial backdoor open.

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2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date

You learned all the Arabic phrases to make a date – congratulations! Now you have to decide where to meet, which can be tricky. Discuss these options with your lover to gauge whether you like the same things. Check out romantic date ideas in Arabic below!

museum

• متحف
• mutḥaf

If you’re looking for unique date ideas that are fun but won’t break the bank, museums are the perfect spot! You won’t be running out of things to say in the conversations.

candlelit dinner

• عشاء على ضوء الشموع
• ʿašāʾ ʿalā ḍawʾ al-šumūʿ

A candlelit dinner is perhaps best to reserve for when the relationship is getting serious. It’s very intimate, and says: “Romance!” It’s a fantastic choice if you’re sure you and your date are in love with each other!

go to the zoo

• رحلة إلى حديقة الحيوان
• riḥlah ʾilā ḥadīqah al-ḥayawān

This is a good choice for shy lovers who want to get the conversation going. Just make sure your date likes zoos, as some people dislike them. Maybe not for the first date, but this is also a great choice if your lover has children – you’ll win his/her adoration for inviting them along!

go for a long walk

• الذهاب في نزهة طويلة
• al-ḏahāb fī nuzhaẗin ṭawīlah

Need to talk about serious stuff, or just want to relax with your date? Walking together is soothing, and a habit you can keep up together always! Just make sure it’s a beautiful walk that’s not too strenuous.

go to the opera

• الذهاب إلى الأوبرا
• al-ḏahābu ʾilā al-ʾūbirā

This type of date should only be attempted if both of you love the opera. It can be a special treat, followed by a candlelit dinner!

go to the aquarium

• الذهاب إلى حديقة الأسماك
• al-ḏahābu ʾilā ḥadīqaẗi al-ʾasmāk

Going to the aquarium is another good idea if you need topics for conversation, or if you need to impress your lover’s kids! Make sure your date doesn’t have a problem with aquariums.

walk on the beach

• السير على الشاطئ
• al-sayr ʿalā al-šāṭiʾ

This can be a very romantic stroll, especially at night! The sea is often associated with romance and beauty.

have a picnic

• القيام بنزهة
• al-qiyām binuzhah

If you and your date need to get more comfortable together, this can be a fantastic date. Spending time in nature is soothing and calms the nerves.

cook a meal together

• طهي وجبة معا
• ṭahī waǧbah maʿan

If you want to get an idea of your date’s true character in one go, this is an excellent date! You will quickly see if the two of you can work together in a confined space. If it works, it will be fantastic for the relationship and create a sense of intimacy. If not, you will probably part ways!

have dinner and see a movie

• تناول العشاء ومشاهدة فيلم
• tanāwul al-ʿašāʾ ūmušāhadah fīlm

This is traditional date choice works perfectly well. Just make sure you and your date like the same kind of movies!

3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary

Expressing your feelings honestly is very important in any relationship all year round. Yet, on Valentine’s Day you really want to shine. Impress your lover this Valentine’s with your excellent vocabulary, and make his/her day! We teach you, in fun, effective ways, the meanings of the words and how to pronounce them. You can also copy the characters and learn how to write ‘I love you’ in Arabic – think how impressed your date will be!

4. Arabic Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day

So, you now have the basic Valentine’s Day vocabulary under your belt. Well done! But, do you know how to say ‘I love you’ in Arabic yet? Or perhaps you are still only friends. So, do you know how to say ‘I like you’ or ‘I have a crush on you’ in Arabic? No? Don’t worry, here are all the love phrases you need to bowl over your Arabic love on this special day!

I love you.

• أنا أحبك.
• ʾanā ʾuḥibbuka.

Saying ‘I love you’ in Arabic carries the same weight as in all languages. Use this only if you’re sure and sincere about your feelings for your partner/friend.

You mean so much to me.

• أنت تعني الكثير بالنسبة لي.
• ʾanta taʿnī al-kaṯiīra bilnisbaẗi liī.

This is a beautiful expression of gratitude that will enhance any relationship! It makes the receiver feel appreciated and their efforts recognized.

Will you be my Valentine?

• هل يمكنك أن تكون رفيقي في عيد الحب؟
• hal yumkinuka an takuna rafiqi fiī ʿiīdi al-ḥubb?

With these words, you are taking your relationship to the next level! Or, if you have been a couple for a while, it shows that you still feel the romance. So, go for it!

You’re so beautiful.

• أنت جميلة جداً.
• ʾanti ǧamīlah ǧiddan.

If you don’t know how to say ‘You’re pretty’ in Arabic, this is a good substitute, gentlemen!

I think of you as more than a friend.

• أعتبرك أكثر من صديق.
• ʾaʿtabiruki ʾakṯar min ṣadiīq.

Say this if you are not yet sure that your romantic feelings are reciprocated. It is also a safe go-to if you’re unsure about the Arabic dating culture.

A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.

• مئة قلب لن يكونوا كافيين لحمل حبي لكي.
• miʾaẗu qalbin lan yakūnūā kaāfiīīn liḥamli ḥubī lakī.

You romantic you…! When your heart overflows with love, this would be the best phrase to use.

Love is just love. It can never be explained.

• الحب هو الحب. لا يمكن أبدا تفسيره.
• al-ḥubbu huwa al-ḥubbu. laā yumkinu ʾabadan tafsiīruhu.

If you fell in love unexpectedly or inexplicably, this one’s for you.

You’re so handsome.

• أنت وسيم جداً.
• ʾanta wasīmun ǧiddan.

Ladies, this phrase lets your Arabic love know how much you appreciate his looks! Don’t be shy to use it; men like compliments too.

I’ve got a crush on you.

• أنا معجب بك.
• ʾanā muʿǧabun biki.

If you like someone, but you’re unsure about starting a relationship, it would be prudent to say this. It simply means that you like someone very, very much and think they’re amazing.

You make me want to be a better man.

• أنت تجعليني أريد أن أكون رجلا أفضل.
• ʾanti taǧʿaliīnī ʾurīdu ʾan ʾakūna raǧulan ʾafḍal.

Gentlemen, don’t claim this phrase as your own! It hails from the movie ‘As Good as it Gets’, but it is sure to make your Arabic girlfriend feel very special. Let her know that she inspires you!

Let all that you do be done in love.

• إجعل كل شيئ تفعله مفعماً بالحب.
• ʾiǧʿal kulla šaīʾin tafʿaluhu mufʿaman bilḥubbi.

We hope.

You are my sunshine, my love.

• أنت لي شروق الشمس، يا حبي.
• ʾanti lī šurūqa al-ššamsi, yaā ḥubbī.

A compliment that lets your lover know they bring a special quality to your life. Really nice!

Words can’t describe my love for you.

• لا يمكن الكلمات أن تصف حبي لك.
• laā yumkinu lilkalimāti ʾan taṣifa ḥubbī laki.

Better say this when you’re feeling serious about the relationship! It means that your feelings are very intense.

We were meant to be together.

• كان مقدراً لنا أن نكون معاً.
• kāna muqaddaran lanā ʾan nakūna maʿan.

This is a loving affirmation that shows you see a future together, and that you feel a special bond with your partner.

If you were thinking about someone while reading this, you’re definitely in love.

• إذا كنت تفكر بشخص ما في أثناء قراءة هذا، فأنت بالتأكيد واقع في الحب.
• ʾiḏā kunta tufakkiru bišaḫṣin maā fiī ʾaṯnāʾi qarāʾaẗi haḏā, faʾnta bal-ttaʾkiīd waāqiʿun fiī al-ḥunb.

Here’s something fun to tease your lover with. And hope he/she was thinking of you!

5. Arabic Quotes about Love

You’re a love champ! You and your Arabic lover are getting along fantastically, your dates are awesome, your Valentine’s Day together was spectacular, and you’re very much in love. Good for you! Here are some beautiful phrases of endearment in Arabic that will remind him/her who is in your thoughts all the time.

6. Marriage Proposal Lines

Wow. Your Arabic lover is indeed the love of your life – congratulations! And may only happiness follow the two of you! In most traditions, the man asks the woman to marry; this is also the Arabic custom. Here are a few sincere and romantic lines that will help you to ask your lady-love for her hand in marriage.

7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines

Instead of moving towards marriage or a long-term relationship, you find that the spark is not there for you. That is a pity! But even though breaking up is never easy, continuing a bad or unfulfilling relationship would be even harder. Remember to be kind to the person you are going to say goodbye to; respect and sensitivity cost nothing. Here are some phrases to help you break up gently.

8. Will Falling in Love help you Learn Arabic faster?

Most people will agree that the above statement is a no-brainer – of course it will! Your body will be flooded with feel-good hormones, which are superb motivators for anything. ArabicPod101 is one of the best portals to help help make this a reality, so don’t hesitate to enroll now! Let’s quickly look at the reasons why falling in love will speed up your learning of the Arabic language.

Three Reasons Why Having a Lover will Help you Learn Arabic Faster!

1- Being in a love relationship with your Arabic speaking partner will immerse you in the culture
ArabicPod101 uses immersive methods and tools to teach you Arabic, but having a relationship with a native speaker will be a very valuable addition to your learning experience! You will gain exposure to their world, realtime and vividly, which will make the language come alive even more for you. The experience is likely to expand your world-view, which should motivate you to learn Arabic even faster.

2- Having your Arabic romantic partner will mean more opportunity to practice speaking
Nothing beats continuous practice when learning a new language. Your partner will probably be very willing to assist you in this, as your enhanced Arabic language skills will enhance the relationship. Communication is, after all, one of the most important pillars of a good partnership. Also, you will get to impress your lover with the knowledge gained through your studies – a win/win situation!

3- A supportive Arabic lover is likely to make a gentle, patient teacher and study aid!
With his/her heart filled with love and goodwill for you, your Arabic partner is likely to patiently and gently correct your mistakes when you speak. This goes not only for grammar, but also for accent and meaning. With his/her help, you could sound like a native in no time!

Three Reasons Why ArabicPod101 helps you learn Arabic Even Faster when you’re In Love

Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1- All the Resources and Materials Will Help Both of You
Falling in love with a man or woman speaking Arabic is an opportunity for both of you to learn a new language! For this reason, every lesson, transcript, vocabulary list, and resource at ArabicPod101 is translated into both English and Arabic. So, while your partner can help you learn Arabic faster, you can potentially also help him/her learn and master English!

2- Lessons Are Designed to Help You Understand and Engage with Arabic Culture
At ArabicPod101, our focus is to help our students learn practical vocabulary and phrases used by everyday people in Arabic speaking country. This means that, from your very first lesson, you can apply what you learn immediately! So, when your Arabic partner wants to go out to a restaurant, play Pokemon Go, or attend just about any social function, you have the vocabulary and phrases necessary to have a great time!

3- Access to Special Resources Dedicated to Romantic Arabic Phrases
You now have access to ArabicPod101’s specially-developed sections and tools to teach you love words, phrases, and cultural insights to help you find and attract your Arabic soul mate. A personal tutor will assist you to master these brilliantly – remember to invite him/her to your wedding!

The UAE is not a big place.

Its geographical area fits neatly between Austria and Ireland on a list of countries.

And yet, it has some staggering numbers attached to it. One of the most interesting is that expats vastly outnumber locals—in some places, by a factor of nine to one.

That means that any customer-facing business venture in the UAE has to take into account not just the local culture, but a mix of cultures from all around the world.

As someone in charge of that customer service, you’ll be faced with an unenviable task.

How is it that some businesses thrive in such an environment, while others fade away into the dust?

It’s simple, really, and it’s a lesson that can be applied to all aspects of expat life:

The flexible survive. The stubborn fail.

In today’s article, you’ll learn how you can best apply that flexibility to your advantage—in other words, how you can master customer service culture in the UAE.

First, you’ve got to learn about the people. Who is your consumer?

1. Understanding the Expat Environment

It can be incredibly difficult to comprehend the kind of growth and population explosion that the UAE has seen in the last twenty years.

If you go back to your hometown after being away for five years, it’s likely to look about the same.

But just try and imagine that every single year for the last twenty years, your hometown has boomed in popularity. People have started moving in from every corner of the globe.

The familiar streets and familiar environment have all changed before your eyes, as businesses opened and closed, new houses and apartments went up, and whole new roads were built where before there was just empty space.

In 2005, the ratio of expats to locals in the UAE was already more than 3 to 1.

By 2015, the local population stayed almost the same—but the expat population nearly tripled.

According to the latest statistics, native-born Emiratis make up just 20% of the national population. They mainly live in rural areas, while the proportion of expats in the largest cities can reach almost 90 percent.

Who are these expats and what do they want?

Well, if you’re reading this article, you might be one of them. And what about the others?

Virtually every nationality has some expats living in the UAE.

The largest population group is from India, making up 25% of the expat population, and that group is closely followed by Pakistanis with 12%. Sri Lankans and Afghans together number more than 800,000.

People from countries across the Arab world such as Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq form another sizeable expat group with more than a million people coming from these countries alone.

Another six hundred thousand are from just two countries in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia and the Philippines. As Muslim-majority countries, these countries have close ties to the Middle East.

Comparatively few expats are from East Asia, African countries, Europe, or the Americas. The notable exceptions are China, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, which together contribute roughly five hundred thousand expats to the UAE. Let’s not forget—this number is roughly half of the entire native Emirati population!

Now, why are so many people attracted to living in the UAE?

Very broadly speaking, expats from South and Southeast Asia tend to work in construction, transport, or as domestic helpers. That said, it’s important to remember that some of the largest and most successful national brands in the UAE were founded by Indian entrepreneurs.

That includes supermarket chains, pharmacies, cosmetics, and even healthcare. Indian expats in the UAE enjoy a strong and well-established social network with roots stretching back centuries.

In contrast, although the population of expats from East Asia and countries in Europe and North America is relatively low, it may appear disproportionately high in the business world as most of these expats have high positions in international companies.

Virtually all of the Koreans, for instance, as well as the English-speaking South Africans, have positions in companies registered to their country of origin.

Lastly, finding the culture and language barrier far lower than in other places, many Arabs from neighboring countries choose to study abroad at the well-known universities in the UAE. It may come as no surprise, then, that a majority of them major in business.

2. Understanding the Locals

Something that might strike you about these demographic figures is that the native Emiratis seem like they have no sector left to dominate.

The fact is, most locals aspire to jobs in the government or military, as these are seen as much more respectable than the private sector. Some attitudes are changing, particularly with regard to the food and beverage industry as more local Emiratis want to present an authentic view of their home cuisine to the world.

Now, if you want to sell products in the UAE, you need to understand their culture.

Religion

One of the first things when looking at an Arab consumer market is religion.

It’s no secret that the United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country. Islam is the state religion, and almost all Emirati citizens follow it—let alone the vast numbers of expats from Muslim countries worldwide.

What does that mean for local consumer culture in particular?

You’ve almost certainly heard before how Muslims avoid certain products because of religious restrictions. You’re not going to make much progress with the locals if you advertise pulled pork and beer on tap.

Less well-known, though, is what Muslims do tend to buy.

What Ramadan Can Mean for Business

A study came out recently showing that in London—a city with a sizeable Muslim minority—most Muslims feel that the holy month of Ramadan is largely ignored by retailers.

Anybody who’s spent time in a Muslim-majority country during Ramadan knows that the streets light up with activity as soon as the sun sets. People can’t wait to treat each other to meals and buy each other gifts.

Cafés, too, become vibrant hubs of conversation late into the night. Some café owners report as much as a one-hundred percent increase in activity during the month of Ramadan—which, keep in mind, prohibits eating and drinking throughout the day!

And all through the year, Muslims are becoming more and more interested in consumer trends such as halal travel packages and modest fashion.

Being informed about and taking advantage of these consumer demands is key to creating a powerful brand that people can rely on.

Culture of Trust and Relationship

Nobody can comment on Arab culture without mentioning how incredibly open, sociable, and hospitable it is.

Governments have even built tourism brands on the strength of Arab hospitality.

Part of that openness means that Arab consumers want trust at all levels.

Sometimes consumers can be apathetic about their purchasing habits at times and shop on impulse. Those traits aren’t absent from Arab cultures, but in general they’re a lot more rare.

Therefore, your UAE customer is likely going to take the advice of people they trust before they make major purchasing decisions.

That might take the form of a family discussion, a chat with a close friend, or a quick group text.

They’ll also want to know a lot about the product or service itself. If you’re in the auto business, for instance, you’re going to have to be prepared for your Arab consumers to ask a lot of questions about the particulars of the car and the financing.

Once you build up that trust, that personal relationship, you’re likely to keep that customer for a long, long time. They’ll recommend you to their own social networks as well—all because you took the time to listen to what they wanted.

3. Solving Customer Problems on a Global Scale

No matter where you are, your customer is expecting good service.

But what does that mean, exactly? It means that when the customer has any interaction at all with your business, what they expect is strongly related to their culture.

And not only their home culture; if they’re the international sort, they’ve built up an idea of what to expect outside of their home country, as well.

Let’s look at two industries—retail and hospitality—that live and die on customer experience.

Retail and Hospitality: Arab Culture

Arabs are used to a wide variety of choices when it comes to retail. Even in traditional bazaars, you can see the same types of goods on display from many different people.

For that reason, Arab consumers tend to be less loyal to one particular store if they can get similar goods in other places.

And because of a combination of the punishing desert heat and the Arab penchant for hospitality, the retail spaces themselves have to be welcoming.

The big cities of the UAE are famous for enormous and richly decorated malls already. Inside, you’ll find large open spaces for relaxation and socialization.

Customers from Arab countries are going to expect service that helps them out while they’re browsing and makes them feel welcome to stay as long as they’d like in the store.

Retail and Hospitality: Shoppers from Abroad

International customers from Europe and North America, by contrast, don’t quite have the same needs.

First of all, in some countries, particularly the United States, consumers are becoming more disappointed by retail all the time. It’s common to hear about American malls closing or selling off space.

To appeal to these shoppers, the retail space has to offer something that can’t be found online. Part of that is the welcoming, attractive venue, but another part is the service.

Such shoppers also expect that the service staff at any retail location will be open, friendly, and knowledgeable without being pushy. Attempts to make a sale by promoting another product with anything more than a slight suggestion come off as aggressive.

At the same time, these customers expect that any questions they have about products or promotions can be answered immediately—either by a clerk or a manager.

Now, when it comes to vacations, a lot of tourists love the idea of being in an unknown part of the world.

Even if the place they’re visiting is clearly a developed cosmopolitan city, they’ll be more likely to spend money on things they judge to be “authentic.”

They’ll love it if the hotel staff recommends a “local restaurant” for them to try, and they likely expect to be able to explore the area at their own speed.

Retail and Hospitality: East Asian Culture

Tourists from East Asia, however, tend to enjoy a more curated travel experience. They’re more likely to take package travel deals, and many who don’t speak any foreign languages are happy to remain with a tour group for their entire stay.

What This Means

And back to well-traveled expats—what they’re looking for is something that ticks the boxes of their home culture and fits with the surrounding environment. That means if you can find a way to present a pleasing “slice of home” that’s already integrated to the local environment, you’ve got it made.

Negative customer experiences happen when the customer is expecting a certain level of service and in reality, it just doesn’t live up to what they wanted.

People are different, and everybody makes mistakes. So this happens all around the world—and when it does, how are you going to react?

4. Language is Key

If you’re not already one, imagine yourself for a moment in the role of an expat manager in the UAE.

Your company has brought you to a new country to make sure that things run smoothly and in line with the owners’ vision.

If there’s some miscommunication or lack of cohesion between the upper management, your workers, and your customers, you might be asked to lead a training session to help solve these problems.

Don’t do it in English.

If you really want to reach the people you’re working with and really understand what’s going on, you’ve got to let them communicate with you in their own language.

When your company is experiencing problems because of cultural miscommunications—and this is almost guaranteed to happen to every company with operations abroad—language and cultural competence is everything.

Whether you’re doing market research, employee training, or simple everyday customer service, knowledge of more languages will help every step of the way.

Even in highly multilingual environments such as the UAE, people still feel more comfortable speaking about complicated or personal matters in their mother tongue.

That could be one of the many varieties of Arabic such as Gulf Arabic, Levantine Arabic, or even Egyptian Arabic. By the way, you won’t find anybody who’d prefer to talk to you in the literary register of Modern Standard Arabic.

It could also mean one of the other widely-spoken languages of the UAE such as Hindi, French, or Tagalog. Remember, the service industry is overwhelmingly comprised of expats, and not just from Arab countries.

Seriously—people on every level of your organization will warm up to you more if you make an effort to speak and understand their native language. If someone has a problem with another worker or even management, they’ll hesitate to cross language and cultural barriers to communicate it.

That knowledge paints you as a savvy, experienced leader who has the brains and the dedication to really listen to what other people say.

And if you don’t personally have this language and cultural competence, find someone who does.

Multilingual facilitators and intercultural communications coaches can help resolve conflicts faster than you ever thought possible.

5. Open Eyes, Open Ears

Here’s a tip that comes from marketing, but is equally applicable to any consumer-facing part of a business. In fact, it’s applicable to every part of life in general!

And the advice is this: You’ve got to listen to the people around you and be ready to adjust to what they say.

In marketing, this is obvious. Market research is a multimillion-dollar industry focused on just that.

But when was the last time a manager listened to their employees and their customers with equal attention?

Everyone’s got a story about a manager who barely lifted a finger to hear what the employees had to say.

They should know that that inaction is hurting everyone—because the consumer-facing employees often develop an intuitive sense for how to handle different types of customers. It’s a terrible mistake for someone removed from all of the local cultures to be setting the rules for employee-customer interactions.

People who have worked customer service for years on end can usually tell what someone’s complaint is without thinking.

That information is just as valuable to the company as a million-dollar consumer trend study. Making use of it is not only going to have a good impact on your company’s internal affairs, but it’s also going to increase customer satisfaction if you don’t force your employees to adhere to your own notions of customer service.

How can you apply this to your business in the UAE, and to the challenges of a diverse expat consumer group?

Understand that your employees may come from a culture that is similar to that of many of their customers. That gives them an inherent advantage in making those customers happy.

They should know how to quickly and easily handle customer interactions with polite, attentive professionalism—and as a part of that, they should be flexible about what they consider polite or rude behavior from customers. That’s where your cultural training sessions come into play.

If your employees can pass on customer wants and needs to the upper management and take direction from both sides, the company will understand the customers better and everyone will have a better experience.

In other words: If you can manage to instill a habit of cultural sensitivity and flexibility in your business from the top down, you’re guaranteed to do well with customers from the UAE, the Arab world, and beyond.

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!

Table of Contents

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
2. Arabic Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
4. How Can ArabicPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Arabic – Testing New Technology

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day

Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Arabic? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Arabic words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:

1. funny – مضحك – muḍḥik
2. joke – مزحة – mazaḥah
3. surprise – مفاجأة – mufāǧaah
4. prank – خدعة – ḫudʿah
5. lie – يكذب – yakḏib
6. humor – دعابة – duʿābah
7. fool – أحمق – ʾaḥmaq
8. deceptive – زائف – zaāʾif
9. April 1st – الأول من إبريل – al-ʾwwal min ʾibrīl
10. play a joke – يضحك (على أحد) – yaḍḥak (ʿalā ʾḥad)
11. prankster – عابث – ʿaābiṯ
12. sneaky – متسلل – mutasallil

2. Arabic Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day

Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes – use these April Fools’ phrases in Arabic to prank your favorite Arabic speaking friend or colleague!

1. I learned Arabic in 1 month.
   • تعلمت اللغة العربية في شهر واحد.
   • taʿallamtu al-luġaẗa al-ʿarabiyyaẗa fiī šahrin waāḥid.
2. All classes for today got canceled.
   • جميع صفوف اليوم ألغيت
   • gamee sofoof elyoom olgheyat
3. I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
   • أنا آسف، ولكني كسرت زوج نظاراتك المفضلة.
   • ʾanā ʾāsif, walakinnatī kasartu zaūǧa naẓāraātika al-mufaḍḍalah.
4. Someone has just hit your car.
   • شخص ما قد ضرب سيارتك.
   • šaḫṣun maā qad ḍaraba sayyārataka.
5. I’m getting married.
   • أنا سوف أتزوج.
   • ʾanā saūfa ʾatazawwaǧ.
6. You won a free ticket.
   • ربحت تذكرة مجانية.
   • rabiḥta taḏkarah maǧāniyyah.
7. I saw your car being towed.
   • رأيت سيارتك تسحب.
   • raʾaītu sayyārataka tusḥab.
8. They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
   • إنهم يوزعون بطاقات هدايا بالمجان أمام المبنى.
   • ʾinnahum yuwazziʿūna biṭāqāta hadāyaā bilmaǧǧaān ʾamāma al-mabnā.
9. A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
   • هناك رجل وسيم في انتظارك في الخارج.
   • hunāka raǧulun wasīmun fiī ʾintiẓāriki fiī al-ḫaāriǧ.
10. A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
    • سيدة جميلة طلبت مني إعطاء رقم الهاتف هذا لك.
    • sayyidaẗun ǧamiīlah ṭalabat minnī ʾiʿṭaāʾa raqami al-hātifi haḏā laka.
11. Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
    • هل يمكنك أن تأتي إلى أسفل البناء؟ أملك شيئاً مميز أريد أن أعطيك إياه.
    • hall yumkinuka ʾan taʾtī ʾilā ʾasfali al-bināʾ? ʾamliku šaīʾan mumayyaz ʾurīdu ʾan ʾuʿṭiīka yaāh.
12. Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
    • شكراً لك على رسالة الحب هذا الصباح, ما كنت لأحزر كيف تشعرين.
    • šukran laki ʿalā risal-aẗi al-ḥubbu haḏā al-ṣṣabāḥ. maā kuntu liʾaḥzira kaīfa tašʿurīn.

Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss – you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.

3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody

Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Arabic, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.

Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others – the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.

1- Infestation

This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.

2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?

Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.

3- Something Weird in the Restroom

At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.

Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.

Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!

4- Call Me Funny

Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number – 123-456-7890 – and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.

5- Minty Cookies

This is another simple but hugely effective prank – simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.

6- Wild Shopping

At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.

7- The Oldest Trick in the Book

Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book – smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!

8- Sneeze On Me

Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.

9- Word Play Repairs

Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.

10- Scary Face

Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.

11- Wake Up To Madness

Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.

12- Computer Prank

This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).

Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.

13- Monster Under the Cup

This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.

14- Prank Door

Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.

4. How Can ArabicPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?

If you happen to visit Arabic speaking countries like Arabic speaking country, or if you work for any Arabic speaking company, knowing the above Arabic prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Arabic words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.

Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Arabic – bone up your Arabic language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, ArabicPod101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.

Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Arabic below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at ArabicPod101.

5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Arabic – testing new technology

Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.

• Note: This technology is in beta-phase of development, and we invite your input for fine-tuning.
• To participate: Watch the video for instructions, and leave a comment to rate it. Your comment will make you eligible for large enrollment-fee discounts. To watch the video, please click the play button.

Thank you for helping ArabicPod101! We’re serious about making learning Arabic fun.

Imagine yourself spending your holidays in Lebanon. You haven’t gotten the hang of speaking Arabic yet. You’re enjoying your time there, but you still feel strongly disconnected from where you are. Many Lebanese don’t speak English, and you don’t even know how to let people know that you do not speak Arabic.

This is where the importance of learning basic Arabic phrases comes in.

Not only will it help you communicate with the local community; it will also help you gain that connection you would otherwise be yearning for.

I would highly recommend that you start by learning (at least some of) the Arabic alphabet.

While using transcriptions might seem like a really nice way to get a head start, I promise you’re doing yourself more harm than good; you’re just prolonging your time without the alphabet.

Why? Basically, your pronunciation will suffer, which will, in turn, harm your memorization and retention abilities.

Before we move on to the top 100+ basic Arabic phrases list below, here are some tips to help you memorize foreign language expressions easily.

Table of Contents

1. How to Easily Memorize Basic Arabic Phrases
2. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Friendly Conversations
3. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Traveling and Shopping
4. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Emergency
5. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Holidays

1. How to Easily Memorize Basic Arabic Phrases

All of us run into that dreaded point in our language learning journeys where either the phrases we learned start to get all jumbled up in our brains, or we just can’t seem to stuff those bizarre sounding words into our brains.

Are you stuck in this stagnation rut?

Don’t worry. You’re in good company.

Here is a list of the most useful tips for learning those difficult Arabic words and phrases that have evaded your memory… at least until now.

a. Flashcards

Now, before you get all in a fuss because you’ve “tried flashcards before” and they didn’t work, just stick with me for a minute. All of us have tried normal flashcards, and most of us have come to the inevitable conclusion that they’re simply not that helpful.

Enter the SRS–spaced repetition system.

What’s spaced repetition exactly? It’s a powerful learning method that will automatically quiz you on those bothersome words you always seem to forget, which is proven to help push those pesky vocab words deeper into your long-term memory.

Sound like magic? It pretty much is.

With ArabicPod101, you get our spaced repetition flashcards. You don’t have to make cards or do work. You have ready-made decks waiting for you such as the top 100 words, and you can easily send words from Vocab Lists and lessons to your flashcards.

How does it work? Just start reviewing the flashcards and mark words as correct or incorrect. This is where the magic happens. If you mark a word as incorrect, you’ll see it again and again until you can properly recall it. Then, you’ll see it in your next study sessions just to make sure you remember. Mark a word correct and you’ll see it sporadically; just enough to keep your memory sharp.

When, you’re done, feel free to stop and relax. Our flashcards will remind you when to study again.

Anki is another popular spaced repetition system. Basically, all you have to do is create your flashcards after downloading the app on your computer or phone and start studying!

For instructions on how to use the application as efficiently as possible, I would head on over to Fluent Forever and read up on how to create some of the most powerful flashcards on the planet.

With Anki, you can make your flashcards as boring or as exciting as you want. (I would personally go for the more exciting ones–they’re way easier to remember!)
You can also either give yourself some hints (for those phrases you have a really hard time remembering), or you can add sound files of native speakers pronouncing those words or phrases!

With Forvo and RhinoSpike, you can add pictures straight from Arabic Google.

Whatever problem you’re running into, the chances are high that it can be solved with Anki and some good flashcards.

Maybe Anki isn’t your style. No problem. I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve.

Memrise is one of those weird mixes of two study methods that just works. It’s not a full-blown SRS like Anki, but it does incorporate similar technology to help you push those words and phrases deeper into your memory, just like Anki does.

So what’s the difference?

Basically, Memrise relies heavily on user-added mnemonics (I’ll talk more about mnemonics shortly). This way, each user can add their own mnemonic to each of the words and phrases they learn, or they can simply choose one of the mnemonics added by a previous user that they feel helps them remember that word.

That’s all well and good, but if you don’t know how to use it, you’re back to square one.

Well, I’m here to save the day once again! (Cue the dramatic hero music playing in the background…)

Just head on over to Memrise, create yourself an account, find some Arabic courses, and start learning those words!

Memrise utilizes mnemonics to help push the problem words deep into your memory by attaching them to something that you have no trouble at all remembering.

For some people, this is the difference between reaching fluency and mumbling like a language amateur.

That’s a nice segue into my second category of memorization tips.

b. Mnemonics

Mnemonics are something that most people have at least heard of, but don’t really know what it means—much less how to use it.

A mnemonic is a device that you use to attach to a concept that makes it easier to remember.

For instance, the French word for eggs is oeufs, which sounds kind of like the sound I make when something disgusts me. So my mnemonic is thinking about a nasty egg and saying “Ughh!!”

Simple enough?

There are tons of mnemonics out there. For a complete list, you can google “mnemonics for language learning.” People have come up with all sorts of crazy ways to memorize vocabulary and most of them are at least somewhat useful!

c. Clozemaster

Clozemaster is a newer website and I think it brings a very valuable learning experience to the table.

It presents a massive number of sentences in different formats to help expose you to large quantities of the language.

Basically, it allows you to start thinking critically about what you’re learning, which will allow you to memorize those phrases faster.

You can choose Arabic on the site and go to the most frequent words category to start learning the most important Arabic words first. This is a website that I recommend to all my students.

If you use these resources, your problems with Arabic are going to either become smaller, completely go away, or at least become a lot more fun!

In all seriousness though, these resources will help you learn basic Arabic phrases easier; just make sure you learn the alphabet and pronunciation before you get started with these.

After that, just chug right along until those words start to stick in your head.

2. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Friendly Conversations

Below are a few basic phrases and expressions you could find very useful in most conversations:

Good evening
مساء الخير
Masa’o lkhayr

Good morning
صباح الخير
Sabaho lkhayr

Hello
أهلا
Ahlan

How are you?
كيف حالك؟
Kayfa haluk?

Where are you?
أين أنت؟
Ayna ant?

Thanks
شكرا
Shukran

No problem
لا مشكلة
La mushkila

Oh my God!
يا إلهي
Ya ilahi

Wow
يا سلام
Ya salam

No
لا
La

Yes
نعم / أجل
Na’am / Ajal

Excuse me
معذرة
Ma’azira

I’m sorry
أنا آسف
Ana asif

Goodbye
مع السلامة
Ma’a Salama

See you soon
أراك لاحقا
Araka lahikan

Please
من فضلك
Min fazlik

Come
تعال
Ta’al

I’m not interested
أنا لست مهتما
Ana lastu muhtaman

Stop
توقف
Tawaqaf

I can’t
لا أستطيع
La astati’e

How can I …?
كيف يمكنني أن…؟
Kayfa yumkinony ann…?

My name is…
إسمي هو…
Ismi hwa…

What’s your name?
ما إسمك؟
Ma usmuk?

Nice to meet you
سررت بلقائك
Surertu biliqa’ik

I’m fine
أنا بخير
Ana bikhayr

What’s you like to do in your free time?
ماذا تفعله في أوقات فراغك؟
Maza taf’aluhu fi awqati faraghik?

What do you do?
ما هي مهنتك؟
Ma hya mihnatuk?

What’s your dream job?
ما هي الوظيفة التي تحلم بها؟
Ma hya lwadifato lati tahlomo biha?

What time is it?
كم الساعة؟
Kam i ssa’a?

I appreciate this
أقدر هذا
Oqadiro haza

Enjoy the rest of your day
طاب يومك
Taba yawmuk

What do you think?
ما رأيك؟
Ma ra’eyok?

Sounds good
يبدو جيدا
Yabdo jayidan

Never mind
لا يهم
La yohim

I don’t understand
لا أفهم
La afham

Could you repeat that, please?
هل يمكنك إعادة هذا من فضلك؟
Hal yomkinoka i’adato haza min fazlik?

Could you please talk slower?
هل يمكنك التحدث ببطئ؟
Hal yomkinoka tahadusu bobota’e?

What’s your phone number?
ما هو رقم هاتفك؟
Ma hwa raqmu hatifika?

What does that mean?
ماذا يعني هذا؟
Maza ya’ani haza?

Give me one minute
دقيقة من فضلك
Daqiqa min fazlik

Sorry for the delay
عذرا على التأخير
Ozran a’ala ata’ekhir

3. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Traveling and Shopping

Below are some phrases that could be useful if you’re not native or extremely familiar with the country you’re visiting:

Where are you from?
من أين أنت؟
Min ayna ant?

I’m American
أنا أمريكي
Ana amrikea

I’m Canadian
أنا كندي
Ana canadea

I’m English
أنا إنجليزي
Ana injleezea

I’m Australian
أنا أسترالي
Ana australea

I’m from …
أنا من…
Ana min…

How much is this?
بكم هذا؟
Bikam haza?

I don’t speak Arabic fluently
لا أتحدث العربية بطلاقة
La atahadathu alarabya bitalaqa

Do you speak English?
هل تجيد الإنجليزية؟
Hal tojido alinjlizya?

How do you spell this?
كيف تتهجأ هذا؟
Kayfa tatahaja’o haza?

How long have you been here?
منذ متى وأنت هنا؟
Munzu mata wa anta huna?

Where are you heading?
إلى أين أنت ذاهب؟
Ila ayna anta zahib?

Where can we go hitchhiking?
أين يمكننا توقيف السيارات؟
Ayna yomkinona tawqifo sayarat?

Where is the nearest main road?
أين هي أقرب طريق رئيسية؟
Ayna hya aqrabo tariqin ra’isya?

How much is the ticket?
بكم التذكرة؟
Bikam i tazkira?

Can you present me to your family members?
هل يمكنك أن تقدمني إلى أفراد عائلتك؟
Hal yumkinoka an to’aifany ila afradi a’aliatik?

How far is …?
بكم يبعد…؟
Bikam yaba’odo …?

Can you teach me some Arabic?
هل يمكنك تعليمي بعض العربية؟
Hal yomkinoka ta’alimi ba’ada alarabya?

Can you translate this for me?
هل يمكنك ترجمة هذا لي؟
Hal yumkinoka tarjamato haza li?

What are the best places to visit in …?
ما هي أحسن الأماكن للزيارة في …؟
Ma hya ahsanu alamakini lizyarati fi …?

What time should we check out?
متى يجب أن نغادر الفندق؟
Mata yajibo an noghadira alfondoq?

Let’s have some food. I’m hungry.
فلنأكل بعض الطعام. أنا جائع.
Falnakul ba’ada ta’am. Ana ja’ea

Where is the airport?
أين هو المطار؟
Ayna hwa almatar?

4. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Emergency

Below are some phrases to use if you are not native and find yourself in an emergency situation:

Help!
!النجدة
Annajda!

I need help
أحتاج إلى المساعدة
Ahtaju ila almusa’ada

Where is the hospital?
أين هو المستشفى؟
Ayna hwa almustashfa?

Do you have a phone?
هل لديك هاتف؟
Hal ladayka hatif?

I have a fever
أعاني من الحمى
O’ani min alhumaa

I’m scared
أنا خائف
Ana kha’if

Can you call the police?
هل يمكنك الإتصال بالشرطة؟
Hal yumkinoka alitissal bishorta?

ِCan you call the fire department?
هل يمكنك الإتصال بمركز الإطفاء؟
Hal yumkinoka alitisalo bimarkazi litfa’e?

Can you help me?
هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟
Hal yumkinoka musa’adati?

How can I help?
كيف يمكنني المساعدة؟
Kayfa yomkinoni almosa’ada?

I’m in danger
أنا في خطر
Ana fi khatar

Let’s get out of here
فلنخرج من هنا
Falnakhruj min huna

5. Basic Arabic Phrases and Expressions for Holidays

Below are some phrases if you want to wish someone a happy holiday or celebration:

Happy Birthday
عيد ميلاد سعيد
Ida mealadin sa’id

Happy Eid
عيد سعيد
Eid Sa’id

Happy New Year
كل عام وأنتم بخير
Kula a’am wa antum bikhayr

Congratulations
هنيئا / مبروك
Hani’an / Mabruk

Happy wedding
حفل زفاف سعيد
Hafla zifafin sa’id

Birthday cake
كعكة عيد ميلاد
Ka’akato idi milad

Fireworks
الألعاب النارية
Alal’ab anarya

Where are you spending the holidays?
أين ستقضي عطلتك؟
Ayna sataqdy otlatak?

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Learn all the Arabic New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join ArabicPod101 for a special Arabic New Year celebration!

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Arabic? Let a native teach you! At ArabicPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Arabic New Year wishes!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Arabic speaking country
2. Must-Know Arabic Words & Phrases for the New Year!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Arabic
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
7. How ArabicPod101 Can Help You Learn Arabic

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Arabic New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Arabic speaking country

This is the first day of the New Year in all countries utilizing the Gregorian Calendar and is an official public holiday that is frequently celebrated by midnight fireworks, marking the beginning of the New Year. It is one of the world’s Christian festivities, however, in a country like Egypt where both Christians and Muslims reside, New Year celebrations are not exclusively confined to Christians. We also find many Muslims celebrating this occasion as well.

Some people maintain that New Year’s Day does not represent the birth of Christ but that it marks the new year of the solar calendar, which preceded that. Others confirm that the New Year is indeed associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.

Here we find Christians disagreeing amongst themselves as to the date of the birth of Jesus Christ, which calls for both wonder and concern.

Among the most important manifestations of the New Year celebrations is the character of a person credited with bringing joy and happiness to children, namely Father Christmas or Santa Claus.

Happy New Year!

أتمنى لك سنة جديدة سعيدة!
ʾatamannā laka sanah ǧadīdah saʿīdah!

2. Must-Know Arabic Words & Phrases for the New Year!

1- Year

سنة
sana:

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Arabic speaking country could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

منتصف الليل منتصف الليل
muntaṣaf ull-ayl

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

عيد راس السنة
ʿīd raās al-sanah

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

4- Party

حفلة
ḥaflah

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

رقص
raqṣ

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

شامبانيا
šāmbānyā

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

ألعاب نارية
ʾlʿāb nāriyyah

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

8- Countdown

عد تنازلي
ʿad tanāzulī

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

عطلة رأس السنة
ʿiṭlaẗu raʾsi al-ssanah

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

نثار
niṯaār

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

ليلة رأس السنة
laīlaẗu raʾsi al-ssanah

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

شرب النخب
šurbu al-nnaḫb

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

قرار
qarār

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

موكب
maūkib

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At ArabicPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Arabic New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

So, you learned the Arabic word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at ArabicPod101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Arabic friends with your vocabulary.

1- Read more

إقرء أكثر
ʾiqraʾ ʾakṯar

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Arabic in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Arabic language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

قضاء وقت أكثر مع العائلة.
qaḍaāʾ waqt ʾakṯar maʿ al-ʿaāʾilah.

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

خسارة وزن
ḫasaāraẗu wazn

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

توفير نقود
taūfiīr nuqūd

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to ArabicPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

الإقلاع عن التدخين
al-ʾiqlaāʿi ʿani al-tadḫiīn

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

تعلم شيئ جديد
taʿllum šayiʾ ǧadiīd

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

الإقلال من الشرب
al-ʾiqlaal-i mina al-širb

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

ممارسة الرياضة بانتظام
mumārasẗu al-rriīāḍah binitẓaām

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

تناول طعام صحي
tanāūl ṭaʿām ṣiḥḥī

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Arabic with ArabicPod101

أدرس العربية مع ArabicPod101.com
ʾudrus al-ʿarabiyyah maʿ ArabicPod101.com

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Arabic, especially with us! Learning how to speak Arabic can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. ArabicPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Arabic new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Arabic, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Arabic incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with ArabicPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Arabic could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Arabic – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Arabic – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with ArabicPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Arabic! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that ArabicPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

• Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Arabic at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
• Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Arabic that makes sense!
• Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
• Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
• Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Arabic with ArabicPod101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Arabic? ArabicPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Arabic Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Arabic speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, ArabicPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Arabic!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Egypt
2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
4. Twelve Days of Christmas
5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
6. How ArabicPod101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Egypt

Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. It is on December 25 in the western countries, while Coptic Orthodox in Egypt celebrate it on January 7 and it is a public holiday. Let us learn together more information about this day and how the Copts in Egypt celebrate it…

Why do you think the colors red and green predominate on Christmas?
We’ll show you the answer at the end.

Christmas is the second most important Christian holiday after the Easter that we are going to talk about in another episode. During the era of the Mamluks, Christmas was one of the biggest festivals. Churches used to be decorated and sultans used to give out candy, dumplings, mullet, and gifts to princes. There also used to be celebrations and fireworks. People in Egypt, regardless of their religion, used to buy colored candles and beautiful lanterns to hang them in shops and markets.

On Christmas, there are always religious celebrations and prayers especially for this occasion. Moreover, there are family gatherings and social celebrations, the most important of which are decorating the Christmas tree, exchanging gifts, receiving Santa Claus, and having the Christmas dinner.

Do you know? There are many non-Christians who celebrate this occasion in churches with Christians. Christmas is one of the festivals in which people spend lots of money. There are many songs, melodies, movies and plays for this occasion as well.

Which do you think is the sector of society that waits for Christmas most impatiently?
Merchants are the group who wait the most eagerly for Christmas, as it is a wonderful period for religious and social celebrations for many Egyptian families. It is an occasion that reunites families and friends and so gift exchanging increases. The most exchanged gifts during this period are gold gifts, watches, women’s accessories, leather bags, and perfumes.

One of the most famous areas in Egypt where Christians buy their supplies for the holiday is Darb El-Barabra. Since Christmas comes after forty days of fasting, at 12 at night in Egypt, which is the time for Christmas dinner, banquets are held that are full of the most delicious rich traditional cuisine that has been passed down from generation to generation. These foods include turkey, duck, geese, meat pie, and fatteh that consists of bread, rice, garlic, meat, and sauce. Moreover, because of this, the smell of delicious food spreads around the majority of neighborhoods in Egypt at 12 at night.

And now I’ll give you the answer to the earlier quiz.

Why do you think the colors red and green predominate on Christmas?
Typically, the colours green and red are the traditional colours that relate to and symbolize Christmas. The reason is that the colour green symbolize the “eternal life”, especially for evergreen trees that do not lose their leaves, while the colour red symbolizes Christ himself.

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

1- Merry Christmas!

عيد ميلاد مجيد مبارك!
ʿiīd miyilād maǧīd mubaārak!

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Arabic? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

عيد كوانزا سعيد!
ʿiīdu kwaānzā saʿīd!

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

أتمنى لك سنة جديدة سعيدة!
ʾatamannā laka sanah ǧadīdah saʿīdah!

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

عيد هانوكة سعيد
ʿiīdu hānūkkah saʿīd

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

أتمنى لك عطلة شتاء رائعة!
ʾatamannā laka ʿiṭlaẗa šitāʾin rāʾiʿah!

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

أراك السنة القادمة!
ʾarāka al-ssanah al-qādimah!

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

أحر التماني!
ʾaḥarru al-tamānī!

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Arabic Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

عطل سعيدة!
ʿuṭalun saʿīdah!

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Arabic, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

تمتع بالعطلة!
tamattaʿ bilʿuṭlah!

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Arabic, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

أطيب التمنيات للعام الجديد!
ʾaṭyabu al-tamanniīāt lilʿām al-ǧadiīd!

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Arabic! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At ArabicPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

عيد الميلاد
ʿiīdu al-miīlād

This is the Arabic word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Arabic will include this word!

2- Snow

ثلج
ṯalǧ

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

ندف الثلج
nadafu al-ṯṯalǧ

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

رجل ثلج
raǧul ṯalǧ

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

الديك الرومي
al-dīk al-rūmī

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

إكليل
ʾikliīl

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

الرنة
al-rranah

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

بابا نويل
bābā nuūīl

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

10- Elf

قزم
qazam

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

11- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

رولف الرنة ذو الأنف الأحمر
ruūlf al-rranah ḏuū al-ʾanfi al-ʾaḥmar

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

12- North Pole

القطب الشمالي
al-qiṭbu al-ššamalī

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

13- Sled

مزلجة
mizlaǧah

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

14- Present

هدية
hadiyyah

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

15- Bell

جرس
ǧaras

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

16- Chimney

مدخنة
midḫanah

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

17- Fireplace

مدفأة
midfaʾah

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

18- Christmas Day

عيد الميلاد
ʿiīdu al-miīlād

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

19- Decoration

تزيين
taazīīn

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

20- Stocking

جورب
ǧaūrab

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

21- Holly

شجرة الإيلكس
šaǧaraẗu al-ʾiīliks

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

22- Gingerbread house

بيت كعك الزنجبيل
baītu kaʿki al-zzanǧabīl

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

23- Candy cane

عكاز الحلوى
ʿukkaāz al-ḥalwaā

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

24- Mistletoe

الدبق
al-ddabaq

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Arabic, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Arabic! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. ArabicPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Arabic for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Arabic, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, ArabicPod101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Arabic. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in ArabicPod101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Arabic

Going through Arabic lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of Arabic, but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in Arabic. This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons.

We naturally translate in our heads because it’s viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you’re learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object the connection will not be nearly as strong. When you bypass the original translation between Arabic and your native language then there is a more basic and strong connection between just the Arabic vocabulary word and the tangible object.

In this blog post, you will learn the 4 important techniques to easily and naturally begin to speculate about the daily occurrences in your life. The best part is all of these techniques are supported and can be achieved through ArabicPod101.com.

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1. Surround yourself with Arabic

By surrounding yourself with Arabic constantly you will completely immerse yourself in the language. Without realizing it you’ll be learning pronunciation, sentence structures, grammar, and new vocabulary. You can play music in the background while you’re cooking or have a Arabic radio station on while you study. Immersion is a key factor with this learning process because it is one of the easiest things to do, but very effective. Even if you are not giving the program your full attention you will be learning.

One great feature of ArabicPod101.com is the endless podcasts that are available to you. You can even download and listen to them on the go. These podcasts are interesting and are perfect for the intention of immersion, they are easy to listen to as background noise and are interesting enough to give your full attention. Many of them contain stories that you follow as you go through the lessons which push you to keep going.

2. Learn through observation

Learning through observation is the most natural way to learn. Observation is how we all learned our native languages as infants and it’s a wonder why we stop learning this way. If you have patience and learn through observation then Arabic words will have their own meanings rather than meanings in reference to your native language. Ideally, you should skip the bilingual dictionary and just buy a dictionary in Arabic.

ArabicPod101.com also offers the materials to learn this way. We have numerous video lessons which present situational usage of each word or phrase instead of just a direct translation. This holds true for many of our videos and how we teach Arabic.

3. Speak out loud to yourself

Speaking to yourself in Arabic not only gets you in the mindset of Arabic, but also makes you listen to how you speak. It forces you to correct any errors with pronunciation and makes it easy to spot grammar mistakes. When you speak out loud talk about what you did that day and what you plan to do the next day. Your goal is to be the most comfortable speaking out loud and to easily create sentences. Once you feel comfortable talking to yourself start consciously thinking in your head about your daily activities and what is going on around you throughout the day.

With ArabicPod101.com you start speaking right away, not only this, but they have you repeat words and conversations after a native Arabic speaker. This makes your pronunciation very accurate! With this help, you are on the fast path to making clear and complex sentences and then actively thinking about your day.

4. Practice daily

If you don’t practice daily then your progress will be greatly slowed. Many people are tempted to take the 20-30 minutes they should be practicing a day and practice 120 in one day and skip the other days. This isn’t nearly as effective because everyday you practice you are reinforcing the skills and knowledge you have learned. If you practice all in one day you don’t retain the information because the brain can realistically only focus for 30 minutes at most. If you’re studying for 120 minutes on the same subject little of the information will be absorbed. Studying everyday allows you to review material that you went over previous days and absorb a small amount of information at a time.

It’s tough to find motivation to study everyday, but ArabicPod101.com can help. It’s easy to stay motivated with ArabicPod101.com because we give you a set learning path, with this path we show how much progress you’ve made. This makes you stick to your goals and keep going!

Conclusion

Following the steps and having patience is the hardest part to achieving your goals, it’s not easy learning a new language. You are essentially teaching your brain to categorize the world in a completely new way. Stick with it and you can do it just remember the 4 tools I taught you today! With them, conversations, reading, and understanding will become much easier. The most important thing to remember is to use the tools that ArabicPod101.com provides and you will be on your way to being fluent!

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    It’s well-known that perfumes affect the psychological state of the individual, affecting his heart, brain, all his organs, and reflecting his personality. Perfumes can please a person or upset him, so man cared a lot about extracting perfumes from different types of flowers and plants. These perfumes appear in the shape of oils, incense, bukhoor, body-sprays, etc…

Arabs and Perfume

Pharaohs were the first to know about perfumes but they kept the composition of these perfumes secret. Then the industry moved to Arabs, especially Iraqis, who discovered the secrets of making perfumes and extracting them from different plants. Nowadays, we find each Arabian country having its own perfumes for men and women that characterize this country from other countries, reflecting its culture, and we find this care for perfumes especially in the Arabian Gulf, India, and Pakistan.

Perfumes in Syria

Syrians care a lot about perfumes after a period of stagnancy in this industry. They mainly depend on using the Damascus flower, which is planted only in Syria in the manufacture of perfumes, along with the Arabian jasmine, narcissus, and violet. We also export the Damascus flower to Europe. The Syrian perfume merchants make their perfume compositions in front of their customers as they order them, some like emotional perfumes and others like strong perfumes. We characterize the Syrian perfumes as very cheap compared to the international perfumes, with a very near excellence.

Perfumes in Egypt

Egyptians used perfumes since the pharaohs; moreover, perfumes were used in medicine, curing senility illness. We find the French people fond of pharaohs and the perfumes they used, and lately an Egyptian-French fair was opened about the pharaohs and their perfumes, and some research found that the Pharaohs manufactured the most complex and charming perfumes.

Casablanca, ‘ad-daar ‘al-bayDaa’ in Arabic, is located in Western Morocco on the Atlantic coast, and it is the biggest city in Morocco with a population exceeding three million people. Thanks to its strategic location, the port of Casablanca is considered the main port of Morocco, the largest port in North Africa, and the largest artificial port in the world.

The name Casablanca is originally Portuguese and it means “the white house.” The Portuguese influence started when Portugal conquered the city in the fifteenth century to put an end to the pirates that used the port as a base to attack Portuguese ships.

Spain and Portugal eventually abandoned the town after a great earthquake destroyed it along with the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, in 1755. The city was then rebuilt again under the Moroccan ruler Mohamed III who kept its name in Arabic as “the white house.”

A walk around Casablanca will demonstrate that which distinguishes it the most – its contrast between the exotic Old Town and the art deco design of New Town with its elegant, lavish, and ultra modern style.

In fact, Casablanca has an almost entirely art deco town called New Town and it is the largest collection of art deco architecture remaining in Morocco. The main streets of the New Town, its buildings, and architecture were designed by the French architect Henri Prost, and were a model of a new town at that time. In the midst of its hassle and noise, Casablanca has conserved its incredible charm, the combination of oriental Mauresque style and art deco architecture.

The Festival of Imilchil has become recognized around the world. The more common name of this festival is the Festival of Brides, it has been to attract huge numbers of tourist from around the world to attend days on tribal wedding ceremonies At the end of each summer. On this day the tribal women of that area will pick their husbands for the rest of their lives. The festival is a huge celebration in both Morocco and Imilchil. The legend behind the festival is that there were two tribes called Ait Yaaza and Ait Ibahim that were always in a constant war. Then a woman from one clan fell in love with a man from the other, but their parents wouldn’t let them get married.  Because they were not allowed to marry they shed many tears, and it is legend that they created the two lakes, Tislit and Islit, in reference to the two people that were in love. Because of this parents gave their children the right to choose who to marry.  This is not the only attraction of the Festival of Brides, however, there are also other ritual events, such as lamb offerings and henna tattooing.