Oman: Useful phrases Arabic is the official language across the peninsula, but English is widely understood. Road signs are often in both languages. Large numbers of immigrant workers also speak Urdu, Hindi and other languages of the Indian subcontinent. In the hotels and resorts almost everything is conducted in both Arabic and English. Although English is widely understood, and Arabic is an extremely complex language to master, it always helps to learn a few basic words and phrases. Greetings Hello or Welcome/Márhaba, ahlan (reply)/áhlayn Greetings/As-salám aláykum (peace be with you) (reply)/Waláykum as-salám (and to you peace) Good morning/Sabáh al-kháyr (reply)/Sabáh an-núr (a morning of light) Good evening/Misá al-kháyr (reply)/Misá an núr Goodnight/Tisbáh al-kháyr (wake up well) (reply)/Wa ínta min áhlu (and you are from His people) Goodbye/Máa Saláma How are you?/Káyf hálak? (to a man)/Káyf hálik? (to a woman) Fine, thank you/Zayn, al-hámdu, li-la Please/Min fádlak (to a man)/Min fádlik (to a woman) Thank you/Shúkran Thanks be to God/Al-hámdu li-llá God willing (hopefully)/Inshá allá Yes/Náam or áiwa No/La Useful phrases What is your name?/Shú ismak? (to a man)/Shú ismik? (to a woman) My name is…/Ismi… Where are you from?/Min wáyn inta? (for a man)/Min wáyn inti? (for a woman) I am from: England/ána min Ingíltra the United States/ána min Amérika Australia/ána min Ustrália I have 1/2/3 children/Andi walad/waladun/thalatha awlaad How do you say . . . in Arabic?/Chayf tegool . . . bil’arabi? May I take your photo?/Mumkin sura, min fádlak? (to a female: Mumkin sura, min fádlik?) Do you speak English?/Btíhki inglízi?/Teh ki ingleezi? I speak English/Bíhki inglízi I do not speak Arabic/Ma bíhki árabi I do not understand/Ma báfham Repeat, once more/Kamán márra Do you have…?/ándkum…? Is there any…?/Fí…? There isn’t any…/Ma fí… Never mind/Ma’alésh It is forbidden…/Mamnú’a What is this?/Shú hádha? I want/Uríd I like/ana bhib I don’t like/Ana ma bhib I do not want/Mauríd Hurry up/Yalla/bi súra’a Slow down/Shwáyya Go away!/Imshi! What time is it?/Adáysh as-sáa?/kam as-sáa? How long, how many hours?/Kam sáa? You’re welcome/Afwan OK/Tayib/N’zain/Kwayyis Not OK/Mish kwayyis Come in/After you/Tafdal Excuse me/Afwan/lau samaht Sorry/Afwan/Muta’assif Can I…?/It is possible?/Mumkin? I don’t know/Mabaraf No problem/Ma fi mushkila Perhaps/Mumkin Not possible/Mish mumkin What time is it?/Kam as saa? How much?/Bikaim? How many?/Cham? What?/Shu? What is this?/Shu hadha? I’m ill/Ana mareed Vocabulary General embassy/safára post office/máktab al-baríd stamps/tawábi’a bank/bank hotel/otél/fúnduq room/ghurfah museum/máthaf hospital/mustashfa doctor/doktor chemist/saydaliyeh police/shurta/boulees ticket/tádhkara passport/jiwáz as-sáfar good/kuwáys not good, bad/mish kuways open/maftúh closed/musákkar/múghlik old/kadeem new/jadeed big/kabeer small/saghir beautiful/zayn hot/haar cold/bareed open/maftuh shut/mughlag Eating out/drinking restaurant/máta’am breakfast/futour lunch/ghadaa dinner/ashaa food/ákl fish/simich meat/láhm chicken/dijaj mutton/ghanam milk/halíb cheese/jabne butter/zibdeh eggs/bayd bread/khúbz salad/saláta honey/‘asl yoghurt/laban jam/murabbeh dates/balah olives/zatoon delicious/ladhidh coffee/káhwa tea/shay beer/beera cup/finján with sugar/bi súkkar without sugar/bidún súkkar mineral water/mái ma’adaniya glass/gelaas bottle/zajaja/botel I don’t eat meat/Ana ma bakul laham I am a vegetarian/ána nabbáti (for a man)/nabbátiya (for a woman) Enough, thanks/Bas, shukran the bill/al-hisáb Getting around Where…?/Wáyn…? How far is it to…?/Kam kiloometre ila…? downtown/wást al bálad street/shária car/sayára taxi/táxi shared taxi/servís bus/bas aeroplane/tayára airport/matár petrol, super/benzín diesel/maazout to/íla from/min in/fi right/yamín left/yassar straight/gida here/hina there/hunak near/gareeb far/ba’eed town/madina city/madinat north/shimaal south/janub east/sharq west/gharb Days and numbers today/al yoom tomorrow/bokhra yesterday/ams early/mbach’ir/badri late/mit’akhir day/yoom might/layl Monday/yoom al ithnayn Tuesday/yoom ath thalatha Wednesday/yoom al araba’a Thursday/yoom al khamees Friday/yoom al jum’a Saturday/yoom as sabt Sunday/yoom al had zero/sifir one/wáhid two/ithnayn three/taláta four/árba’a five/khámsa six/sítta seven/sába’a eight/tamánia nine/tísa’a ten/áshara eleven/hidáshar twelve/itnáshar twenty/áishreen twenty-one/wáhid wa áishreen twenty-two/ithnayn wa áishreen thirty/thalatheen forty/arba’een fifty/khamseen sixty/sitteen seventy/saba’een eighty/thimaneen ninety/tis’een one hundred/maya one hundred and fifty/may wa khamseen two hundred/mayatayn three hundred/thaltamaya four hundred/rab’amaya five hundred/khamsamaya six hundred/sittamaya seven hundred/sabamaya eight hundred/tamnamaya nine hundred/tissamaya one thousand/alf Shopping market/souk shop/dukkán money/fulús no money/mish fulús cheap/rakhís expensive (very)/gháli (jídan) too expensive/ktir gháli receipt, invoice/fatúra, wásl How much does it cost?/Adáysh?/Bikaim? I like this/Buhíbb hádha I do not like this/Ma buhíbb hádha ...za poèetak :-P |