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← Phrase guide ☏
Phrase guide

Arabic phrases for your UAE trip

Written by The Trip Keeper team Content updated 30 Oct 2026 Facts last checked 30 Oct 2026
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The short answer

English works everywhere in the UAE, so Arabic is a bonus, not a requirement - but a handful of phrases earns real warmth. Learn shukran (thank you), marhaba (hello) and inshallah (God willing) first. Vegetarian families should keep 'ana nabaati' ready, and remember that Hindi and Urdu are widely understood in souks, taxis and smaller shops.

The five phrases that matter most

شكراً
shukran
Thank you
शुक्रिया / धन्यवाद
إن شاء الله
inshallah
God willing (you will hear this constantly)
ईश्वर चाहे (यह शब्द हर बातचीत में सुनाई देगा)
أنا نباتي
ana nabaati
I'm vegetarian
मैं शाकाहारी हूँ
وين
wayn
Where is ___?
___ कहाँ है?
كم سعره؟
kam si'ro
How much is this?
यह कितने का है?

All the phrases

Greetings and thanks

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Peace be upon you (the standard greeting) السلام عليكم as-salaamu alaykum आप पर शांति हो (सामान्य अभिवादन)
Reply: and upon you peace وعليكم السلام wa alaykum as-salaam उत्तर: आप पर भी शांति हो
Hello (informal) مرحبا marhaba नमस्ते (अनौपचारिक)
Good morning صباح الخير sabah al-khayr सुप्रभात
Good evening مساء الخير masaa al-khayr शुभ संध्या
How are you? كيف حالك؟ kayfa haalak आप कैसे हैं?
Thank you شكراً shukran शुक्रिया / धन्यवाद
God willing (you will hear this constantly) إن شاء الله inshallah ईश्वर चाहे (यह शब्द हर बातचीत में सुनाई देगा)
Goodbye مع السلامة ma'a as-salaama अलविदा

Getting help

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Excuse me لو سمحت law samaht माफ़ कीजिए / सुनिए
Please من فضلك min fadlak कृपया
I'm sorry آسف aasif मुझे माफ़ करें
Do you speak English? هل تتكلم إنجليزي؟ hal tatakallam ingleezi क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?
I don't speak Arabic لا أتكلم عربي laa atakallam arabi मैं अरबी नहीं बोलता / बोलती
Can you help me? ممكن مساعدة؟ mumkin musaa'ada क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं?

Food (vegetarian, Jain, allergies)

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
The bill, please الحساب لو سمحت al-hisaab law samaht बिल लाइए, कृपया
I'm vegetarian أنا نباتي ana nabaati मैं शाकाहारी हूँ
No spice, please بدون حار لو سمحت bidoon haar law samaht बिना तीखा, कृपया
Delicious! لذيذ lazeez बहुत स्वादिष्ट!
Tea (ask for 'karak' - the local sweet spiced tea) كرك karak चाय (स्थानीय मीठी मसाला चाय के लिए 'करक' कहें)
I am allergic to ___ عندي حساسية من indee hisaasiya min ___ मुझे ___ से एलर्जी है

Directions and transport

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Where is ___? وين wayn ___ कहाँ है?
How do I get to ___? كيف أروح kayfa arooh ___ ___ कैसे जाऊँ?
Left يسار yasaar बाएँ
Right يمين yameen दाएँ
Straight ahead سيدا seedha सीधे
Stop here وقف هني wagif hini यहीं रोकिए

Shopping and numbers

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
How much is this? كم سعره؟ kam si'ro यह कितने का है?
Too expensive غالي وايد ghaali waayid बहुत महंगा
Can you give a discount? تعطيني خصم؟ ta'tini khasm कुछ छूट देंगे?
Last price? آخر سعر؟ aakhir si'r आख़िरी दाम?
No, thank you (polite refusal) لا شكراً laa shukran नहीं, शुक्रिया (विनम्र इनकार)

Emergency

EnglishLocal scriptHow to say itहिन्दी
Emergency طوارئ tawaari आपातकाल
Call the police! اتصل بالشرطة! ittasal bil-shurta पुलिस को बुलाइए!
I need a doctor أحتاج دكتور ahtaaj duktoor मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिए
Where is the hospital? وين المستشفى؟ wayn al-mustashfa अस्पताल कहाँ है?

Save or print

Save the top phrases as a picture to send to your parents, or print the whole sheet.

The five phrases that matter most
Thank you / शुक्रिया / धन्यवाद
شكراً (shukran)
God willing (you will hear this constantly) / ईश्वर चाहे (यह शब्द हर बातचीत में सुनाई देगा)
إن شاء الله (inshallah)
I'm vegetarian / मैं शाकाहारी हूँ
أنا نباتي (ana nabaati)
Where is ___? / ___ कहाँ है?
وين (wayn)
How much is this? / यह कितने का है?
كم سعره؟ (kam si'ro)

Trips to UAE

We have no open trip to UAE right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.

Quick questions

Do I need to speak Arabic to travel in the UAE?

No. English works everywhere - hotels, malls, taxis, hospitals and government services all run bilingually, and signage is always in both languages. Learning a few phrases is about warmth, not survival: a shukran or marhaba genuinely changes how people respond to you.

What is the one phrase to learn first?

Shukran (thank you). Close seconds are marhaba (hello) and inshallah (God willing), which you will hear constantly - it can mean hope, a polite maybe, or a gentle no, so read the context before counting on a yes.

How do I say I am vegetarian?

Say 'ana nabaati' (أنا نباتي). Vegetarian food is easy to find across the UAE, and most restaurant staff also understand English, Hindi or Urdu, so you will rarely struggle - the phrase is for local eateries and Arabic cafes.

How do I ask the price of something?

'Kam si'ro?' (كم سعره؟) - 'how much is this?' In the souks, follow it with 'ghaali waayid' (too expensive) and a smile to open the bargaining. In malls and branded shops prices are fixed; bargaining there is not the done thing.

How do I ask where something is?

'Wayn...?' (وين) plus the place - 'wayn al-mustashfa?' is 'where is the hospital?'. Taxi drivers respond well to yameen (right), yasaar (left) and seedha (straight), and 'wagif hini' (stop here) ends the ride cleanly.

Will Hindi or Urdu work in the UAE?

Often, yes. A large share of shopkeepers, drivers and service staff in the souks and older neighbourhoods speak Hindi or Urdu, so many Indian travellers manage without Arabic at all. Use Arabic greetings first - it is appreciated - then switch to whatever language works.

Sources

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