Marhaba! As you can see from my earlier posts on essential phrases for traveling and dining in the Arab world as well as visiting a museum, I am hoping to provide you all with a useful and basic guide that will allow you to chat with locals in any Arab country that you plan to visit and thus, allow you to make the most out of your time. Today I want to provide you with what I think are the 7 essential Arabic phrases for shopping and buying goods during your stay in a beautiful city somewhere in the Arab world. Let’s begin with the basics. I have also translated the phrases to Arabic and I have transliterated the phrases so that you are able to pronounce them. I have added them in form of a dialogue to give you a sense of how the conversation might take place. Please note that there are many dialects in different Arab countries. Nonetheless, these basic phrases will be understood by almost anyone in the Arab world.

Shopping Mall | Image from Flickr

Amin and Raghida are told that two shopping malls at the outskirts of the capital carry some of the world’s most famous brands.

Amin and Raghida arrive to the mall and enter one of the shops.
Shop salesperson: Welcome to our store. We carry many purses and bags.
مندوب مبيعات: أهلاً وسهلاً في متجرنا. لدينا الكثير من المحافظ والحقائب
Mandub Mubi’at: Ahlan wa sahlan fi matjarina. Ladayna al-katheer min al-mahafith wa al-haqaib.

1) Raghida: Thank you. I am looking for a black bag.
راغدة: شكراً. أبحث عن حقيبة سوداء
Raghida: Shukran. Abhath an haqiba sawda.

Shop salesperson: Are you looking for a particular brand?
مندوب مبيعات: هل تبحثين عن علامة تجارية معينة؟
Mandub Mubi’at: Hal tabhatheen an alama tijariya mu’ayana?

Raghida: Not necessarily, but I would prefer genuine leather.
راغدة: ليس بالضرورة, ولكن أفضل الجلد الاصيل
Raghida: Laysa bil daroura, wa-lakin ufadil al-jild al-aseel.

Shop salesperson: Ok. We have these four purses.
بائع بالمتجر: حسناً. لدينا هذه الحقائب الاربعة
Mandub Mubi’at: Hasanan. Ladayna hathihi al-haqaib al-arba’a.

2) Raghida: Which is the newest and most popular with customers?
راغدة: أي منها الاجد والاكثر شائع مع الزبائن؟
Raghida: Ay minha al-ajad wa-al-akthar shai’ ma al-zabain.

Black Purse |Image from Flickr

Shop salesperson: All of our customers love this model.
مندوب مبيعات: كل الزبائن يحبون هذا النموذج
Mandub Mubi’at: Kul al-zabain yuhibun hatha al-namuthaj.

3) Raghida: Ok, I want to buy this one please.
راغدة: حسناً. أريد شراء هذا من فضلك
Raghida: Hasanan. Ureed shira hatha min fadlak.

4) Raghida: How much does this item cost?
راغدة: بكم هذا الغرض؟
Raghida: Bikam hatha al-gharad?

Shop salesperson: 300,000 Lebanese liras, which is equal to $200.
مندوب مبيعات: بثلاث مئة ألف ليرة لبنانية, ما يساوي المئتي دولار
Mandub Mubi’at: Bi-thalath miat alf lira lubnaniya, ma yusawi al-miatay dolar.

5) Raghida: Do you have any discounts for travelers?
راغدة: هل لديك أي خصم للمسافرين؟
Raghida: Hal ladayka khasim lil-musafireen?

Shop salesperson: Yes, you can make use of a 20% discount.
مندوب مبيعات: نعم, ممكن الاستفادة من خصم عشرون بالمئة
Mandub Mubi’at: Naam. Mumkin al-istifada min khasm ushrun bil-mia.

6) Raghida: Excellent, that is good news. Great bargain. Thank you.
راغدة: ممتاز! خبر جيد. صفقة رابحة. شكراَ
Raghida: Mumtaz! Khabar jayid.

Amin: You should buy your sister a gift from this shop.
أمين: يجب شراء هدية لأختك من هذا المتجر
Amin: Yajib shira hadiya li-ukhtik min hatha al-matjar

Raghida: Good idea. Thanks Amin!
راغدة: فكرة جيدة. شكراً أمين
Raghida: Fikra jayida. Shukran Amin!

Thank You | Image from Flickr

Raghida pays for the purse, gets a gift for her sister, and then asks for the most popular souvenir shop in the mall.

7) Raghida: Thanks for your kind help.
راغدة: شكراً على مساعدتك الطيبة
Raghida: Shukran ala musa’adatuka al-tayiba.

For now take care and stay tuned for upcoming posts!
Happy Learning!
Have a nice day!!
نهاركم سعيد