Basic Arabic: Essential Topical Words and Phrases (1) Posted by Ibnulyemen اِبْنُ اليَمَن on Sep 29, 2018 in Vocabulary
This post provides a list of basic words and phrases that can be used by beginning learners of Arabic as a metalanguage in the course of their learning.
Education تَعْلِيْم ta‘liim
| اِبْتِدَائِي ibtidaa’ii | elementary | اِخْتِبَار ikhtibaar | test |
| اِمْتِحَان imtiHaan | exam | فَحْص faHS | test/exam/quiz |
| إِعْدَادِي ’i‘daadii | preparatory | تَخَصُّص takhaSSuS | major/specialization |
| ثَانَوِي thaanawii | secondary | جَامِعَة jaami‘ah | university |
| جَدْوَل jadwal | schedule/timetable | جَرَس jars | bell |
| حِصَّة HiSSah | class period | دَرَجَة darajah | grade/mark |
| عَلَامَة ‘alaamah | grade/mark | دَرْس dars | lesson |
| دَفْتَر daftar | notebook | زَمِيْل zamiil | classmate |
| سَبُّورَة sabbuurah | board/blackboard | سَنَة sanah | year |
| سَنَة دِرَاسِيَّة sanah diraasiiyah | school year / academic year | ||
| عَام دِرَاسِي ‘aam diraasii | school year / academic year | ||
| شَنْطَة shanTah | bag | صَفّ Saff | classroom |
| طَالِب Taalib | male student | طَالِبَة Talibah | female student |
| طَاوِلَة Taawilah | desk/table | عُطْلَة ‘uTlah | holiday |
| إِجَازَة ’ijaazah | holiday | فَصْل faSl | semester/term |
| قَامُوس qaamuus | dictionary | قِسْم qism | department |
| قَلَم qalam | pen | كِتَاب kitaab | book |
| كُرْسِي kursii | chair | كُلِّيَّة kulliiyah | college/faculty |
| لُغَة lughah | language | مَادَّة maddah | subject/course |
| مُحَاضَرَة muHaaDHrah | lecture | مُدَرِّس mudarris | teacher/instructor |
| مُدَرِّسَة mudarrisah | female teacher | مَدْرَسَة madrasah | school |
| مُسْتَوَى mustawaa | level | مَكْتَبَة maktabah | library |
| مِمْحَاة mimHaah | eraser | وَاجِب waajib | homework |
Family أُسْرَة ’usrah and Relationship صِلَة Silah
| أَب ’abb | father | اِبْن ibn | son |
| اِبْن عَمّ ibn ‘amm | cousin | اِبْنَة عَمّ ibnat ‘amm | cousin (female) |
| اِبْنَة ibnah | daughter | أَخ ’akh | brother |
| أخَت ’ukht | sister | أُمّ ’umm | mother |
| بِنْت bint | girl | جَار jaar | neighbor |
| جَد jadd | grandfather | جَدَّة jaddah | grandmother |
| حَامِل haamil | pregnant | حَفِيْد Hafiid | grandson |
| حَفِيْدَة Hafiidah | granddaughter | حَمَا Hamaa | father-in-law |
| حَمَاة Hamaah | mother-in-law | خَال khaal | maternal uncle |
| خَالَة khaalah | maternal aunt | رَجُل rajul | man |
| رَفِيْق rafiiq | comrade / companion | زَوج zawj | husband |
| زَوْجَة zawjah | wife | شَاب shaab | young man |
| شَابَّة shaabbah | young woman | صَاحِب SaaHib | buddy |
| صَاحِبَة SaaHibah | female buddy | صَدَاقَة Sadaaqah | friendship |
| صَدِيْق Sadiiq | friend | صَدِيْقَة Sadiiqah | female friend |
| صَغِيْر Saghiir | young | طِفْل Tifl | child |
| طِفْلَة Tiflah | female child | عَازِب ‘aazib | unmarried |
| عَمَّة ‘ammah | aunt | كَبِيْر kabiir | old |
| مُتَزَوِّج mutazawwij | married | مُتَزَوِّجَة mutazawwijah | married (female) |
| مَرْأَة mar’ah | woman | مُرَاهِق muraahiq | teenager |
| مُرَاهِقَة muraahiqah | teenager (female) | مَوْلُود mawluud | born / newborn |
| وِلَادَة wilaadah | delivery / child birth | وَلَد walad | boy |
Pronouns الضَّمَائِر al-dhamaa’ir
| أَنَا ’anaa | I |
ـي -ii كِتَابِي kitaab-ii |
my
my book |
| نَحْنُ naHnu | we |
ـنَا -naa بَيْتُنَا baytu-naa |
our
our house |
| أَنْتَ ’anta | you (masc. singular) |
ـكَ -ka قَلَمُكَ qalamu-ka |
your
your pen |
| أَنْتِ ’anti | you (fem. singular) |
ـكِ -ki سَاعَتُكِ saa‘atu-ki |
your
your watch |
| أَنْتُمَا ’antumaa | you (masc./fem. dual) |
ـكُمَا -kumaa أُخْتُكُمَا ’ukhtu-kumaa |
your
your sister |
| أَنْتُم ’antum | you (masc. plural) |
ـكُم -kum أُسْتَاذُكُم ’ustadhu-kum |
your
your teacher |
| أَنْتُنَّ ’antunna | you (fem. plural) |
ـكُنَّ -kunna مَدْرَسَتُكُنَّ madrasat-kunna |
your
your school |
| هُوَ huwa | he |
ـه -hu غُرْفَتُهُ ghurfatu-hu |
his
his room |
| هِيَ hiya | she |
ـهَا -haa صَدِيْقُهَا Sadiiqu-haa |
her
her friend |
| هُمَا humaa | both (dual) |
ـهُمَا -humaa زَمِيْلُهُما zamiilu-humma |
their (both)
their classmate |
| هُم hum | they (male) |
ـهُم -hum أُمُّهُم ’ummu-hum |
their (male)
their mother |
| هُنَّ hunna | they (female) |
ـهُنَّ -hunna أُمُّهُنَّ ’ummu-hunna |
their (female)
their mother |
| هَذَا hadhaa | this (masc.) | هَذِهِ hadhhi | this (fem.) |
| ذَلَكِ dhalik | that (masc.) | تِلْك tilk | that (fem.) |
| هَذَان hadhaan | these two (masc.) | هَتَان haatan | These two (fem.) |
| هَؤُلَاءِ ha’ulaa’i | these (masc. & fem.) | أُولَئِكِ ’uula’ika | those (masc./fem) |
Common Adjectives
|
سَعِيْد sa‘iid (masc.) سَعِيْدَة sa‘iidah (fem. |
happy |
مَبْسُوط mabsuuT (masc. مَبْسُوطَة mabsuutah (fem. |
happy / glad |
|
فَرْحَان farHaan (masc. فَرْحَانَة farHaanah (fem. |
delighted / joyous |
زَعْلَان za‘laan (masc. زَعْلَانَة za‘laanah (fem. |
upset |
|
غَضْبَان ghaDHbaan غَضْبَانَة ghaDHbaanah |
angry |
جَوْعَان jaw‘aan (masc. جَوْعَانَة jaw‘aanah |
hungry |
|
عَطْشَان ‘aTshaan (masc. عَطْشَانَة ‘aTshaanah (fem. |
thirsty |
نَعْسَان na‘saan (masc. نَعْسَانَة na‘saanah (fem. |
sleepy |
Common Greetings:
|
A: مَرْحَبًا marHaban B: أَهْلًا ahlan |
Hi, hello |
|
A: صَبَاحُ الخَيْر SabaaHu al-khayr B: صَبَاحُ الخَيْر / النُّور SabaaHu al-khayr/an-nuur |
Good morning
Good morning |
|
A: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُم as-salaamu ‘alaykum B: (و) عَلَيْكُم السَّلَام (wa) ‘alaykum as-salaam |
Good afternoon / good day
Good afternoon / good day to you |
|
A: مَسَاءُ الخَيْر masaa’u al-khayr B: مَسَاءُ الخَيْر / النُّور masaa’u al-khayr/an-nuur |
Good evening
Good evening |
|
A: مَعَ السَّلَامَة ma‘a as-salaamah B: مَعَ السَّلَامَة B: إِلَى اللِّقَاء ’laa al-liqaa’ |
Goodbye
Goodbye See you later |
|
A: كَيْفَ الحَال؟ kayf al-Haal B: بِخَيْر bi-khayr B: الحَمْدُ لله al-Hamdu lil-lah |
How are you?
Fine
|
Common Questions:
|
A: مَا اِسْمُكَ؟ masmu-ka B: اِسْمِي سَام ismii sam A: مَا اِسْمُكِ؟ masmu-ki B: اِسْمِي سَارَة ismii sarah A: مَا اِسْمُهُ؟ masmu-hu B: اِسْمُهُ جُون ismu-hu john A: مَا اِسْمُها؟ masmu-haa B: اِسْمُهَا جَانِت ismu-haa janet |
What’s your name (masc.)?
My name’s Sam What’s your name (fem.)? My name’s Sarah What’s his name? His name’s John. What’s her name? Her name’s Janet. |
|
A: كَمْ عُمْرُكَ kam ‘umru-ka B: عُمْرِي عِشْرُون سَنَة ‘umrii ‘ishruun sanah A: كَمْ عُمْرُكِ؟ kam ‘umru-ki B: عُمْرِي وَاحِدْ وَعِشْرُون سَنَة ‘umrii waaHid wa ‘ishruun sanah A: كَمْ عُمْرُهُ؟ kam ‘umru-hu B: عُمْرُهُ خَمْس وَعِشْرُون سَنَة ‘umru-hu khams wa ‘ishruun sanah A: كَمْ عُمْرُهَا؟ kam ‘umru-haa B: عُمْرُهَا ثَلَاثُون سَنَة ‘umru-haa thalaathuun sanah |
How old are you (masc.)?
I’m 20 years old How old are you (fem.)? I’m 21 years old. How old is he? He’s 25 years old. How old is she? She’s 30 years old |
|
A: مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟ min ’ayna anta? B: أَنَا مِنَ الصَّيْن anaa min aS-Siyn A: مَنْ أَيْنَ هُوَ؟ min ‘ayna huwa? B: هُوَ مِن الهِنْد؟ huwa min al-hind A: مِنْ أَيْنَ هِيَ؟ min ‘ayna hiya? B: هِيَ مِن فَرَنْسَا hiya min faransaa |
Where are you from (masc.)?
I’m from China Where’s he from? He’s from India. Where’s she from? She’s from France. |
Other Common Phrases:
|
A: شُكْرًا shukran B: عَفْوًا ‘afwan A: شُكْرًا جَزِيْلًا shukran jaziilan B: لَا شُكْر عَلَى وَاجِب laa shukr ‘alaa waajib |
Thank you
You’re welcome Thank you very much Don’t mention it |
|
A: آسِف ‘aasif B: لا / مش مُشْكِلَة laa / mush mushkilah |
Sorry!
No problem |
|
لَو سَمَحْت law samaHt لَو سَمِحْتِ law samaHti |
Please (you masc. singular)
Please (you fem. singular) |
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About the Author: Ibnulyemen اِبْنُ اليَمَن
Marhaban! I am from Yemen. I am a language teacher. I teach English and Arabic. In this blog, I will be leading you through Arabic language learning in a sequential fashion. I will focus on Modern Standard Arabic. To learn more, you can also visit my website Ibnulyemen Arabic or my facebook page.