How good is your Arabic?  Before you embark on your journey to learn this fascinating language, here are some practical tips to help you get started:

Speak it: You learn to speak by speaking. There is just no other way of doing it! Jump in there and go for it.

Make Mistakes: How do you learn to walk? By falling over many times. And to swim? By jumping in at the deep end and swallowing a lot of water. What about speaking Arabic in the Emirati dialect? By Saying a lot of things that may sound funny. You’ll learn more quickly by having a go at speaking rather than being silent.

Use it or Lose it: Study, read, listen, talk, write, drill, chant, sing. Listen to Emirati songs, watch Emirati movies, browse Emirati Magazines, newspapers and websites. Go to authentic Emirati Arabic speakers and try to speak with them in their local dialect as much as possible. Keep the conversation going!

Most Importantly, Enjoy the Journey!

I am a….      anaa…

assistant                   Tabbaakh

cook                         Tabbaakh

doctor                      Tabiib

engineer                  muhandis

housewife               rabit manzil

jornalist                    SaHafii

lawyer                   muuHamii

manager                  muudiir

salesman                 bay-ya

teacher                   abla 

I work at/for/in   ashtaghil fii

company                               sharika

court                                     maHkama

factory.                                 maSna:

home                                    bait

hospital                                mistashfa

newspaper.                         jariida

restaurant                            maT:am

school                                 midrisa

shop.                                  maHall

office                                  maktab

What is your job?

shu waDHfitak?

Do you enjoy your job?

enta mestaanes (m)/ enty mestaansa (f) fii shighil?

What are your working hours?

Kam saa:a dawaamak?

Where do you work?

shuu tishtighil?

I’m going to the meeting.

basir el’ijtimaa:

I can’t wait for the weekend.

mub gaadir aSbir la akhir el’osbou: