Lebanese Arabic Phrases: Arabic may sound tricky at first, but have no worries, it won’t stop you from communicating! The people of Lebanon are friendly and understanding. They won’t get upset if you make mistakes; instead, they will encourage you to keep trying. So, enjoy learning these Arabic words and phrases without stressing about sounding perfect.
Modern Arabic has two types: formal Modern Standard Arabic (MSA or fušħa) used in writing and shared across the Arab world, and colloquial dialects (ʿāmiyya) specific to certain places. MSA is for literature, media, and formal occasions, while colloquialisms are for daily life.
This guide focuses on simple Arabic expressions in the Levant (Shami) dialect, spoken in Lebanon and Syria. You’ll find phrases in English and Arabic, along with easy-to-read phonetic spelling. Explore and enjoy learning!
Table of Contents
Greetings in Modern Standard Arabic
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| Hello | مرحبا | marħaba |
| Good morning | الخیر صباح | šabaħil khair |
| Good afternoon/Good evening | الخیر مسا | masal khair |
| Good night | خیر على تصبح | tešbaħ/~i ʿala khair |
| Welcome to the UK. | فیكي/فیك وسھلا أھلا | ahla w sahla fiik/~i bibriŧania |
| How are you? | كیفك؟ (m.) | kifak? |
| كیفك؟ (f.) | kifek? | |
| I’m fine | أنا منیح/~a | ana mniih/~a |
| Thank you | شكرا | shukran |
| Please | بتريدي/بتريد إذا | iza bitriid/~i |
| Goodbye | السلامة مع | maʿ esalamé |
- ~i is added to verbs when talking to a female person.
- (m.) is for masculine.
- (f.) is for feminine.
Meeting New People
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| What’s your name? | إسمك؟ شو ismak (m.) | Shu ismek (f.) |
| My name is… | …اسمي ismi | |
| Do you want…? | ؟…بدك biddak (m.) | biddik (f.) |
| Do you want anything? | بدك شي | biddik (f.) shi? |
| Do you need anything? | شي؟ لازمك lāzmak shi? (m.) | lāzmik shi? (f.) |
| Do you need help? | مساعدة؟ لازمك lāzmak (m.) | musaʿadé? (f.) |
| Let’s go | نروح يا yallah nrūħ | |
| Maybe | ممكن يمكن إن شاء الله | mumkin yemkin inshallah |
| Yes | أيه eh | |
| No | لا la’ | |
| Not possible | ممكن مو mumkin mū | |
| It is ok | معلیش maʿ laish | |
| It is allowed | مسموح masmūħ |
Family
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| Family | عائلة | ʿailé |
| Mother | أم | im |
| Father | أب | ab |
| Brother | أخ | ʾakh |
| Sister | أخت | ʾukht |
| Husband | زوج | zawj |
| Wife | زوجة | zawjé |
| Son | ابن | ibn |
| Daughter | بنت | bint |
| Child | طفل | ŧifl/~é |
Question Words
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| What? | شو | shū |
| When? | إيمتى | aimta? |
| Where? | وين | wain? |
| Where from? | منين | minain? |
| Who? | مين | meen? |
| Why? | ليش | laish? |
| How much/many? | كم | kam |
Useful Vocabulary
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| Ticket (train, theatre…) | تذكرة | tazkara |
| Card (Oyster, Bank, …) | كرت | kart |
| Car | سيارة | sayyāra |
| Plane | طيارة | ŧeyyāra |
| Taxi | تكسي | taksi |
| School | مدرسة | madrasé |
| Bank | بنك | bank |
| Hospital | مستشفى | mistashfa |
| Pharmacy | صيدلية | šedaliyyé |
| Job Centre | العمل مركز | markaz el ʿamal |
| GP (General Practitioner) | دكتور | doktour |
| Surgery/clinic | عيادة | ʿyādé |
| Money | مصاري | mašāri |
Useful Nouns
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| Coffee | قهوة | qahwé |
| Police | شرطة | shurŧa |
| Tea | شاي | shāy |
| Today | اليوم | ilyawm |
| Tomorrow | بكرة | bukra |
| Yesterday | مبارح | embareħ |
| There is/are | في | fii |
| There is/are not | في ما | ma fii |
| Volunteer | متطوع | miŧŧawweʿ/~a |
| Community Sponsorship Group | الراعية الأهلية اللجنة | el lijné elahaleyé ilraʿyé |
| UK Government | البريطانية الحكومة | el hukumé elbriŧaniyyé |
| Local authority | محلية إدارة | idāra maħaliyyé |
| Emergency | طوارئ | ŧawariʾ |
| Complaint | شكوى | shakwa |
| Interpreter | مترجم | mutarjim |
Numbers in Arabic
| English | Arabic | Phonetic Spelling |
| One | واحد | waħid |
| Two | تنين | tnain |
| Three | تلاتة | tlaté |
| Four | أربعة | ʾarbʿa |
| Five | خمسة | khamsé |
| Six | ستة | sitté |
| Seven | سبعة | sabʿa |
| Eight | تمانة | tmané |
| Nine | تسعة | tesʿa |
| Ten | عشرة | ʿashra |
| Eleven | حدعش | ħdash |
| Twelve | طنعش | ŧnash |
| Thirteen | تلطعش | tlaŧash |
| Fourteen | اربطعش | ʾarbaŧash |
| Fifteen | خمسطعش | khamstash |
| Sixteen | ستطعش | siŧŧash |
| Seventeen | سبطعش | sabaŧash |
| Eighteen | تمنطعش | tminŧash |
| Nineteen | تسطعش | tasŧash |
| Twenty | عشرين | ʿishriin |
| Thirty | تلاتين | tlatiin |
| Forty | اربعين | ʾarbaʿiin |
| Fifty | خمسين | khamsiin |
| Sixty | ستين | sittiin |
| Seventy | سبعين | sabʿiin |
| Eighty | تمانين | tmaniin |
| Ninety | تسعين | tisʿiin |
| One Hundred | مية | miyé |
| One Thousand | ألف | alf |
This Arabic resource encourages learners to embrace practicing Lebanese Arabic without fear of making mistakes. The Lebanese are supportive and welcoming, fostering a positive learning environment. The guide covers basic expressions, emphasizing the joy of learning over perfection.
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