Useful words and phrases in Palestinian Arabic for your visit to Abu Dis

** Let us know if there are other simple ones you will need – We are happy to
keep updating this - camdenabudis@btinternet.com ** 9-11- 2007

Greetings

Hello MERHABA ‫مرحبا‬

Answer to MERHABA AhLAIN ‫اهلين‬

Good morning SUBAH AL KHAIR ‫صباح الخير‬

Answer to SUBAH AL KHAIR SUBAH AL NOOR ‫صباح النور‬

Good evening MESA AL KHAIR ‫مساء الخير‬

Answer to MESA AL KHAIR MESA AL NOOR ‫مساء النور‬

Welcome EHLAN WA SAHLAN ‫اهأل و سهأل‬

More religious version of hello SALAAMU ALEIKUM ‫سالم عليكم‬

Answer to SALAAMU ALEIKUM WA ALEIKUM ASSALAAM ‫و عليكم السالم‬

How are you? (to a woman) KEEFIK ‫كيفك؟‬

How are you? (to a man) KEEFUK ‫كيفك؟‬

Goodbye MA SALAAMI ‫مع سالمة‬

General

Please (to a woman) MIN FUDLIK ‫من فضلك‬

Please (to a man) MIN FUDLUK ‫من فضلك‬

Thank you SHUKRAN ‫شكرأ‬

Answer to SHUKRAN AFWAN ‫عفوأ‬

Excuse me (to a woman) LO SAMAHTI ‫لو سمحت‬

Excuse me (to a man) LO SAMAHT ‫لو سمحت‬

How much is it? KADESH ISSEYR ‫قديش السعر؟‬

A lot KTHEER ‫كثير‬

A little SHWAYEH ‫شوي‬

Tea SHY ‫شاي‬

Coffee KAHWAY ‫قهوة‬
A lot of sugar SUKAR KTHEER ‫سكر كتير‬
A little sugar SUKAR KHALIL ‫سكر قليل‬
Without sugar BIDOON SUKAR ‫بدون سكر‬

Toilet HAMAAM ‫حمام‬

Numbers

1 WAHAD ‫واحد‬
2 TNEEN ‫ثنين‬
3 THALATH ‫ثالث‬
4 ARBA’A ‫اربعة‬
5 KHAMSI ‫خمسة‬
6 SETTI ‫ستة‬
7 SABA’A ‫سبعة‬
8 THAMANYEH ‫ثمنية‬
9 TISAA ‫تسعة‬
10 ASHARA ‫عشرة‬
100 MEYEH ‫مية‬
1000 ALF ‫الف‬

Political

Political word in Arabic Literal Refers to…

meaning
‫نكبة‬ NAKBA Disaster 1948 loss of most of
Palestine and big exodus of
Palestinian refugees
‫نكسة‬ NAKSA Set-back 1967 occupation of the West
(only a set- Bank and Gaza
back?)
‫انتفأضة‬ INTIFADA Uprising Used of the 1987 onwards
“first intifada” and the 2000
onwards “second (or Aqsa)
intifada”
‫هويه‬ HAWIYE ID The passes (blue or green)
that Palestinians have to
carry
‫جدار الفصل‬ JIDAR AL FASL Separation The Israeli Wall, called by
Wall Palestinians the “racist
separation wall”
‫مستوطنه‬ MUSTAWTANEH Settlement The illegal Israeli colonies
on the West Bank
‫مستوطنين‬ MUSTAWTANEEN Settlers People who live in them

‫حاجز‬ HAJEZ Fence Military checkpoint

‫معبر‬ MUABBAR Terminal Big fixed checkpoints on the

Wall (the ones that look like
international border
crossings)