-Jordan language

Arabic for travellers: essential words and phrases for Jordan

June 4, 20269 min read

Arabic script is unreadable to most visitors, making a few spoken words and a translation app essential for navigating Jordan. Understanding basic phrases can enhance your experience and foster connections with locals.

While English is widely spoken in tourist hubs like Amman and Petra, it thins out in smaller towns. Learning a few Arabic words not only helps in daily interactions but also opens doors to the legendary Jordanian hospitality.

Jordan street scene
  • Learn basic Arabic phrases to enhance interactions.
  • Use a translation app for effective communication.
  • Expect English to be common in cities, less so in rural areas.
  • Arabic script is challenging; rely on spoken language.
  • Engage with locals for a richer travel experience.

Quick Facts About Language in Jordan

  • Official language(s): Arabic
  • Regional or common minority languages: English, French
  • Honest English level: Common in tourist hubs, limited in countryside
  • Readability: Arabic script is used, Latin/English on some signs

Greetings

WordTranslationPronunciation
HelloمرحباMarhaban
Good morningصباح الخيرSabah al-khayr
Good afternoonمساء الخيرMasa’ al-khayr
Good eveningمساء النورMasa’ al-noor
ByeوداعاWada’an
Goodbyeإلى اللقاءIla al-liqaa
How are you?كيف حالك؟Kayfa halak?
My name is …اسمي …Ismi …
Nice to meet youتشرفت بلقائكTasharraft biliqa’ik
Where are you from?من أين أنت؟Min ayna anta?
I am from [country]أنا من [country]Ana min [country]
One moment please.لحظة من فضلك.Lahza min fadlak.

Politeness

WordTranslationPronunciation
Pleaseمن فضلكMin fadlak
Thank youشكراShukran
You are welcomeعفواAfwan
SorryآسفAasif
Excuse meعفواAfwan
PardonعفواAfwan
No problemلا مشكلةLa mushkila
Can you help me?هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟Hal yumkinuka musaadati?
Sorry I do not understand.آسف لا أفهم.Aasif la afham.

Communication Help

WordTranslationPronunciation
Do you speak English?هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟Hal tatahadath al’iinjliziyya?
Do you speak Arabic?هل تتحدث العربية؟Hal tatahadath al’arabiyya?
I do not speak the local language wellأنا لا أتكلم اللغة المحلية جيدًاAna la atakallam allugha al-mahaliyya jayyidan
Could you repeat that?هل يمكنك تكرار ذلك؟Hal yumkinuk tikrar dhalik?
Slower pleaseأبطأ من فضلكAbta’ min fadlik
Could you write it down?هل يمكنك كتابتها؟Hal yumkinuk kitabatuha?
What does this mean?ماذا يعني هذا؟Mada ya’ni hadha?
I do not understandأنا لا أفهمAna la afham
Where is …?أين …؟Ayna …?
Is this correct?هل هذا صحيح؟Hal hadha sahih?

Essential Words

WordTranslationPronunciation
YesنعمNa’am
NoلاLa
OkayحسناًHasanan
MaybeربماRubama
GoodجيدJayyid
Not goodليس جيداًLays jayyidan
BigكبيرKabir
SmallصغيرSaghir
OpenمفتوحMaftuh
ClosedمغلقMughlaq
TodayاليومAl-yawm
TomorrowغداًGhadan
YesterdayأمسAms
NowالآنAl-an
LaterلاحقاًLahikan
HereهناHuna
ThereهناكHunak
LeftيسارYasar
RightيمينYamin
Straight aheadمباشرةMubasharatan
StopقفQif

Numbers and Prices

WordTranslationPronunciation
OneواحدWahid
TwoاثنانIthnān
ThreeثلاثةThalātha
FourأربعةArba’a
FiveخمسةKhamsa
SixستةSitta
SevenسبعةSab’a
EightثمانيةThamāniya
NineتسعةTis’a
TenعشرةAshara
Elevenأحد عشرAhd ‘Ashar
Twelveاثنا عشرIthnā ‘Ashar
Thirteenثلاثة عشرThalātha ‘Ashar
Fourteenأربعة عشرArba’a ‘Ashar
Fifteenخمسة عشرKhamsa ‘Ashar
Sixteenستة عشرSitta ‘Ashar
Seventeenسبعة عشرSab’a ‘Ashar
Eighteenثمانية عشرThamāniya ‘Ashar
Nineteenتسعة عشرTis’a ‘Ashar
TwentyعشرونIshrūn
HundredمئةMi’a
ThousandألفAlf
CheapرخيصRakhīs
ExpensiveغاليGhālī
DiscountخصمKhaṣm
How much does this cost?كم يكلف هذا؟Kam yukallif hādhā?
Too expensiveغالي جداًGhālī jiddan
What is the best price?ما هو أفضل سعر؟Mā huwa afḍal si’r?
Can it be cheaper?هل يمكن أن يكون أرخص؟Hal yumkin an yakūn arḵaṣ?
I pay cashأدفع نقداًAdfa’ naqdan
Do you have change?هل لديك فكة؟Hal ladayka fikka?
May I see the price?هل يمكنني رؤية السعر؟Hal yumkinunī ru’yat al-si’r?

Time and Planning

WordTranslationPronunciation
TodayاليومAl-yawm
TomorrowغداًGhadan
The day after tomorrowبعد غدBa’d ghad
MorningصباحṢabāḥ
Afternoonبعد الظهرBa’d al-ẓuhr
EveningمساءMasā’
NightليلLayl
HourساعةSā’a
MinuteدقيقةDaqīqa
EarlyمبكراًMubakkiran
LateمتأخراًMut’akhkhiran
What time is it?كم الساعة؟Kam al-sā’a?
How long does it take?كم يستغرق؟Kam yastaghrq?
Can we meet at …?هل يمكننا الالتقاء في …؟Hal yumkinunā al-iltiqā’ fī …?

Directions and Navigation

WordTranslationPronunciation
Where is the toilet?أين الحمام؟Ayn al-hammam?
Where is the station?أين المحطة؟Ayn al-mahattah?
Where is the bus stop?أين محطة الحافلات؟Ayn mahatat al-hafilat?
Where is the centre?أين المركز؟Ayn al-markaz?
How do I get to …?كيف أذهب إلى …؟Kayfa adhhab ila …?
Is it far to walk?هل هو بعيد للمشي؟Hal huwa ba’id lil-mashi?
How far is it?كم يبعد؟Kam yab’ud?
LeftيسارYasar
RightيمينYamin
Straight aheadمباشرة للأمامMubasharatan lil-amam

Transport and Logistics

WordTranslationPronunciation
StationمحطةMahattah
BusحافلةHafilah
TrainقطارQitar
BoatقاربQarib
MetroمتروMetro
TicketتذكرةTadhkirah
DepartureمغادرةMughadrat
ArrivalوصولWusul
StopتوقفTawaquf
PlatformرصيفRaseef
LuggageأمتعةAmti’ah
A ticket to …تذكرة إلى …Tadhkirah ila …
When does this leave?متى تغادر هذه؟Mata tughadir hadhihi?
Where should I get off?أين يجب أن أنزل؟Ayn yajibu an anzil?
Does this stop at …?هل تتوقف هنا؟Hal tatawaqqaf hunak?
I want to go to this addressأريد الذهاب إلى هذا العنوانUrid al-dhahab ila hadha al-unwan
Can you turn on the meter?هل يمكنك تشغيل العداد؟Hal yumkinuka tashghil al-‘addad?
How much does it cost to …?كم يكلف إلى …؟Kam yukallif ila …?

Accommodation

WordTranslationPronunciation
ReservationحجزHajz
KeyمفتاحMiftaah
RoomغرفةGhurfa
BathroomحمامHammam
TowelمنشفةManshafah
Air conditioningتكييفTakyeef
FanمروحةMarwaha
Wi-Fiواي فايWai Fai
Passwordكلمة المرورKalimah al-murur
I have a reservation under the name …لدي حجز باسم …Ladi hajz bism …
Do you have a room available?هل لديك غرفة متاحة؟Hal ladayk ghurfa mutahh?
How much does it cost per night?كم يكلف في الليلة؟Kam yukallif fi al-laylah?
Can I check out later?هل يمكنني تسجيل الخروج لاحقًا؟Hal yumkinuni tasjil al-khurooj lahqan?
Can you fix this?هل يمكنك إصلاح هذا؟Hal yumkinuka islah hatha?
The air conditioning is not workingالتكييف لا يعملAl-takyeef la ya’mal
What is the Wi-Fi password?ما هي كلمة مرور الواي فاي؟Ma hiya kalimat murur al-wai fai?

Food and Drink

WordTranslationPronunciation
Water (still)ماء (عادي)Ma’ (aadi)
Water (sparkling)ماء (معدني)Ma’ (ma’adini)
Without iceبدون ثلجBidoon thalj
SpicyحارHar
Not spicyغير حارGhayr har
VegetarianنباتيNabati
Veganنباتي صارمNabati sarim
ChickenدجاجDajaj
FishسمكSamak
MeatلحمLahm
BreakfastفطورFutoor
LunchغداءGhadaa
DinnerعشاءAsha’
May I see the menu?هل يمكنني رؤية القائمة؟Hal yumkinuni ru’yat al-qa’imah?
I would like …أود …Awad …
Without … pleaseبدون … من فضلكBidoon … min fadlik
I am allergic to …أنا لدي حساسية من …Ana laday hasasiyah min …
No nuts pleaseلا مكسرات من فضلكLa mukasarat min fadlik
No milk pleaseلا حليب من فضلكLa halib min fadlik
No gluten pleaseلا جلوتين من فضلكLa gluten min fadlik
May I have the bill?هل يمكنني الحصول على الفاتورة؟Hal yumkinuni al-husool ‘ala al-faturah?
Where can I eat well?أين يمكنني أن آكل جيدًا؟Ayn yumkinuni an akul jayyidan?

Allergies and Safe Eating

WordTranslationPronunciation
I am allergic to …أنا لدي حساسية من …Ana laday hasasiyya min …
I cannot eat thisلا أستطيع أكل هذاLa astati’u akl hatha
Does this contain …?هل يحتوي هذا على …؟Hal yahtawi hatha ‘ala …?
No peanuts or nuts pleaseلا فستق أو مكسرات من فضلكLa fustuq aw mukasarat min fadlik
Is this raw?هل هذا نيء؟Hal hatha nay?
Is this very spicy?هل هذا حار جداً؟Hal hatha har jidan?
Only well done pleaseمستوي جيد فقط من فضلكMustawi jayyid faqat min fadlik

Health and Emergency

WordTranslationPronunciation
Help!مساعدة!Musaa’ada!
DoctorطبيبTabeeb
HospitalمستشفىMustashfa
PharmacyصيدليةSaydaliyya
PainألمAlam
FeverحمىHumma
AllergyحساسيةHasasiyya
PoliceشرطةShurta
I need helpأحتاج مساعدةAhtaj musaa’ada
Call an ambulanceاتصل بالإسعافIttasil bil-is’aaf
I lost my passportفقدت جواز سفريFaqadt jawaz safari
I have been robbedتم سرقتيTam sirqati
I do not feel wellلا أشعر أنني بخيرLa ashur annani bikhayr
Where is the nearest pharmacy?أين أقرب صيدلية؟Ayna aqrab saydaliyya?
I have pain hereأشعر بألم هناAsh’ur bi-alam huna

MONEY AND PAYING

WordTranslationPronunciation
CashنقدNaqd
PINرقم التعريف الشخصيRaqm al-ta’arif al-shakhsi
CardبطاقةBitaqa
Exchange moneyتبديل الأموالTabdeel al-amwal
ReceiptإيصالEesal
Can I pay by card?هل يمكنني الدفع بالبطاقة؟Hal yumkinuni al-daf’ bilbitaqa?
Can I pay in cash?هل يمكنني الدفع نقداً؟Hal yumkinuni al-daf’ naqd’an?
Where is an ATM?أين يوجد جهاز الصراف الآلي؟Ayna yujad jihaz al-sarraf al-ali?
May I have a receipt?هل يمكنني الحصول على إيصال؟Hal yumkinuni al-husool ‘ala eesal?

SIM AND INTERNET

WordTranslationPronunciation
I want a SIM cardأريد بطاقة SIMUreed bitaqat SIM
I want an eSIMأريد eSIMUreed eSIM
How much data is included?كم كمية البيانات المضمنة؟Kam kamiyat al-bayanat al-mudmana?
Does this work on my phone?هل يعمل هذا على هاتفي؟Hal ya’mal hatha ‘ala hatifi?
Can you activate it?هل يمكنك تفعيله؟Hal yumkinuka taf’iluhu?
Where is the Wi-Fi?أين يوجد الواي فاي؟Ayna yujad al-wifi?

English Proficiency in Jordan

In Jordan, English is commonly spoken in urban areas, especially in tourist hubs like Amman and Petra. The younger generation, particularly those working in the tourism sector, is generally proficient in English, making it easier for travelers to communicate. However, in local markets or smaller towns, English proficiency decreases significantly, especially among the older population who may not have had the same exposure to the language.

While major attractions often have English signage and staff, relying solely on English in rural areas can lead to misunderstandings. It’s essential to be prepared for situations where English may not be understood, particularly when interacting with locals who are not involved in tourism.

Quick Decision Rules

  • If in rural areas, then assume little English and use a translation app and pointing.
  • If in tourist hubs, then expect English but carry basic Arabic phrases for better interaction.
  • If interacting with older locals, then prioritize non-verbal communication and patience.

Readability of Signs and Menus

In Jordan, signage in urban areas is often bilingual, featuring both Arabic and English. Tourist attractions typically provide menus and signs in English, making navigation easier for foreign travelers. However, in less touristy areas, signs may only be in Arabic, which can pose challenges for those unfamiliar with the script. Street names in major cities are usually displayed in both scripts, but rural areas may lack this dual signage, requiring travelers to rely on maps or local assistance.

Communication Tips

  • Use non-verbal signals – gestures can bridge language gaps effectively.
  • Download offline translation apps – they are crucial for communication in rural areas.
  • Learn a few basic Arabic phrases – locals appreciate the effort and it enhances interactions.
  • Be polite and patient – showing respect can lead to better responses.
  • Smile and maintain eye contact – this builds rapport and eases communication.
  • Ask for help from younger locals – they are more likely to speak English and assist.

Frequently Asked Questions

1Is there a difference in English proficiency between younger and older people?

Yes, younger people, especially in urban areas, tend to speak English better than older generations.

2Are body language and gestures understood differently in Jordan?

Yes, some gestures may have different meanings, so it’s best to observe local customs.

3Why are offline translation apps necessary in rural areas?

In rural areas, English is less common, making offline translation essential for effective communication.

4What is the social etiquette for addressing someone in the street?

It’s polite to greet people with ‘Salam’ (peace) when approaching them.

5How can I understand public transport systems in Jordan?

Look for signs in English and ask locals for help with tickets and destinations.

6What local word or greeting can help build rapport?

‘Marhaba’ (hello) is a friendly greeting that locals appreciate.

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