By the holidaysaudi.com team · Updated 26 September 2026
You can travel around Saudi Arabia with English alone. Signs in airports, malls, the Riyadh Metro and most tourist sites are bilingual, hotel staff speak English, and many younger Saudis are fluent. Even so, a few words of Arabic change the tone of every encounter. A greeting in Arabic often earns a broad smile, a cup of coffee or an extra date on your plate. This guide covers the phrases that are most useful in daily life, with a simple transliteration you can read aloud.
Standard Arabic and the Saudi dialect
Arabic has a formal written form, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), used in news, signs and official documents, and many spoken dialects. Saudis speak several regional dialects: Najdi in Riyadh and the centre, Hijazi in Jeddah and the west, and others in the south and east. Everyone understands MSA, but in conversation you will hear local words. Where it helps, the tables below give the everyday Saudi form.
Greetings and courtesies
| English | Arabic | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Peace be upon you (hello) | السلام عليكم | as-salaamu 'alaykum |
| Reply: and upon you peace | وعليكم السلام | wa 'alaykum as-salaam |
| Welcome | أهلاً وسهلاً / حيّاك الله | ahlan wa sahlan / hayyaak allah |
| Good morning | صباح الخير | sabaah al-khayr |
| Good evening | مساء الخير | masaa' al-khayr |
| How are you? | كيف حالك؟ / كيفك؟ | kayf haalak (to a man) / haalik (to a woman) |
| Fine, thank God | الحمد لله | al-hamdu lillaah |
| Thank you | شكراً / مشكور | shukran / mashkoor |
| You're welcome | العفو | al-'afw |
| Please (offering something) | تفضّل | tafaddal (to a man) / tafaddali (to a woman) |
| Excuse me / sorry | لو سمحت / آسف | law samaht / aasif |
| Yes / no | نعم، أيوه / لا | na'am, aywa / la |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | ma'a as-salaama |
Getting around and shopping
| English | Arabic | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | وين...؟ | wayn...? |
| I want... | أبغى... | abgha... |
| How much is it? | بكم؟ | bikam? |
| Too expensive | غالي | ghaali |
| Right / left / straight on | يمين / يسار / سيدا | yameen / yasaar / seeda |
| Stop here, please | وقّف هنا لو سمحت | waggif hina law samaht |
| I don't understand | ما فهمت | ma fihimt |
| Do you speak English? | تتكلم إنجليزي؟ | tatkallam ingleezi? |
| Help! | ساعدوني! | saa'idooni! |
Numbers are worth learning too, because prices in souqs are often written in Eastern Arabic numerals: ١ (1), ٢ (2), ٣ (3), ٤ (4), ٥ (5), ٦ (6), ٧ (7), ٨ (8), ٩ (9) and ٠ (0). Spoken, they are wahid, ithnayn, thalaatha, arba'a, khamsa, sitta, sab'a, thamaaniya, tis'a and 'ashara (10).
At the table
| English | Arabic | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Water / coffee / tea | موية / قهوة / شاهي | moya / gahwa / shaahi |
| The bill, please | الحساب لو سمحت | al-hisaab law samaht |
| Delicious | لذيذ | ladheedh |
| Enough, thank you | بس، الله يعطيك العافية | bass, allah ya'teek al-'aafya |
| Bon appétit / may it be healthy | بالعافية | bil-'aafya |
| No sugar / a little sugar | بدون سكر / سكر خفيف | bidoon sukkar / sukkar khafeef |
In Saudi Arabia, the letter qaf is often pronounced as a hard "g", which is why coffee (qahwa) becomes gahwa. Find out what to order in our food guide.
Saudi expressions that win smiles
- Abshir (أبشر): "consider it done", the classic Saudi reply to a request. You will hear it from hotel staff, drivers and shopkeepers.
- Ya'teek al-'aafya (يعطيك العافية): literally "may God give you health", said to thank someone for their work. A lovely thing to say to a guide or waiter.
- Hayyaak (حيّاك): "you are welcome here", often heard as you enter a shop or home.
- Inshallah (إن شاء الله): "God willing", used for anything in the future, from "see you tomorrow" to "your taxi is coming".
- Mashallah (ما شاء الله): an expression of admiration, for example for a beautiful view or someone's children.
- Yalla (يلا): "let's go" or "come on".
Plan your Saudi trip
Visa, hotels, tours and transport in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Do people speak English in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, widely in hotels, airports, malls and tourist sites, and many younger Saudis speak it fluently. Outside the big cities and in traditional souqs, a few words of Arabic are very helpful.
What is the most useful Arabic phrase for travellers?
As-salaamu 'alaykum, the standard greeting meaning peace be upon you. The reply is wa 'alaykum as-salaam. Using it when you enter a shop or meet someone sets a friendly tone.
What does abshir mean?
Abshir is a typically Saudi reply meaning roughly consider it done or with pleasure. You will often hear it when you ask for something.
Is Saudi Arabic different from other Arabic?
Saudis understand Modern Standard Arabic, but speak regional dialects such as Najdi in Riyadh and Hijazi in Jeddah. Pronunciation and some everyday words differ, such as abgha for I want and wayn for where.
Header photo: Photo: Abdulla Al Muhairi, CC BY 2.0
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