Remember back when you had to grab a giant dictionary every time you wanted to find or translate one word?

Back when you had to say the alphabet from A all the way to that first letter of the word you were looking up…only to never find it or to take forever doing so?

We’re all happy those days are behind us, and that we now enjoy the luxury of Google Translate and the internet.

Still, learning new words in a foreign language like Arabic is difficult if you lack proper systems and strategic learning methods.

So, what’s a strategic way to learn new basic Arabic words for beginners?

According to statistics, learning 1000 words covers 85.5% of conversation in a given language.

Technically, this means you’ll be able to speak Arabic fluently if you learn the 1000 most used words.

Makes it sound way easier, right?

Below are 200 words to get you started. 

Let’s dig in!

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Numbers
3. Nouns
4. Verbs
5. Adjectives
6. Conjunctions
7. Others
8. Conclusion

1. Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

To start composing basic sentences in Arabic, you’ll probably need to master personal pronouns. Here’s a list of the most essential personal pronouns in Arabic.

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
I	ʾanā	أنَا
you	ʾanta	أَنتَ
you	ʾanti	أَنتِ
he	huwa	هُوَ
she	hiya	هِيَ
it	huwa / hiya	هُوَ/هِيَ
we	naḥnu	نَحنُ
they	hum	هُم
him	-h	-ه
her	-hā	-ها
us	-nā	-نا
them	-hum	-هم

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are the tools you use to refer to objects and people in your conversations. Learning these will be of great use for your interactions. Here’s a list of the four demonstrative pronouns:

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
this	haḏihi / haḏā	هَذِهِ / هَذا
that	dāka / ḏalik	ذاكَ / ذَلِك
these	haʾulāʾ/ haḏihi	هَؤُلاء / هَذِهِ
those	ʾūlaʾik / tilk	أولَئِك / تِلك

Interrogative Pronouns / Question Words

Interrogative pronouns are building blocks for questions, a.k.a. the Five Ws. Here’s a list of those with romanizations:

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
who	man	مَن
whom	man	مَن
whose	liman	لِمَن
what	māḏā	ماذا
which	ayy	أَيّ

Along with interrogative pronouns, it’s also worth listing interrogative adverbs, which serve a similar purpose.

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
when	matā	مَتى
where	ʾayna	أَيْنَ
why	limāḏā	لِماذا
how	kayfa	كَيْفَ

2. Numbers

Numerals in English	Numerals in Arabic	English	Romanizations	Arabic Words
0	٠	zero	ṣifr	صِفر
1	١	one	waḥid	وَاحِد
2	٢	two	ʾiṯnān	إثنان
3	٣	three	ṯalāṯah	ثلَاثَة
4	٤	four	ʾarbaʿah	أَربَعَة
5	٥	five	ḫamsah	خَمسَة
6	٦	six	sittah	سِتَّة
7	٧	seven	sabʿah	سَبعَة
8	٨	eight	ṯamāniyah	ثَمانِيَة
9	٩	nine	tisʿah	تِسعَة
10	١٠	ten	ʿašarah	عَشَرَة

3. Nouns

Nouns are probably the first basic Arabic vocabulary words you start learning as a beginner. They’re one of two key components in a sentence (together with verbs) and you can usually get your point across using just the right noun. With that in mind, let’s look at a few beginner-level Arabic nouns. 

Time

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
hour	sāʿah	ساعَة
minute	daqīqah	دَقيقَة
morning	ṣabāḥ	صَباح
afternoon	baʿd al-ẓuhr	بَعد الظُهر
evening	masāʾ	مَساء
day	yawm	يَوْم
month	šahr	شَهر
year	sanah	سَنَة
Monday	al-ʾiṯnayn	الإثنَيْن
Tuesday	al-ṯulāṯāʾ	الثُلاثاء
Wednesday	al-ʾarbaʿāʾ	الأَربَعاء
Thursday	al-ḫamīs	الخَميس
Friday	al-ǧumʿah	الجُمعَة
Saturday	al-sabt	السَبت
Sunday	al-ʾaḥad	الأَحَد

People

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
butcher	ǧazzār	جَزّار
woodman	ḥaṭṭāb	حَطّاب
police officer	ḍābiṭ šurṭah	ضابِط شُرطَة
doctor	ṭabīb	طَبيب
nurse	mumarriḍah	مُمَرِّضَة
firefighter	raǧul ʾiṭfāʾ	رَجُل إطفاء
teacher	mudarris	مُدَرِّس
father	ʾab	أَب
mother	ʾum	أُم
sister	ʾuḫt	أُخت
brother	ʾaḫ	أَخ
Mr.	al-sayyid	السَيِّد
Ms.	al-sayyidah	السَيِّدَة

Places Around Town

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
hospital	mustašfā	مُستَشفى
supermarket	sūbar mārkit	سوبَر ماركِت
school	madrasah	مَدرَسَة
downtown	wasaṭ al-madīnah	وَسَط المَدينَة
university	ǧāmiʿah	جامِعَة
city hall	ǧihāz al-madīnah	جِهاز المَدينَة
main square	al-maydān al-raʾīsī	المَيْدان الرَئيسي
bank	al-bank	البَنك
museum	al-matḥaf	المَتحَف
restaurant	al-maṭʿam	المَطعَم
café	al-maqhā	المَقهى
police station	markazu l-šurṭah	مَركَز الشُرطَة
train station	maḥaṭṭaẗu l-qiṭār	مَحَطَّةُ القِطار
bus station	maḥaṭṭaẗu l-ḥāfilāt	مَحَطَّةُ الحافِلات

School/Office Essentials

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
pen	qalam	قَلَم
notebook	daftar mulāḥaẓāt	دَفتَر مُلاحَظات
computer	kumbīūtar	كُمبيوتَر
pencil case	maqlamah	مَقلَمَة
headphones	sammāʿāt	سمّاعات
mouse	faʾrah	فأرَة
keyboard	lawḥaẗu mafātīḥ	لَوْحَةُ مَفاتيح
wifi	waī fāī	واي فاي
charger	šāḥin	شاحِن
cable	silk	سِلك
backpack	ḥaqībaẗu ẓahr	حَقيبَةُ ظَهر
desk	maktab	مَكتَب
copybook	kurrāsah	كُرّاسَة

Body Parts

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
eye	al-ʿayn	العَيْن
nose	al-ʾanf	الأَنف
ear	al-ʾuḏun	الأُذُن
face	al-waǧh	الوَجه
arm	al-ḏirāʿ	الذِراع
chest	al-ṣadr	الصَدر
cheek	al-ḫad	الخَد
forehead	al-ǧabhah	الجَبهَة
mouth	al-fam	الفَم
chin	al-ḏaqn	الذَقن
armpit	al-ʾibiṭ	الإبِط
abdomen	al-baṭn	البَطن
leg	al-sāq	الساق
toe	ʾaṣābiʿ al-qadam	أَصابِع القَدَم
finger	ʾiṣbaʿ	إصبَع
ankle	al-kāḥil	الكاحِل
hip	al-wirk	الوِرك
forearm	al-sāʿid	الساعِد
elbow	al-kūʿ	الكوع
wrist	al-miʿṣam	المِعصَم

Food

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
ٍٍvegetables	ḫuḍrawat	خُضرَوات
fruit	fawakih	فَوَاكِه
meat	laḥm	لَحم
milk	ḥalīb	حَليب
egg	bayḍ	بَيْض
coffee	qahwah	قَهوَة
yogurt	zabādī	زَبادي
bread	ḫubz	خُبز
bacon	laḥm muqaddad	لَحم مُقَدَّد
pie	faṭīrah	فَطيرَة
ham	laḥm ḫinzīr	لَحم خِنزير
chicken	daǧāǧ	دَجاج
juice	ʿaṣīr	عَصير
sausage	suǧuq	سُجُق

4. Verbs

Our next set of Arabic beginner words covers the most essential verbs in a variety of categories. You can use these to form more complete sentences in Arabic. 

Daily Routine Verbs

The following verbs will come in handy if you want to start a journal in Arabic.

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
to get up	qāma	قامَ
to eat	ʾakala	أَكَلَ
to drink	šarib	شَرِب
to go	ḏahaba	ذَهَبَ
to work	ʿamila	عَمِلَ
to study	darasa	دَرَسَ
to drive	qāda	قادَ
to ride	rakiba	رَكِبَ
to sleep	nāma	نامَ
to wake up	istayqaẓa	اِستَيْقَظَ
to hang	ʿallaqa	عَلَّقَ
to do laundry	qāma bilġasīl	قامَ بِالغَسيل
to nap	ʾaḫaḏa qaylūlah	أَخَذَ قَيْلولَة
to work out	tamarrana	تَمَرَّنَ
to go out	ḫaraǧa	خَرَجَ
to prepare	ḥaḍara	حَضَرَ
to cook	ṭabaḫa	طَبَخَ
to clean	naẓẓafa	نَظَّفَ
to wash	ġasala	غَسَلَ
to tidy up	rattaba	رَتَّبَ
to connect	ittaṣala	اِتَّصَلَ
to communicate	tawaṣala	تَوَاصَلَ
to wear	irtadā	اِرتَدى
to take (something) off	ʾazala	أَزالَ
to grab	ʾamsaka	أَمسَكَ
to mix	ḫalaṭa	خَلَطَ
to carry	ḫamala	خَمَلَ
to freeze	ǧammada	جَمَّدَ
to change	ġayyara	غَيَّرَ
to move	naqala	نَقَلَ

Other Common Verbs

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
to give	ʾaʿṭā	أَعطى
to take	ʾaḫaḏa	أَخَذَ
to do	faʿala	فَعَلَ
to make	ǧaʿala	جَعَلَ
to let	taraka	تَرَكَ
to ask	ṭalaba	طَلَبَ
to smile	ibtasama	اِبتَسَمَ
to find	waǧada	وَجَدَ
to use	istaḫdama	اِستَخدَمَ
to lose	faqad	فَقَد
to come	ʾatā	أَتى
to look	naẓara	نَظَرَ
to hear	samiʿa	سَمِعَ
to smell	šamma	شَمَّ
to talk	taḥaddaṯa	تَحَدَّثَ
to exit	ḫaraǧa	خَرَجَ
to call	ittaṣala	اِتَّصَلَ
to feel	ʾaḥassa	أَحَسَّ
to answer	ʾaǧāba	أَجابَ
to laugh	ḍaḥika	ضَحِكَ
to cry	bakā	بَكى
to steal	saraqa	سَرَقَ
to run	ǧarā	جَرى
to walk	mašā	مَشى
to meet	iltaqā	اِلتَقى
to create	ṣanaʿa	صَنَعَ
to finish	ʾanhā	أَنهى

5. Adjectives

Learning Arabic words to describe the world around you can liven up your conversations, strengthen your Arabic writing, and allow you to better express yourself in this rather expressive language. 

Describing Objects

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
big	kabīr	كَبير
small	ṣaġīr	صَغير
long	ṭawil	طَوِيل
short	qaṣīr	قَصير
twisted	multawi	مُلتَوِي
smooth	nāʿim	ناعِم
rough	ḫašin	خَشِن

Describing People

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
pretty	ǧamīl	جَميل
handsome	wasīm	وَسيم
tall	ṭawil	طَوِيل
short	qaṣīr	قَصير
disgusting	muṯīr lilišmiʾzāz	مُثير لِلاِشمِئزاز
sociable	iǧtimāʿī	اِجتِماعي
funny	muḍḥik	مُضحِك
beautiful	ǧamīl	جَميل
lovely	rāʾiʿ	رائِع
caring	ʿaṭūf	عَطوف
generous	karīm	كَريم
arrogant	maġrūr	مَغرور
humble	mutawaḍiʿ	مُتَوَاضِع
courageous	šuǧāʿ	شُجاع
weak	ḍaʿīf	ضَعيف
strong	qaweī	قَوي

Describing Emotions

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
happy	saʿīd	سَعيد
sad	ḥazīn	حَزين
joyful	mubtahiǧ	مُبتَهِج
weird	ġarīb	غَريب
depressed	muktaʾib	مُكتَئِب
anxious	qaliq	قَلِق
stressed out	mutawattir	مُتَوَتِّر
jolly	mariḥ	مَرِح

Describing Weather

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
rainy	mumṭir	مُمطِر
sunny	mušmis	مُشمِس
humid	raṭib	رَطِب
dry	ǧāf	جاف
arid	qāḥil	قاحِل
frigid	mutaǧammid	مُتَجَمِّد
foggy	ḍabābī	ضَبابي
windy	rīḥī	ريحي
stormy	ʿāṣif	عاصِف
partly cloudy	ġāʾim ǧuzʾiyyan	غائِم جُزئِيّاً
cloudy	ġāʾim	غائِم
calm	hādiʾ	هادِئ

6. Conjunctions

When you want to link one sentence to another, you use conjunctions. Here’s a list of the most used conjunctions in Arabic:

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
and	wa	و
but	lakin	لَكِن
then	ṯumma	ثُمَّ
because	liʾanna	لِأَنَّ
so	wabil-talī	وَبِالتالي

7. Others

Below are a few filler words from different Arabic dialects and MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) to help you blend in even more with native speakers.

English Translations	Romanizations	Arabic Words
beautiful (MSA)	ǧamīl	جَميل
by God (all dialects, MSA)	wallah	واَلله
now (Levantine)	halā	هَلا
ًwhat (Moroccan Arabic, Algerian Arabic)	kifāš	كِفاش
I mean / like (Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf)	yaʿnī	يَعني

8. Conclusion

Congrats for getting this far! You’re 200 words in, enough to impress most Arabs as few foreigners have the courage to get this far in their Arabic studies. How many of these words did you know already—and how many were new to you? Let us know in the comments! 

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