All About Jordan

Helpful Jordanian Arabic Words & Phrases

A little Jordanian Arabic goes a long way with drivers, guides, and shopkeepers in Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman, and Aqaba. This is a practical, everyday selection of Jordanian Arabic words and phrases for visitors — not formal classroom Arabic. Pronunciation, and sometimes wording, can vary from one region or speaker to another, so treat the transliterations below as a helpful guide rather than a single fixed rule.

Greetings & Introductions

Hello سلام / مرحبا salam / marHaba

Good morning صباح الخير SabaaH il-khair

Good evening مساء الخير masa' il-khair

Good night تصبح على خير tusbaH 'ala khair

How are you? كيف حالك؟ keef Haalak (m) / keef Haalik (f) / keef Haalkon (group)

Fine, good منيح / كويس / كويسة mniH / kwayyes (m) / kwayyeseh (f)

Praise be to God الحمد لله il-Hamdu lillah

A very common reply to “how are you?” — it literally means “praise be to God” rather than a direct translation of “fine.”

What is your name? شو اسمك؟ shu ismak (m) / shu ismik (f)

My name is … اسمي … ismi …

Nice to meet you تشرفنا / فرصة سعيدة tsharrafna / forsa sa'eedeh

I / Me أنا ana

You انت / انتي inta (m) / inti (f)

He هو huwwe

She هي hiyye

We احنا iHna

They هم hom

Goodbye مع السلامة ma' salama

Polite Words & Everyday Conversation

Please من فضلك min fadlak (m) / min fadlik (f)

Please, I beg you أرجوك / أرجوكي arjook (m) / arjooki (f)

Excuse me لو سمحت / لو سمحتي law samaHt (m) / law samaHti (f)

Used to politely get someone's attention, for example calling a waiter.

Thank you شكراً shukran

Thank you (for something someone has done) يسلمو إيديك yislamu ideik

A warm Jordanian expression, literally referring to the person's hands.

Thank you very much شكراً جزيلاً shukran jazeelan

You're welcome عفواً 'afwan

It can also be used as “excuse me” or “pardon me,” depending on context.

Welcome أهلاً وسهلاً ahlan wa sahlan

A warm greeting used to welcome someone — not a reply to “thank you.”

Yes نعم / آه na'am / aah

No لا la

Pardon me, forgive me سامحني / سامحيني samiHni (m) / samiHini (f)

Sorry آسف / آسفة asif (m) / asfeh (f)

Congratulations مبروك / تهانينا mabrouk / tahaneena

Mabrouk is the everyday form; tahaneena is more formal.

Hopefully, God willing إن شاء الله insha'allah

I want بدي biddi

We want بدنا bidna

Do you want? بدك؟ biddak (m) / biddik (f)

Wait استنى istanna

Hurry up بسرعة bisur'a

Go away امشي imshi

A firm way to ask someone to leave you alone — use calmly and only if genuinely needed.

Asking for Help & Understanding

I don't speak Arabic well ما بحكي عربي منيح ma baHki 'arabi mniH

Exact wording can vary by speaker and region.

I speak a little Arabic بعرف عربي شوي ba'aref 'arabi shway

Do you speak English? بتحكي انجليزي؟ btiHki ingleezi?

Is there someone here who speaks English? في حدا هون بيحكي انجليزي؟ fi Hada hon biHki ingleezi?

I don't understand أنا مش فاهم / مش فاهمة ana mish faahim (m) / mish faahmeh (f)

Directions, Places & Transport

Directions

Right يمين yameen

Left شمال shmal

Straight دغري dughri

Places & Services

Downtown وسط البلد wast il-balad

Street شارع shaari'

Where is the toilet? وين الحمام؟ wayn il-Hammam?

Toilet, WC حمام Hammam

Hotel فندق funduq

Museum متحف mathaf

Market, souq سوق souq

Restaurant مطعم mat'am

Hospital مستشفى mustashfa

Doctor طبيب tabeeb

Police شرطة shurta

Passport جواز سفر jawaz safar

ID, identity card هوية huwiyyeh

Transport

Car سيارة sayyara

Taxi تاكسي taxi

Bus باص baS

Airplane طيارة Tayyara

Train قطار qitar

Food, Drinks & Paying

Food & Drink

Tea شاي shay

Coffee قهوة ahweh

Food أكل akel

Juice عصير 'aseer

Water pipe (shisha) أرجيلة argeeleh

Sugar سكر sukkar

Without sugar بدون سكر bidoon sukkar

Milk حليب Haleeb

Shopping & Prices

How much? قديش؟ / بكم؟ addaysh? / bikam?

How much is this? قديش هاد؟ addaysh haada?

What is this? شو هاد؟ shu haada?

This هاد haada

That هداك hadaak

These هدول hadol

Expensive غالي ghali

Too much كتير kteer

Beautiful جميل / حلو jameel / Helo

Nice لطيف lateef

Paying

The bill الحساب il-Hisab

Invoice فاتورة fatoorah

Health, Safety & Essential Help

Help! الحقوني! ilHaquuni!

A direct call for help or assistance.

Look out! دير بالك / ديري بالك deer balak (m) / deeri balik (f)

Help me ساعدني / ساعديني sa'idni (m) / sa'idini (f)

I need your help بحتاج مساعدتك baHtaaj musaa'adtak (m) / musaa'adtik (f)

Leave me alone سيبني لحالي seebni laHalli

Don't touch me! لا تلمسني la talmisni

I'm sick أنا مريض / مريضة ana mareeD (m) / mareeDa (f)

I need a doctor بدي دكتور biddi doktor

I'm lost أنا ضايع / ضايعة ana Daayi' (m) / Daay'a (f)

I lost my bag ضيّعت شنطتي dayya't shantati

I lost my wallet ضيّعت جزداني dayya't jazdani

Can I use your phone? بصير أستخدم تلفونك؟ bSeer astakhdim telefonak?

Numbers, Time & Days

Numbers 1–10

Arabic-Indic digits used in Jordan are read from left to right.

1 — One ١ — واحد waaHid

2 — Two ٢ — اثنين itnain

3 — Three ٣ — ثلاثة talata

4 — Four ٤ — أربعة arba'a

5 — Five ٥ — خمسة khamseh

6 — Six ٦ — ستة sitteh

7 — Seven ٧ — سبعة sab'a

8 — Eight ٨ — ثمانية tamanyeh

9 — Nine ٩ — تسعة tis'a

10 — Ten ١٠ — عشرة 'ashara

Time

Now هلا halla

Later بعدين ba'dain

Before قبل abl

Morning صباح SabaaH

Afternoon بعد الظهر ba'ad id-duhur

Evening مساء masa'

Night ليل layl

Days

Today اليوم il-yom

Yesterday امبارح imbariH

Tomorrow بكرة bukra

This week هالأسبوع hal-usboo'

Colours

Black أسود aswad

White أبيض abyaD

Grey رمادي ramaadi

Red أحمر aHmar

Blue أزرق azraq

Yellow أصفر asfar

Green أخضر akhDar

Orange برتقالي burtuqali

Purple بنفسجي banafsaji

Brown بني bunni