Arabic etiquette and basic phrases for Dubai: greetings, taxis, restaurants, signs and emergencies

Arabic and English in everyday Dubai

Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates and the language of government, religion and Emirati family life. Dubai is also home to people from a great many countries, so in tourism, retail and transport English works as the shared language between staff and visitors. In a single day you may hear Arabic, English and several South Asian, Southeast Asian and European languages, and a shop assistant or taxi driver may well have learned English as a second or third language, just like you.

Official information is generally published in both languages. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) website, for example, offers an Arabic version from a language switch on every page, and its service pages for taxis and the metro are available in English. As a practical observation rather than an official rule, you will usually find English alongside Arabic on road signs, metro maps, mall directories and hospital wayfinding, so you are unlikely to be stuck because you cannot read Arabic script.

Emiratis speak a Gulf dialect of Arabic at home, while Modern Standard Arabic is used in the news, in formal writing and on official documents. The phrases below mix the two in the way visitors most often hear them. Where a Gulf form is common in Dubai, we give it as an alternative, but the standard form is understood everywhere.

• English is enough for most practical tasks; Arabic phrases are a courtesy, not a requirement.
• Official transport information from the RTA is published in Arabic and English.
• Expect bilingual signs in transport, malls and hospitals, and keep a translation app as a backup.

How to read the phrases in this guide

Each phrase is written in Latin letters followed by its meaning in English. An apostrophe marks a sound that English does not really have: either a short catch in the throat, as in the middle of 'uh-oh', or the deeper throat sound of the Arabic letter 'ayn. You will be understood even if you simply pause briefly at the apostrophe. The letters kh sound like the ch in the Scottish word loch, gh is close to a French r, and a double letter is held slightly longer.

Arabic changes some word endings depending on whether you are speaking to a man or a woman. Where it matters, we give the form for a man first, then the form for a woman, marked (m.) and (f.). If you mix them up, nobody will mind; people in Dubai are used to hearing Arabic from learners and the effort itself is what counts.

Do not worry about perfect pronunciation. Say the phrase with a smile, and if the reply comes back in fast Arabic, it is perfectly polite to switch to English with a simple 'Sorry, only a little Arabic'.

• (m.) = speaking to a man; (f.) = speaking to a woman.
• An apostrophe marks a throat sound; a short pause is fine.
• Switching to English after a greeting is normal and polite.

Greetings and replies

The greeting you will hear most is As-salamu alaykum, meaning 'peace be upon you'. It is used by Muslims and non-Muslims alike when entering a shop, meeting someone or starting a phone call, and the reply is Wa alaykum as-salam, 'and upon you be peace'. If someone greets you this way, replying with the response is the most natural thing you can do.

Marhaba is a lighter 'hello', and you may hear Marhabtayn ('two hellos') in reply. Ahlan wa sahlan means 'welcome' and is often said by hosts and shopkeepers; you can answer Ahlan bik (m.) or Ahlan biki (f.). In the morning, Sabah al-khair ('good morning') is answered with Sabah an-nur ('morning of light'), and in the evening Masa al-khair is answered with Masa an-nur.

To ask how someone is, say Kayf halak? (m.) or Kayf halik? (f.); in the Gulf you will also hear Shlonak? (m.) and Shlonich? (f.). The usual answer is Al-hamdulillah, bikhair, 'praise be to God, well'. When you leave, Ma'a as-salama means 'goodbye', literally 'go with safety', and at night you can say Tisbah 'ala khair (m.) or Tisbahin 'ala khair (f.), 'good night'.

• As-salamu alaykum / Wa alaykum as-salam: peace be upon you / and upon you be peace.
• Marhaba / Ahlan wa sahlan: hello / welcome.
• Sabah al-khair / Sabah an-nur: good morning and its reply.
• Masa al-khair / Masa an-nur: good evening and its reply.
• Kayf halak? (m.) / Kayf halik? (f.): how are you?
• Ma'a as-salama: goodbye.

Thank you, please, sorry and everyday courtesies

Shukran means 'thank you', and Shukran jazeelan is 'thank you very much'. The reply is 'Afwan, 'you are welcome', which can also be used as a gentle 'pardon?' if you did not hear something. To say please, use Min fadlak (m.) or Min fadlik (f.). In Dubai you will also often hear Law samaht (m.) or Law samahti (f.), literally 'if you permit', used both for 'please' and for 'excuse me' when you want to get past someone or attract a waiter's attention.

To apologise, say Aasif (if you are a man) or Aasfa (if you are a woman). Na'am means 'yes' and La means 'no'; in conversation you will also hear Aywa for 'yes'. A useful small word is Bas, meaning 'enough' or 'that's all', handy when someone is filling your cup or adding items to a bag.

Three religious expressions are part of everyday speech for many people, whatever the context. Insha'Allah, 'if God wills', is said about almost any future plan, from 'see you tomorrow' to a delivery time. Masha'Allah, 'what God has willed', expresses admiration, for example when someone shows you a photo of their children. Al-hamdulillah, 'praise be to God', expresses thanks or relief. Visitors are not expected to use them, but recognising them helps you follow the tone of a conversation.

• Shukran / Shukran jazeelan: thank you / thank you very much.
• 'Afwan: you are welcome; also 'pardon?'.
• Min fadlak (m.) / Min fadlik (f.): please.
• Law samaht (m.) / Law samahti (f.): excuse me, please.
• Aasif / Aasfa: sorry (said by a man / by a woman).
• Na'am or Aywa / La: yes / no.

Greetings, handshakes and names: etiquette that matters

The safest approach to greetings is to let the other person set the tone. Handshakes are common between men, and a handshake may be longer and gentler than in some Western countries. Between a man and a woman, it is polite to wait for the woman to offer her hand first; some people prefer not to shake hands with the opposite sex for religious reasons, and a smile with a slight nod, or placing your right hand on your chest, is a warm and respectful alternative. This is courtesy advice rather than a rule, and nobody will be offended if you simply follow their lead.

When it comes to names, use the name and title that the person gives you. Many Arabic names include bin ('son of') or bint ('daughter of') followed by the father's name, and a family or tribal name may come at the end. In business and service settings, Mr or Ms with the first name is common and acceptable. The titles Sheikh and Sheikha are used for members of ruling families and some other respected figures, so do not use them as a casual nickname. You will hear friends call each other habibi or habibti ('my dear'); it is affectionate rather than formal, so it is better to wait until you know someone well before using it yourself.

As general practice, use your right hand to give and receive things, including money, cards, gifts and food, and avoid pointing the sole of your foot at someone when sitting. For dress, public behaviour and photography, our local customs and etiquette guide goes into more detail.

• Let the other person offer a handshake, especially between men and women.
• A hand on the chest with a nod is a respectful alternative to shaking hands.
• Use the name and title people introduce themselves with.
• Give and receive items with your right hand.

Hospitality: coffee, dates and being a guest

If you visit a heritage centre, a traditional majlis (sitting room) or an Emirati home, you may be offered Arabic coffee, called gahwa, flavoured with cardamom and served in small handleless cups, often with dates. Accepting at least one cup is a gracious way to respond to the welcome. Hold the cup in your right hand. The host or server will usually keep refilling it; when you have had enough, gently tilt or shake the cup from side to side before handing it back, which signals that you are finished.

As a guest, small gestures are appreciated: greet the oldest person in the room first if you can tell who that is, take off your shoes if your hosts do, and accept food or drink with thanks even if you only take a little. Compliments about the home, the food or the coffee are welcome; Lazeez means 'delicious', and Ya'tik al-'afiya ('may God give you health') is a warm way to thank someone who has worked to look after you.

Heritage areas along Dubai Creek are a good place to see these traditions presented to visitors. Our historic district and creek souks guide covers Al Fahidi, the abra crossing and the old markets.

• Gahwa: Arabic coffee with cardamom, often served with dates.
• Take the cup in your right hand; tilt or shake it gently when you have had enough.
• Lazeez: delicious. Ya'tik al-'afiya: thank you for your effort (literally 'may God give you health').

Asking for directions on foot and on the metro

To ask where something is, start with Wayn, 'where', and add the place: Wayn mahattat al-mitro? ('where is the metro station?'), Wayn al-hammam? ('where is the toilet?') or Wayn al-mustashfa? ('where is the hospital?'). The answers you most need to recognise are yameen (right), yasaar (left), seedah (straight ahead), qareeb (near), ba'eed (far) and hina (here). Pointing at a map on your phone while asking is perfectly normal and often quicker.

On the Dubai Metro, the RTA's own description of the system lists two lines, Red and Green, with information displayed on screens throughout trains and stations, lifts to all station levels, and an Emergency Call Box in every train and station. Trains have different types of cabin: Gold Class cabins are reserved for Gold Class ticket holders, and some cabins are designated for women and children only, so check the signs on the platform before you board. The RTA's rules and code of conduct also list eating and drinking in areas where it is not allowed as a violation, so wait until you have left the paid area.

The RTA's online journey planner lets you choose a starting point, a destination and a departure time and suggests a public transport route, which is easier than asking for directions in any language. For nol cards, fares and how the network fits together, see our public transport and nol card guide.

• Wayn...?: where is...?
• Yameen / yasaar / seedah: right / left / straight ahead.
• Qareeb / ba'eed / hina: near / far / here.
• Look for Gold Class and Women & Children cabin signs on metro platforms.
• Use the Emergency Call Box on metro trains and stations if something goes wrong.

Taking a taxi: booking, paying and useful phrases

The RTA's taxi service page lists several ways to get a taxi: booking through the RTA's smart apps, including S'hail; booking through partner apps, which it names as Careem (Hala Taxi), Bolt, Zed and Yango; or picking one up at airport exits and on the road. At the airport, the RTA advises looking for the taxi sign at the exit and heading to the taxi queue in the arrivals area. When booking in the RTA app you can choose the vehicle type, and the page lists regular, family, female, People of Determination and Safe Hands options.

The same page lists cash, credit card, nol card, Careem Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay among the payment methods, notes that additional fares apply when passing through Salik toll gates, and states that an extra AED 20 is charged for trips passing through Sharjah. If you leave something behind, the RTA app has a Report a Lost Item option under Taxi Lost and Found, and it asks for details such as the roof colour of the taxi and the booking reference if you have one.

Most drivers speak English, but a few Arabic phrases can smooth the ride. Say the destination followed by min fadlak: Ila Dubai Mall, min fadlak ('to Dubai Mall, please'). Waqqif hina means 'stop here', Shwayy shwayy means 'slowly' or 'take it easy', and Kam al-ujra? asks 'how much is the fare?'. It also helps to keep your hotel's name and address saved on your phone in both English and Arabic. Our taxis and ride-hailing guide explains fares, apps and airport pick-ups in more depth.

• Ila..., min fadlak: to..., please.
• Waqqif hina: stop here.
• Shwayy shwayy: slowly.
• Kam al-ujra?: how much is the fare?
• Save your hotel address in English and Arabic before you travel.

At restaurants and cafés

Restaurant staff in Dubai almost always speak English, so these phrases are for friendliness rather than necessity. Ask for the menu with Al-qa'ima, min fadlak, although many people simply say 'menu'. Mumkin...? means 'could I have...?' and works for almost anything: Mumkin mai? ('could I have water?'), Mumkin shai? ('could I have tea?') or Mumkin gahwa? ('could I have coffee?').

Bidoon means 'without', so Bidoon sukkar is 'no sugar' and Bidoon haar is 'not spicy'. When you are ready to pay, Al-hisab, law samaht means 'the bill, please'. If you enjoyed the meal, Lazeez ('delicious') or Shukran, kan lazeez ('thank you, it was delicious') will be warmly received.

As practical advice, meat served in Dubai restaurants is generally halal, and many places list pork and alcohol separately on the menu where they are served. During Ramadan, daytime dining arrangements can differ from the rest of the year; follow the signs at each venue and see our dining and restaurant guide and Ramadan visitor guide before you plan meals.

• Mumkin...?: could I have...?
• Mai / shai / gahwa: water / tea / coffee.
• Bidoon sukkar / Bidoon haar: no sugar / not spicy.
• Al-hisab, law samaht: the bill, please.

Shopping in malls and souks

Prices in Dubai's malls are fixed and clearly displayed, so the phrases here are most useful in traditional markets. Bikam? or simply Kam? asks 'how much?'. Abghi... is the Gulf way of saying 'I want...', and Hatha means 'this', so Abghi hatha is 'I would like this one'. If something is too expensive, Ghali means exactly that.

In the souks, bargaining is part of the experience and is best done with good humour. Fee khasm? asks 'is there a discount?', and Akhir si'r? asks 'what is your best price?'. If you are not interested, a polite La, shukran ('no, thank you') with a smile is enough, and you can keep walking. Bas, shukran ('that's all, thank you') closes a purchase.

For where to find gold, spice and textile souks, and how they compare with the big malls, see our malls and souks guide.

• Bikam? / Kam?: how much?
• Abghi hatha: I would like this one.
• Ghali: expensive.
• Fee khasm? / Akhir si'r?: is there a discount? / what is your best price?
• La, shukran: no, thank you.

Arabic you will see on signs and screens

Arabic is written from right to left in a connected script, which can make signs look harder to read than they are. You do not need to learn the alphabet; recognising the shape of a few common words is enough to confirm you are heading for the right exit or counter, especially if an English line is small or out of sight.

Numbers are a useful exception: they are read from left to right, even inside Arabic text. Most prices, bus numbers and street addresses in Dubai use the familiar Western digits, but you may see Eastern Arabic digits on some signs, receipts and official documents. They run ٠ (0), ١ (1), ٢ (2), ٣ (3), ٤ (4), ٥ (5), ٦ (6), ٧ (7), ٨ (8) and ٩ (9).

The list below gives common sign words with a simple romanisation and their meaning. On the metro, these sit alongside the English signs for features the RTA describes on its metro page, such as the Gold Class and Women and Children cabins.

• مخرج (makhraj): exit. دخول (dukhool): entrance.
• محطة (mahatta): station. مترو (mitro): metro.
• سيارة أجرة (sayyarat ujra): taxi.
• للنساء والأطفال (lil-nisa' wal-atfal): for women and children.
• دورة المياه (dawrat al-miyah): toilets. مصلى (musalla): prayer room.
• صيدلية (saydaliyya): pharmacy. مستشفى (mustashfa): hospital. طوارئ (tawari'): emergency.
• ممنوع (mamnu'): prohibited. مفتوح / مغلق (maftuh / mughlaq): open / closed.

Ramadan and Fridays: timing and consideration

Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Because it follows the Islamic lunar calendar, it moves earlier through the Western calendar each year. Daily routines change during the month, and official schedules change with them: on 16 February 2026 the RTA announced revised working hours for Ramadan 1447 AH covering its customer centres, paid parking, public buses, the Dubai Metro and Tram, marine transport and vehicle inspection centres. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) likewise announced shorter official working hours for federal ministries and entities during Ramadan, with a shorter day on Fridays and the option for entities to let up to 70% of staff work remotely on Fridays.

For visitors, the courteous approach is simple: be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking in public during fasting hours, follow the signs and arrangements at each venue, and be patient with slower service late in the afternoon. The greeting Ramadan Kareem ('generous Ramadan') is answered with Allahu akram ('God is more generous'), and at the end of the month people wish each other Eid Mubarak ('blessed Eid'). Our Ramadan visitor guide covers dates, opening hours and iftar in detail.

Fridays matter throughout the year because of the midday congregational prayer. Expect busier roads around mosques shortly before and after the prayer, and plan errands at government counters with care: the RTA's Ramadan schedule, for example, listed Friday hours of 9:00am to 12:00 midday at several customer centres that opened until 5:00pm Monday to Thursday. As practical advice, check the RTA's published timetables for the day you travel rather than assuming weekday hours apply.

• Ramadan Kareem / Allahu akram: Ramadan greeting and reply.
• Eid Mubarak: greeting for the Eid holiday.
• Be discreet about eating and drinking in public during fasting hours.
• Check official schedules for Ramadan and Friday opening times.

Emergency phrases and numbers

Save Dubai's main emergency numbers in your phone before you need them. A Government of Dubai Media Office report on Dubai Police calls identifies 999 as the emergency number and 901 as the non-emergency number, and quotes Dubai Police urging the public to use 999 only for emergencies and 901 for non-urgent enquiries and police services. The contact page of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) lists 998 for emergencies. On the metro, the RTA says an Emergency Call Box is available in every train and station.

In an emergency, speak slowly and clearly in English if you do not know Arabic, and give your location first: the name of the building, metro station or landmark, and the area. A few words of Arabic can help you get attention quickly. Musa'ada! means 'help!', Is'af means 'ambulance' and Shurta means 'police'. To say you are unwell, use Ana mareedh (if you are a man) or Ana mareedha (if you are a woman). Ana dayi' (man) or Ana day'a (woman) means 'I am lost'.

For non-urgent health problems, pharmacies (saydaliyya) are easy to find in malls and residential areas. Our health, pharmacies and emergencies guide explains how hospitals, clinics and travel insurance work for visitors.

• 999: emergency (police).
• 901: Dubai Police non-emergency number.
• 998: ambulance emergencies (DCAS).
• Musa'ada!: help! Is'af: ambulance. Shurta: police.
• Ana mareedh (m.) / Ana mareedha (f.): I am ill.

Before you go: a short checklist

A little preparation before the flight makes the phrases above much easier to use. Pick five or six expressions you are most likely to need, such as As-salamu alaykum, Shukran, Min fadlak, Wayn...? and Al-hisab, and practise them aloud a few times. Saving them in a note on your phone, together with the emergency numbers, means you have them even without a data connection.

Download the transport app you plan to use and check that your payment method works in it, save your hotel's name and address in English and Arabic, and install an offline translation pack for Arabic. If your trip overlaps with Ramadan or a public holiday, check official schedules for the dates you travel. Our first-time Dubai checklist covers visas, money and packing, and our phone, SIM and connectivity guide explains how to stay online from arrival.

• Save 999, 901 and 998 in your phone.
• Practise five or six greeting and courtesy phrases.
• Save your hotel address in English and Arabic.
• Install a taxi or transport app and an offline Arabic translation pack.
• Check Ramadan, Friday and holiday schedules for your travel dates.