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Useful Arabic Phrases for Expats in Oman
You do not need to be fluent to start using Arabic in Oman. A small set of everyday phrases will help you greet people, take a taxi, shop in the souq and show respect for local culture. This list of Arabic phrases for expats focuses on expressions that are understood everywhere in Oman, with simple pronunciation for English speakers.
Tip: in Arabic, some words change depending on whether you are speaking to a man or a woman. Where this matters, we show both forms.
In this guide
- Greetings: The First Arabic Phrases for Expats
- Words You Will Hear Every Day in Oman
- Taking a Taxi and Asking for Directions
- Shopping in the Souq: Arabic Phrases for Expats
- At a Restaurant or Café
- At Work: Phrases for Omani Colleagues
- A Note on the Omani Accent
- Practise These Arabic Phrases for Expats with a Teacher
Greetings: The First Arabic Phrases for Expats
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Peace be upon you (hello) | السلام عليكم | as-salāmu ʿalaykum |
| Reply: And upon you peace | وعليكم السلام | wa ʿalaykum as-salām |
| Welcome | أهلاً وسهلاً | ahlan wa sahlan |
| Good morning | صباح الخير | ṣabāḥ al-khayr |
| Good evening | مساء الخير | masāʾ al-khayr |
| How are you? (to a man) | كيف حالك؟ | kayf ḥālak? |
| How are you? (to a woman) | كيف حالك؟ | kayf ḥālich? / kayf ḥālish? |
| Fine, thank God | الحمد لله | al-ḥamdu lillāh |
| Thank you | شكراً | shukran |
| You are welcome | عفواً | ʿafwan |
| Please (to a man / woman) | من فضلك | min faḍlak / min faḍlik |
| Excuse me / sorry | لو سمحت / آسف | law samaḥt / āsif |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | maʿa as-salāma |
In Oman, greetings matter. Take a moment to greet people before getting to business, and always reply to as-salāmu ʿalaykum with wa ʿalaykum as-salām. For more greetings, see Common Arabic Greetings. These greetings are the Arabic phrases for expats to learn first.
Words You Will Hear Every Day in Oman
| Word | Arabic | Meaning and use |
|---|---|---|
| inshallah | إن شاء الله | “God willing”, used when talking about the future |
| mashallah | ما شاء الله | Used to express admiration, e.g. for a child or a new home |
| yalla | يلا | “Let’s go” / “come on” |
| khalāṣ | خلاص | “Finished”, “that’s enough”, “done” |
| zayn | زين | “Good”, “fine”, “OK”, very common in the Gulf |
| tafaḍḍal | تفضل | “Please, go ahead / help yourself”, used when offering something |
| naʿam / lā | نعم / لا | “Yes” / “No” |
| shwayya | شوية | “A little” |
| mumkin? | ممكن؟ | “Is it possible?” / “Can I?” |
Taking a Taxi and Asking for Directions
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is…? | وين…؟ / أين…؟ | wayn…? / ayna…? |
| Right | يمين | yamīn |
| Left | يسار | yasār |
| Straight ahead | سيدا / على طول | sīda / ʿala ṭūl |
| Stop here, please | وقف هنا لو سمحت | waqqif hina law samaḥt |
| How much? (fare) | كم؟ / بكم؟ | kam? / bikam? |
| The airport | المطار | al-maṭār |
| The hospital | المستشفى | al-mustashfā |
Want more? Read our full guides to asking for directions in Arabic and Arabic for transportation. Taxi rides are one of the best places to practise Arabic phrases for expats, because drivers are usually happy to help.
Shopping in the Souq: Arabic Phrases for Expats
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | بكم هذا؟ | bikam hādha? |
| Too expensive | غالي | ghālī |
| Any discount? | في خصم؟ | fī khaṣm? |
| I want this | أريد هذا | urīd hādha |
| Do you have…? | عندك…؟ | ʿindak…? |
| Rial / baisa | ريال / بيسة | riyāl / baisa (Omani currency) |
Prices are a great way to practise numbers. Learn them with Arabic Numbers for Beginners and the phrases in Arabic for Shopping. Bargaining politely is where these Arabic phrases for expats really pay off.
At a Restaurant or Café
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | طاولة لاثنين من فضلك | ṭāwila li-ithnayn min faḍlak |
| The menu, please | المنيو لو سمحت | al-menu law samaḥt |
| Water | ماء | māʾ (often māy in the Gulf) |
| Coffee / tea | قهوة / شاي | qahwa / shāy |
| The bill, please | الحساب من فضلك | al-ḥisāb min faḍlak |
| Delicious! | لذيذ! | ladhīdh! |
If you are invited to an Omani home, you will probably be offered kahwa (Omani coffee) with dates and sometimes Omani halwa. Accepting is polite, and a simple shukran is one of the most useful Arabic phrases for expats at the table. More useful phrases are in Arabic at the Restaurant.
At Work: Phrases for Omani Colleagues
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Nice to meet you | تشرفنا | tasharrafnā |
| How was your weekend? | كيف كانت العطلة؟ | kayf kānat al-ʿuṭla? |
| Good luck | بالتوفيق | bit-tawfīq |
| Thank you for your help | شكراً على مساعدتك | shukran ʿala musāʿadtak |
| Congratulations | مبروك | mabrūk |
| Have a blessed Friday | جمعة مباركة | jumʿa mubāraka |
For more workplace language, see Arabic for Work and Arabic for Business. Using a few Arabic phrases for expats at work is one of the quickest ways to build trust with Omani colleagues.
A Note on the Omani Accent
Omani Arabic is a Gulf variety with its own accent and vocabulary. Two features you will notice quickly: the letter ج is often pronounced like a hard “g”, and when speaking to a woman, many Omanis add the ending -ish (for example kayf ḥālish?). Do not worry about sounding local at first. Clear, simple Arabic is understood everywhere, and people will appreciate the effort. Start with the Arabic phrases for expats on this page, and the local accent will come with time.
Practise These Arabic Phrases for Expats with a Teacher
Reading phrases is a good start, but confidence comes from saying them out loud and getting feedback. Our live online Arabic for Beginners course for adults in Oman covers greetings, introductions, numbers and prices, places and daily routines, with speaking practice in every class. Your first class is free. Prefer one-to-one lessons? Book a free evaluation.
