Basic Nouns

1. ماء

   mā

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word when asking for drinking water.

   Grammar Note

   In speech it usually carries the article and is pronounced short.

2. ماكلة

   mākla

   Food

   Usage

   The everyday word for food and meals; "mākla tūnsiyya" is Tunisian food.

   Grammar Note

   A colloquial form built from "eat", used instead of Standard Arabic "ṭaʿām".

3. فلوس

   flūs

   Money

   Usage

   The general word for money, as in "mā ʿandi-sh flūs" (I have no money).

   Grammar Note

   Plural in form, but used as a mass noun for money in general.

4. توالات

   twālāt

   Toilet

   Usage

   The toilet, as in "nemshi l-twālāt" (I'm going to the toilet).

   Grammar Note

   From French "toilettes". "ḥammām" means a bath house.

5. بابيا موشوار

   bābya mūshwār

   Tissue

   Usage

   Used when buying tissues; a box is "kaʿba bābya mūshwār".

   Grammar Note

   A phonetic copy of French "papier mouchoir".

6. دواء

   dwā

   Medicine

   Usage

   For buying medicine or describing symptoms.

   Grammar Note

   In speech it is pronounced short as "dwā".

7. باڨاج

   bāgāj

   Luggage

   Usage

   For luggage at the airport or hotel.

   Grammar Note

   From French "bagage". The letter "ڨ" stands for the sound /g/.

8. مفتاح

   miftāḥ

   Key

   Usage

   For getting your hotel room key.

   Grammar Note

   Same form as in Standard Arabic.

9. تسكرة

   teskra

   Ticket

   Usage

   A ticket for trains, buses or entry.

   Grammar Note

   "tīka" is also used for "ticket".

10. باسبور

    bāsbūr

    Passport

    Usage

    Shown at hotel reception and at border control.

    Grammar Note

    From French "passeport". Arabic script has no /p/, so it is written with "b".

11. تاليفون

    tālīfūn

    Phone

    Usage

    For talking about a mobile phone or a phone number.

    Grammar Note

    From French "téléphone".

12. شرجور

    sharjūr

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow a charger.

    Grammar Note

    From French "chargeur".

13. محطة

    maḥaṭṭa

    Station

    Usage

    A train or bus station or stop.

    Grammar Note

    Same form as in Standard Arabic.

14. سبيطار

    sbīṭār

    Hospital

    Usage

    When you need to go to hospital.

    Grammar Note

    Derived from French "hôpital"; Standard Arabic "mustashfā" is also understood.

15. بوليس

    bulīs

    Police

    Usage

    For asking for help or reporting a lost item.

    Grammar Note

    From French "police"; "shurṭa" has the same meaning.

16. حانوت

    ḥānūt

    Shop

    Usage

    A small independent shop.

    Grammar Note

    A word used widely across North Africa.

17. بيت

    bīt

    Room

    Usage

    A room in a hotel or a house.

    Grammar Note

    Same spelling as in Standard Arabic; it also means a room.

18. طريق

    ṭrīq

    Road

    Usage

    Basic word for asking the way.

    Grammar Note

    Same spelling as in Standard Arabic.

19. عايلة

    ʿāyla

    Family

    Usage

    For talking about your family.

    Grammar Note

    The colloquial form of "ʿāʾila".

20. إسم

    ism

    Name

    Usage

    Basic word for a name.

    Grammar Note

    It takes suffixes such as "ismek" (your name) and "ismi" (my name).

21. راس

    rās

    Head

    Usage

    For a headache: "rāsi yūjaʿ fiyya" means my head hurts.

    Grammar Note

    The hamza of Standard Arabic "raʾs" is dropped.

22. عين

    ʿayn

    Eye

    Usage

    For describing eye pain or symptoms.

    Grammar Note

    Same form as in Standard Arabic.

23. زرصة

    zarṣa

    Tooth (molar)

    Usage

    For tooth pain: "zarṣti tūjaʿ" means my tooth hurts.

    Grammar Note

    A colloquial word for a molar, also used for a tooth in general.

24. بطن

    baṭn

    Stomach, belly

    Usage

    For stomach ache: "baṭni yūjaʿ fiyya" means my stomach hurts.

    Grammar Note

    Same form as in Standard Arabic.

25. رجل

    rejl

    Foot, leg

    Usage

    For foot or leg pain or injury; it covers both foot and leg.

    Grammar Note

    The same word covers foot and leg.

26. يد

    yed

    Hand

    Usage

    For hand or arm pain or injury.

    Grammar Note

    It covers both hand and arm.

27. صدر

    ṣedr

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or trouble breathing.

    Grammar Note

    Same spelling as in Standard Arabic.

28. أوتيل

    ūtīl

    Hotel

    Usage

    For talking about a hotel; the more formal "nuzul" is seen in written text.

    Grammar Note

    From French "hôtel"; the standard-language word is "nuzul".

29. مطار

    maṭār

    Airport

    Usage

    When you want to go to the airport.

    Grammar Note

    Same form as in Standard Arabic.

30. كميونة الحماية

    kamyūna l-ḥimāya

    Fire truck

    Usage

    For calling a fire truck in a fire.

    Grammar Note

    Firefighting is called "civil protection" here; "kamyūna" is from French "camion".

Browse all TravelPhrases languages