Palestinian Arabic Phrases for Beginners
You do not need to be fluent to make a Palestinian grandmother smile. A few words of Palestinian Arabic, said with a bit of confidence, go a long way at a family dinner, a community event or your local Middle Eastern bakery.
Saying hello
Start with marhaba, hello. Ahlan wa sahlan means welcome, and you can answer ahlan fik to a man or ahlan fiki to a woman. Sabah el-kheir is good morning; reply sabah en-nour, morning of light. To ask how someone is doing, say keefak (to a man) or keefik (to a woman). The answer is usually mneeh, good, followed by alhamdulillah, thank God.
Basic manners
Shukran means thank you, and afwan means you're welcome. You will hear tfaddal constantly: it is how Palestinians invite you in, offer you a seat or push another plate of food toward you.
Around food
Sahtein, meaning two healths, is the Palestinian bon appétit. After a great meal, tell the cook yislamu ideik, bless your hands. It is one of the nicest compliments you can give.
Everyday words
Yalla means let's go or hurry up. Khalas means that's it, or stop. Inshallah, God willing, comes up whenever anyone talks about plans. And to someone who is working, say ya'tik al-afyeh, may God give you strength.
Why accents vary
Palestinian Arabic is part of the Levantine group, along with Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian dialects. City speakers often drop the qaf sound, while in some villages k becomes ch, so the same word can sound quite different from town to town.
What about Pali?
Pali is English slang for Palestinian, popular with young Palestinian Americans online. Our Pali Girls design spells it out in bold red and green letters.
FAQ
+What is the Palestinian word for hello?
Marhaba. Ahlan wa sahlan is used as a warmer welcome.
+What does yalla mean?
Yalla means let's go or come on.
+What do Palestinians say before eating?
Sahtein, which means two healths, similar to bon appétit.
+Is Palestinian Arabic different from other Arabic?
It is a Levantine dialect, close to Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian Arabic, and different from formal written Arabic.
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