100 most used Arabic verbs

to arrive – wasala

to ask – sa’ala

to bathe – istahmama

to become – yusbaha

to begin – yebda

to believe – suddaqa

to break – yastariyyh

to brush – gasala

to buy – istara

to call – ittasala

to be able – istata’a

to close – galaqa

to come – e’ta

to cook – yetboh

to correct – sahhaha

to cry – beha

to cut – qata’a

to dance – raqasa

to do/make – qama

to draw – rasama

to dream – haluma

to drink – shariba

to enter – dahala

to erase – masaha

to exist – yugad

to explain – sharaha

to feel – sha’ar

to finish – yanha

to forget – yansa

to go – thahab

to hear – istama’a

to help – sa’ada

to hold – masaka

to hug – einaq

to learn- ta’allame

to leave -gadara

to like – haab

to listen – istama’a

to love – yuhib

to miss – aktaha

to need – ihteja

to open – fataha

to pay – dafa’a

to pick up – rafa’a

to prepare – yegahhez

to pull – sahabe

to push – dafa’a

to read – qara’a

to remember – tadakkara

to rent – aggara

to repeat – a’eida

to resemble – shabaha

to respect – ihtarama

to rest – istarahah

to return – a’eda

to ride – rakiba

to say – qala

to search – baht

to see – ra’a

to sell – ba’au

to send – yursel

to shop – majar

to sing – gannit

to sleep – nama

to speak – tahaddatha

to stand – waqafa

to stay – yestanna

to study – thakara

to take – ahada

to talk – tahadathe

to teach – deres

Arabic alphabet

Arabic dialects vary

Remember that Arabic has different dialects across the Arabic speaking world. In Wadi Rum we speak a classical dialect that is closer to old Arabic. However this is not well understood throughout the Arabic world. Although modern standard Arabic is widely taught, Egyptian Arabic is most widely understood.

Because Egypt is both the biggest population of Arabic speakers and has the most widely dispersed popular culture it is the most useful to be understood throughout the Arabic speaking world. This is a good place for people to start. If you pick up some basics then when you visit us in Wadi Rum we can give you some Bedouin Arabic to supplement your vocabulary.

Differences in Latin character spelling

Because the alphabets do not overlap phonetically you will see many spelling differences as you travel. This is because for place names there is often not agreed Latin spellings. Likewise you will see some variation in other words as people attempt to represent the sounds differently.

Inscriptions on Bedouin tour in Wadi Rum desert