Introduction
Imagine you’ve just stepped into a bustling souk, the air filled with the scent of spices and the vibrant colors of handcrafted textiles. You’re eager to find the perfect keepsake but hesitant about speaking Arabic. Worry not—this guide will empower you with practical Arabic conversation skills so you can shop like a local, build rapport with merchants, and even haggle with confidence.
Why Effective Arabic Conversation Matters When Shopping
Shopping in Arabic-speaking countries isn’t just a transaction; it’s a cultural exchange. Mastering a few key phrases will:
- Break the ice quickly: Locals appreciate any attempt to speak their language, creating goodwill and often better prices.
- Ensure clarity: Misunderstandings over sizes, colors, or quantities can be costly. Clear dialogue prevents awkward mix-ups.
- Deepen cultural immersion: Beyond souvenirs, you’ll gain lasting memories through genuine interactions.
“When I first visited the souks of Marrakech, my hesitant ‘بكم هذا؟’ (How much is this?) was met with warm smiles—and soon enough, I was laughing alongside the vendor as we negotiated a fair price.”
Common Shopping Scenarios
Different contexts call for different language strategies. Here are the most frequent situations you’ll encounter:
- Browsing stalls: Casual greetings, asking to see items.
- Requesting sizes/colors: Ensuring the item matches your needs.
- Bargaining: Politely negotiating down from the initial asking price.
- Finalizing payment: Confirming totals, handing over money, and requesting a receipt or bag.
Key Phrases & Sample Dialogue
Below are core phrases, grouped by scenario. Use them as building blocks to craft your own Arabic conversation.
Greetings & Small Talk (1–10)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | مرحباً | Marḥaban | Hello |
| 2 | السلام عليكم | As-salāmu ʿalaykum | Peace be upon you |
| 3 | كيف حالك؟ | Kayfa ḥāluka / ḥāluki? | How are you? |
| 4 | بخير، الحمد لله | Bikhayr, al-ḥamdu lillāh | Fine, praise be to God |
| 5 | من أين أنت؟ | Min ʾayna ʾanta / ʾanti? | Where are you from? |
| 6 | أنا من … | ʾAnā min … | I am from … |
| 7 | الطقس جميل اليوم | Aṭ-ṭaqs jamīl al-yawm | The weather is nice today |
| 8 | السوق مزدحم | As-sūq muzdahim | The market is busy |
| 9 | أحبّ هذا المكان | Uḥibbu hādhā al-makān | I love this place |
| 10 | شكراً على الترحيب | Shukran ʿalā at-tarḥīb | Thank you for the welcome |
Inquiring About Items & Prices (11–35)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | أريد شراء … | ʾUrīdu shirāʾ … | I want to buy … |
| 12 | هل يمكنني رؤيته؟ | Hal yumkinunī ru’yatuhu? | Can I see it? |
| 13 | ما المادة المصنوعة منها؟ | Mā al-mādah al-maṣnūʿah minhā? | What material is it made of? |
| 14 | هل هو مصنوع يدوياً؟ | Hal huwa maṣnūʿ yadawiyyan? | Is it handmade? |
| 15 | ما سعره بالجملة؟ | Mā siʿruhu bil-jumlah? | What’s the wholesale price? |
| 16 | هل هناك خصم للطلاب؟ | Hal hunāka khaṣm lil-ṭullāb? | Is there a student discount? |
| 17 | هل سعره نهائي؟ | Hal siʿruhu nihā’ī? | Is that your final price? |
| 18 | هل يوجد لون آخر؟ | Hal yūjad lawn ākhar? | Do you have another color? |
| 19 | ما الفرق بين هذين؟ | Mā al-farq bayna hadhayn? | What’s the difference between these two? |
| 20 | هل يوجد موديل أحدث؟ | Hal yūjad mūdīl aḥdath? | Is there a newer model? |
| 21 | بكم هذا للعائلة؟ | Bikam hādhā lil-ʿā’ilah? | What’s the family price? |
| 22 | هل يشحن إلى الخارج؟ | Hal yashḥun ilā al-khārij? | Do you ship abroad? |
| 23 | ما الضمان المقدم؟ | Mā aḍ-ḍamān al-muqaddam? | What warranty do you offer? |
| 24 | هل يمكنني تجربته؟ | Hal yumkinunī tajribatuhu? | Can I try it on? |
| 25 | ما حجم الذاكرة؟ | Mā ḥajm adh-dhākirah? | What’s the memory size? |
| 26 | هل تأتي مع ملحقات؟ | Hal tatī maʿa mulḥaqāt? | Does it come with accessories? |
| 27 | هل هذا جديد أم مستعمل؟ | Hal hādhā jadīd ʾam mustaʿmal? | Is this new or used? |
| 28 | ما مدة الصنع؟ | Mā muddat aṣ-ṣanʿ? | How long does production take? |
| 29 | هل السعر شاملاً للتوصيل؟ | Hal as-siʿr shāmilan lit-tawṣīl? | Is shipping included? |
| 30 | هل يمكنني دفع عربون؟ | Hal yumkinunī dafaʿ ʿarbūn? | Can I pay a deposit? |
| 31 | هل السعر لكل قطعة؟ | Hal as-siʿr likulli qiṭʿah? | Is that per piece? |
| 32 | بكم يخرج لو اشتريت اثنين؟ | Bikam yakhruj law ishtaraytu ithnayn? | What’s the total if I buy two? |
| 33 | هل السعر ثابت اليوم؟ | Hal as-siʿr thābit al-yawm? | Is today’s price fixed? |
| 34 | متى سيتم التخفيض القادم؟ | Matā sayatimm at-takhfīḍ al-qādim? | When is the next sale? |
| 35 | هل تقبلون الدفع الإلكتروني؟ | Hal taqbalu ad-dafʿ al-iliktirūnī? | Do you accept e-payment? |
Requesting Sizes, Colors & Variations (36–50)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | هل يوجد مقاس أصغر؟ | Hal yūjad maqās aṣghar? | Is there a smaller size? |
| 37 | هل يوجد مقاس أكبر؟ | Hal yūjad maqās akbar? | Is there a larger size? |
| 38 | ما طول هذا؟ | Mā ṭūl hādhā? | How long is this? |
| 39 | هل يأتي بلون أحمر؟ | Hal yatī bil-lawn al-aḥmar? | Does it come in red? |
| 40 | هل يوجد تصميم بدون أكمام؟ | Hal yūjad taṣmīm bidūn akmām? | Is there a sleeveless design? |
| 41 | هل هذا مناسب لفصل الشتاء؟ | Hal hādhā munāsib lifaṣl ash-shitāʾ? | Is this suitable for winter? |
| 42 | هل القماش قابل للغسيل في الغسالة؟ | Hal al-qimāsh qābil lil-ghasl fī al-ghassālah? | Is the fabric machine-washable? |
| 43 | هل هذا مبطن؟ | Hal hādhā mubattan? | Is this padded? |
| 44 | هل يوجد بدون جيوب؟ | Hal yūjad bidūn juyūb? | Is there one without pockets? |
| 45 | هل هذا مقاس موحد؟ | Hal hādhā maqās muwaḥḥad? | Is this one-size-fits-all? |
| 46 | هل تتوفر مقاسات الأطفال؟ | Hal tatawaffar maqāsāt al-aṭfāl? | Do children’s sizes exist? |
| 47 | هل يمكنني تخصيص اللون؟ | Hal yumkinunī takhṣīṣ al-lawn? | Can I customize the color? |
| 48 | هل الخامة مقاومة للماء؟ | Hal al-khāmah muqāmah lil-māʾ? | Is the material water-resistant? |
| 49 | هل هناك اختلاف في الوزن؟ | Hal hunāka ikhtilāf fī al-wazn? | Are there weight variations? |
| 50 | هل يوجد خيار للرجال/النساء؟ | Hal yūjad khiyār lil-rijāl / an-nisāʾ? | Is there a men’s/women’s version? |
Bargaining & Negotiation (51–80)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | السعر مرتفع قليلاً | As-siʿr murtafiʿ qalīlan | The price is a bit high |
| 52 | بكم لو اشتريت ثلاثة؟ | Bikam law ishtaraytu thalāthah? | What if I buy three? |
| 53 | هل يمكنك منحي سعر خاص؟ | Hal yumkinuka manḥī siʿr khāṣ? | Can you give me a special price? |
| 54 | السعر في متناول يدي | As-siʿr fī matnāwal yadī | It’s within my budget |
| 55 | هل السعر شامل ضريبة؟ | Hal as-siʿr shāmil ḍarībah? | Is tax included? |
| 56 | ما أقل سعر ممكن؟ | Mā aqall siʿr mumkin? | What’s the lowest possible price? |
| 57 | إذا اشتريت خمس قطع… | Iḏā ishtaraytu khams qiṭaʿ… | If I buy five pieces… |
| 58 | السعر الحالي ممتاز | As-siʿr al-ḥālī mumtāz | The current price is great |
| 59 | أعطني أفضل عرض لديك | Aʿṭinī afḍal ʿarḍ ladayk | Give me your best offer |
| 60 | السعر منافس جداً | As-siʿr munāfis jiddan | That’s very competitive |
| 61 | هل يمكنك إضافة هدية؟ | Hal yumkinuka ʾiḍāfah hadiyyah? | Can you include a free gift? |
| 62 | السعر أقل في مكان آخر | As-siʿr aʿalla fī makān ākhar | It’s cheaper elsewhere |
| 63 | هل السعر متمشٍ مع السوق؟ | Hal as-siʿr mutamashin maʿa as-sūq? | Is this market rate? |
| 64 | سأعود إذا عدلت السعر | Saʾaʿūd iḏā ʿadalt as-siʿr | I’ll come back if you adjust the price |
| 65 | السعر مقبول في هذه الحالة | As-siʿr maqbūl fī hādhihi al-ḥālah | The price is acceptable under these terms |
| 66 | السعر قريب من ميزانيتي | As-siʿr qarīb min mīzānītī | It’s close to my budget |
| 67 | أعطني ساعة للتفكير | Aʿṭinī sāʿah littafkīr | Give me an hour to think |
| 68 | السعر رهناً بالدفع الفوري | As-siʿr rahnan bid-dafʿ al-fawrī | Price conditional on immediate payment |
| 69 | عرض خاص للشراء الآن | ʿArḍ khāṣ lil-shirāʾ al-ān | Special offer for buying now |
| 70 | ما رأيك في عرضي؟ | Mā raʾyuka fī ʿarḍī? | What do you think of my offer? |
| 71 | السعر السابق أقل | As-siʿr as-sābiq aʿalla | The previous price was lower |
| 72 | سأشتري مرة أخرى لاحقاً | Saʾashtarī marratan ukhrá lāḥiqan | I’ll buy again later |
| 73 | أريد ضمان السعر لمدة أسبوع | ʾUrīdu ḍamān as-siʿr limuddat usbūʿ | I want to lock this price for a week |
| 74 | السعر يعتمد على الكمية | As-siʿr yaʿtamad ʿalā al-kammiyah | Price depends on quantity |
| 75 | سأدفع نقداً مقابل تخفيض | Saʾadfaʿ naqdًا muqābil takhfīḍ | I’ll pay cash for a discount |
| 76 | هل هذا عرض لوقت محدود؟ | Hal hādhā ʿarḍ liwaqt maḥdūd? | Is this a limited-time offer? |
| 77 | السعر جيد لكني سآخذ أقل | As-siʿr jayid lakinnī saʾakhudh aʿalla | The price is good but I’ll take less |
| 78 | إذا دفعت الآن… | Iḏā dafaʿtu al-ān… | If I pay now… |
| 79 | أريد ضمان أفضل سعر دائماً | ʾUrīdu ḍamān afḍal siʿr dāʾiman | I want a best-price guarantee |
| 80 | هل تقبل المقايضة؟ | Hal taqbalu al-muqāyadah? | Do you accept trade-in? |
Payment & Closing (81–95)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | سأدفع نقداً | Saʾadfaʿ naqdًا | I’ll pay cash |
| 82 | هل يمكنني الدفع بالبطاقة؟ | Hal yumkinunī ad-dafʿ bil-biṭāqah? | Can I pay by card? |
| 83 | هل تقبلون التحويل البنكي؟ | Hal taqbalu at-taḥwīl al-bankī? | Do you accept bank transfer? |
| 84 | هل يوجد ماكينة نقاط بيع؟ | Hal yūjad mākinat nuqāṭ biyʿ? | Is there a POS machine? |
| 85 | الرجاء إعطائي فاتورة | Arjū iʿṭāʾī fātūrah | Please give me a receipt |
| 86 | أحتاج كيساً كبيراً | ʾAḥtāj kaysan kabīran | I need a large bag |
| 87 | هذا كل شيء، شكراً | Hādhā kull shayʾ, shukran | That’s all, thank you |
| 88 | سأعود للمزيد لاحقاً | Saʾaʿūd lil-mazīd lāḥiqan | I’ll return for more later |
| 89 | هل يمكنني استلام الطلب غداً؟ | Hal yumkinunī istilām aṭ-ṭalab ghadan? | Can I pick it up tomorrow? |
| 90 | الرجاء تعبئته كهدية | Arjū taʿbīʾatuhu kahadiyah | Please wrap it as a gift |
| 91 | هل تجلده بالغلاف؟ | Hal tujalliduhu bil-ghilāf? | Can you bind it in a cover? |
| 92 | سأدفع نصف الآن والنصف لاحقاً | Saʾadfaʿ niṣf al-ān wa-niṣf lāḥiqan | I’ll pay half now, half later |
| 93 | هل يشمل السعر التركيب؟ | Hal yashmal as-siʿr at-tarkīb? | Is installation included? |
| 94 | الرجاء الاتصال بي عند الوصول | Arjū al-ittiṣāl bī ʿinda al-wuṣūl | Please call me upon arrival |
| 95 | شكراً لتعاونك | Shukran litaʿāwanik | Thank you for your cooperation |
Quality Check & Returns (96–105)
| # | العربية | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | هل يمكنني فحص الجودة؟ | Hal yumkinunī faḥṣ al-jawdah? | Can I check the quality? |
| 97 | ما سياسة الإرجاع؟ | Mā siyāsat al-irjāʾ? | What is your return policy? |
| 98 | هل هناك رسوم لإرجاع المنتج؟ | Hal hunāka rusūm li-irjāʾ al-muntaj? | Are there return fees? |
| 99 | ما المهلة للإرجاع؟ | Mā al-muhlah lil-irjāʾ? | What’s the return window? |
| 100 | هل تقبلون التبديل فقط؟ | Hal taqbalu at-tabdīl faqaṭ? | Do you accept exchanges only? |
| 101 | أريد استبدال هذا بآخر | ʾUrīdu istibdāl hādhā bi-ākhar | I want to exchange this for another |
| 102 | هل ستسترجعون المبلغ؟ | Hal satarjiʿūn al-mablagh? | Will you refund the amount? |
| 103 | أين أودع المنتج للإرجاع؟ | ʾAyna awḍiʿ al-muntaj lil-irjāʾ? | Where do I drop off returns? |
| 104 | هل يمكنني استرداد النقود فوراً؟ | Hal yumkinunī istirdād an-nuqūd fawrān? | Can I get an immediate refund? |
| 105 | شكراً على تفهمكم | Shukran ʿalā tafahhumkum | Thank you for your understanding |
Cultural Insights & Etiquette
Shopping conversations aren’t purely transactional—understanding cultural norms can elevate your experience:
- Greetings matter: Always start with “مرحبا” or “السلام عليكم” before discussing prices.
- Hospitality is key: Accept the offered tea or coffee; it builds rapport and shows respect.
- Patience is a virtue: Haggling is an art. Keep the mood light—smiles go a long way.
- Touch and space: In many markets, touching merchandise is normal, but avoid touching people unless they initiate.
Practical Tips for Practicing Arabic Conversation
- Role-play with a tutor: Schedule mock market negotiations in your next lesson—we cover bargaining techniques and real-world dialogue.
- Flashcards for vocabulary: Tools like Anki help reinforce key shopping terms.
- Watch vlogs: Search YouTube for “souq shopping vlog” to hear native speakers in action.
- Immerse yourself locally: If there’s an Arabic market in your city, visit and practice—even simple “بكم هذا؟” can boost confidence.
Comparison Table: Dialects & Variations
| Phrase | Modern Standard Arabic | Egyptian Dialect | Levantine Dialect | Moroccan Dialect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | بكم هذا؟ | بكام ده؟ (bikam dah?) | قديش هاد؟ (addeesh had?) | شحال هادا؟ (shḥāl hada?) |
| Do you have a discount? | هل لديك خصم؟ | فيه تخفيض؟ (fīh takhfīḍ?) | عِنْدَك تخفيض؟ (ʿindak takhfīḍ?) | واش كاين تخفيض؟ |
| Can I pay by card/cash? | بطاقة/نقداً؟ | كارت/كاش؟ | كرت/نقدي؟ | كارت/فلوس؟ |
Conclusion & Call-to-Action
Mastering Arabic conversation for shopping transforms a simple purchase into a memorable cultural exchange. With these phrases, a dash of confidence, and a willingness to learn, you’ll navigate any market with ease and perhaps even make a friend—or two—along the way.
Ready to take your Arabic to the next level?
- Share your favorite shopping phrase in the comments below.
- Explore our Arabic conversation for travelers post to prepare for your next adventure.
- Subscribe for weekly lessons and exclusive practice worksheets—because every conversation is an opportunity to connect.
Happy shopping!
