Introduction: Why Shopping in Arabic is Essential
Whether you’re traveling, living in the Gulf, or engaging with Arabic speakers, shopping is a daily activity that connects you with locals. From bargaining in traditional souqs to navigating modern malls, shopping in Arabic helps you:
- Build real-world vocabulary
- Engage in authentic conversations
- Understand Gulf culture and etiquette
In this lesson, we’ll walk you through everything from simple phrases to advanced bargaining expressions—all in colloquial Gulf Arabic with clear grammar insights and practice exercises.
Lesson Overview
What You’ll Learn:
- Essential shopping vocabulary
- Phrases for asking prices, sizes, and deals
- Advanced negotiation expressions
- Grammar: definite articles, plurals, masculine/feminine usage
- Gulf Arabic expressions and etiquette
- Real conversations + word-by-word breakdowns
- A 30-minute quiz to test your learning
Section 1: Must-Know Vocabulary for Shopping
Start with essential words you’ll hear or use while shopping:
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| سوق | souq | Market |
| محل | maḥall | Shop |
| متجر | matjar | Store |
| كم السعر؟ | kam as-siʿr? | How much is it? |
| أبي هذا | abī hādhā | I want this |
| ما أبي | mā abī | I don’t want |
| ممكن خصم؟ | mumkin khaṣm? | Can I get a discount? |
| غالي | ghālī | Expensive |
| رخيص | rakhīs | Cheap |
| بطاقة | biṭāqah | Card |
| كاش | kāsh | Cash |
Section 2: Numbers and Prices in Arabic
Being confident with numbers is crucial for shopping. Here’s a refresher on basic numbers:
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English |
| واحد | wāḥid | 1 |
| اثنين | ithnayn | 2 |
| خمسة | khamsah | 5 |
| عشرة | ʿashrah | 10 |
| عشرين | ʿishrīn | 20 |
| خمسين | khamsīn | 50 |
| مئة | miʾah | 100 |
| ألف | alf | 1000 |
Common Price Expressions:
- ستين ريال (sittīn riyāl) – 60 Riyals
- خمسة دراهم (khamsah darāhim) – 5 Dirhams
- ألف فلس (alf fils) – 1000 Fils
Section 3: Grammar Insights for Shopping in Arabic
1. Definite vs Indefinite:
- قميص = a shirt
- القميص = the shirt (with definite article)
2. Masculine and Feminine:
- هذا (hādhā) = this (masculine)
- هذي (hādhī) = this (feminine)
Examples:
- هذا القميص – this shirt (masculine)
- هذي الشنطة – this bag (feminine)
3. Plurals:
- قميص (qamīs) → قمصان (qumṣān)
- شنطة (shanṭah) → شنط (shinaṭ)
Section 4: Beginner Shopping Phrases
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English Translation |
| تبغى شي ثاني؟ | tibgha shay thānī? | Do you want something else? |
| خلني أشوف | khallnī ashūf | Let me see |
| عطيني واحد | ʿṭīnī wāḥid | Give me one |
| فيه مقاسات؟ | fīh maqāsāt? | Are there sizes? |
| في لون ثاني؟ | fī lōn thānī? | Is there another color? |
Section 5: Intermediate Conversation – Buying Clothes
Dialogue:
Arabic Script: الزبون: بكم القميص هذا؟ البائع: بستين ريال. الزبون: ما عندك خصم؟ البائع: إذا خذت اثنين، أعطيك الواحد بخمسين.
Roman Arabic: Az-zabūn: Bikam al-qamīs hādhā? Al-bāʿiʹ: Bi sittīn riyāl. Az-zabūn: Mā ʿindak khaṣm? Al-bāʿiʹ: Iḏā khathēt ithnayn, aʿaṭīk al-wāḥid bikhamsīn.
English: Customer: How much is this shirt? Seller: 60 Riyals. Customer: Don’t you have a discount? Seller: If you take two, I’ll give each for 50.
Word-by-Word Analysis:
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English |
| بكم | bikam | how much |
| القميص | al-qamīs | the shirt |
| هذا | hādhā | this |
| ما | mā | no/not |
| عندك | ʿindak | you have |
| خصم | khaṣm | discount |
| إذا | iḏā | if |
| خذت | khathēt | you took |
| اثنين | ithnayn | two |
| أعطيك | aʿaṭīk | I give you |
| الواحد | al-wāḥid | each/one |
| بخمسين | bikhamsīn | for 50 |
Section 6: Advanced Bargaining Expressions
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English Translation |
| هذا كثير، نزل شوي | hādhā kathīr, nazzil shway | That’s a lot, reduce it a bit |
| أعطيني السعر الأخير | aʿaṭīnī as-siʿr al-ākhīr | Give me the final price |
| السعر مو مناسب | as-siʿr moo munāsib | The price isn’t reasonable |
| بتخسرني الزبون! | bitkhasirnī az-zabūn! | You’ll lose me as a customer! |
| أنا زبون دايم | anā zabūn dāyim | I’m a regular customer |
Section 7: Payment & Checkout Phrases
| Arabic | Roman Arabic | English Translation |
| وين الكاشير؟ | wēn al-kāshīr? | Where’s the cashier? |
| أقدر أدفع كاش؟ | agdar adfaʿ kāsh? | Can I pay in cash? |
| أقدر أدفع بالبطاقة؟ | agdar adfaʿ bil-biṭāqah? | Can I pay by card? |
| أبغى فاتورة | abghā fātūrah | I want a receipt |
| الحساب لو سمحت | al-ḥisāb law samaḥt | The bill, please |
Section 8: Cultural Shopping Etiquette in the Gulf
- ☕ Hospitality: Expect tea, coffee, or water in many traditional souqs.
- 📉 Haggling is Normal: Negotiation is expected in souqs, but not in malls.
- 🙏 Be Polite: Use soft tones and body language.
- 🌐 Use Arabic: Even minimal Arabic wins respect and sometimes better prices!
Section 9: 10-Minute Shopping in Arabic Quiz
Part 1: Multiple Choice
Q1. What does “ممكن خصم؟” mean?
A. Can I return it?
B. Is this for free?
C. Can I get a discount?
Part 2: Translate to Arabic
- I want this shirt.
- Where is the cashier?
Section 10: Summary & Key Takeaways
By the end of this lesson, you can:
- Navigate Gulf stores and souqs in Arabic
- Ask for prices, sizes, colors, and discounts
- Use proper grammar and plural forms
- Understand and practice Gulf cultural norms
Final CTA: Keep Shopping and Speaking Arabic!
Want to level up?
- ✉️ Download our Spoken Arabic eBook
- 📚 Join Live Arabic Classes
- 💬 Share your favorite bargaining experience in Arabic in the comments!
