Arabic survival kit

About this kit

Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people across 22 countries. With this kit, you have the bare minimum to get by in any Arabic-speaking city, whether in Cairo, Dubai, Casablanca or Beirut.

Arabic brings together nearly 400 million speakers and serves as the lingua franca of 22 countries, from Morocco to Oman, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. It is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the liturgical language of the Muslim world, which gives it influence far beyond its native regions. You will quickly notice a key feature: diglossia. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA, fusha) is used in media, administration, schools and writing, but nobody speaks it in daily life. On the streets, each region uses its own dialect: Egyptian, Levantine (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine), Maghrebi (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), Gulf or Iraqi. The phrases in this kit are in MSA, understood everywhere, even if local pronunciation will vary. The script is written from right to left, with connected letters and without short vowels written. No need to worry: phonetic transliteration lets you pronounce without learning the alphabet. Arabic culture places central importance on register: greet before asking, thank often, show respect to elders. With this kit, you will have the bare essentials to clear an airport checkpoint, take a taxi, order mint tea, handle a medical emergency or bargain in a souk. Locals deeply appreciate any effort, even clumsy. You will see: a simple "As-salamu alaykum" said with respect opens doors, brings smiles and transforms your trip.