Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Royal District Nursing Service
Guidelines for Use
RDNS is committed to the Multicultural Victoria Act 2004, which informs RDNS' policies
to ensure people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds can
enjoy access to RDNS' services equally, and are treated with respect and sensitivity.
RDNS' clients originate from 145 countries and speak 74 languages.
Each of RDNS' nursing centres provides services to local CALD communities, which vary
markedly from centre to centre. Some centres may have large population groups from
single ethnic backgrounds; others may have several groups of varying ethnicity.
RDNS recognises that effective communication is essential to the delivery of high
quality services and communicates with people who speak little or no English with the
use of accredited interpreters (on-site and telephone), the provision of translated
materials, and wherever possible employing staff who can provide services to clients in
a language other than English.
In addition, RDNS makes available this information sheet which comprises common
words and phrases that might be used when a client from a non-English speaking
background is experiencing an episode of care from RDNS.
Whilst this document was originally developed for use by RDNS staff, it may of use to
you or people you know and as a result is freely available for download and use.
This document includes information on the following:
Introduction to the language
Topic 1: Greetings
Topic 2: Making / changing appointments
Topic 3: Medical problems
Topic 4: farewell
RDNS remains committed to providing the best possible care to all of our clients.
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 1 of 6
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Introduction to the Arabic Alphabet
Arabic is a semitic language written from right to left and the Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters. It is
spoken by over 240 million people throughout the Arab world as the main language with the exception of
Somalia and Djibouti although they are members of the Arab League (21 states). It is also spoken in some
parts of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Written classical Arabic is unified throughout the Arab world but spoken Arabic differs considerably from
country to country and even from district to district. The Dialects vary to a great extent but they may be
grouped in five categories: (1): Levantine (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan), (2) Iraq, (3) The Arabian
Peninsula, (4) Egyptian (Egypt and Sudan), (5) North Africa (Libya, Tunis, Algeria and Morocco).
Arabic
Letter
‫ﺃ‬
‫ﺏ‬
‫ﺕ‬
‫ﺙ‬
‫ﺝ‬
‫ﺡ‬
‫ﺥ‬
‫ﺩ‬
‫ﺫ‬
‫ﺭ‬
‫ﺯ‬
‫ﺱ‬
‫ﺵ‬
Name of
Letter
alif
English
Equivalent
Closest Pronunciation in English
ā
(ā) as a in dad
bã
b
(b) as in bed
tā
t
(t) as in table
thā
th
(th) as in thin
jīm
j
hā
h’
(j) as in judge
(h) with the sound of clearing the throat
khā
kh
(ch) as in Scottish loch or German Bach
dāl
d
zhāl
zh
(d) as in dim
(th) as in then
Rā’
zāy
r
(r) as in train
z
(s) as in busy
sīn
s
(s) as in sad
shīn
sh
(sh) as in shed
sād
ś
(s) as in sun with more emphasis
dād
dh
Tā’
Zā’
ţ
(t) as in cut
ź
āyn
a’
‫ﻍ‬
ghayn
gh
‫ﻑ‬
‫ﻕ‬
‫ﻙ‬
‫ﻝ‬
‫ﻡ‬
‫ﻥ‬
‫ﻩـ‬
‫ﻭ‬
Fā’
f
(th) as in thus
No English equivalent. A fricative sound produced in
the throat to give a harsh sound of (aaaah)
roughly similar to German (r) or the French (r) with
more gargling sound
(f) as in fit
qāf
q
(c) as in column with emphasis from the throat
kāf
k
(k) as in kit
lām lām
l
(l) as in leak
mīm
m
(m) as in mint
nūn
n
(n) as in nill
Hā’
h
(h) as in hat
wāw
oo, ou, u, w
Yā’
ee, i, y
‫ﺹ‬
‫ﺽ‬
‫ﻁ‬
‫ﻅ‬
‫ﻉ‬
‫ﻱ‬
(d) as in double with more emphasis
(oo) as in boot, (ou) as in ghoul, (u) as in ruler, (w) as
in wet
(ee) as in feel, (i) as in Afghani, (y) as in yet
The term “hamza” (‫ )ء‬is a glottal stop like the stop before (a) in above. The English equivalent is (’).
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 2 of 6
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Topic 1: GREETINGS
English
Arabic
Closest Pronunciation in
English
‫ ﻣﺮﺣﺒﺎ‬Marh’aba
Hello
Good morning
‫ ﺻﺒﺎﺡ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ‬śabāh’ alkhayr
Good evening / night
‫ﻣﺴﺎء ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ‬
What is your name?
massā’ alkhayr
‫( ﻣﺎ ﻩﻮ ﺍﺳﻤﻚ؟‬M) ma howa ismak?
(F) ma howa ismek?
I am a nurse
‫( ﺃﻧﺎ ﻣﻤﺮﺿﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺧﺪﻣﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻤﺮﻳﺾ ﺍﻹﻗﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ‬M) anā mumaredh
(F) anā mumaredhah
‫ﺍﺳﻤﻲ ﻩﻮ‬
My name is
Mr / Mrs
I am happy to see you again
ismi howa
‫ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪﺓ‬/ ‫( ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪ‬M) assayyid
(F) assayyidah
‫ﺓ ﺑﺮﺅﻳﺘﻚ ﻣﺮﺓ ﺃﺧﺮﻯ‬/‫( ﺃﻧﺎ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ‬M to M) anā saa’eed beroa’yatak
marratan okhrah
(M to F) anā saa’eed beroa’yateki
marratan okhrah
(F to M) anā saa’eedah beroa’yatak
marratan okhrah
(F to F) anā saa’eedah beroa’yateki
marratan okhrah
‫ ﻻ‬lā
No
Yes
‫ ﻧﻌﻢ‬Na’am
Good
‫ ﺟﻴﺪ‬jayyid
Do you understand me?
‫ ﻩﻞ ﺗﻔﻬﻤﻴﻨﻲ؟‬/ ‫ﻩﻞ ﺗﻔﻬﻤﻨﻲ‬
(M & F to M) hal tafhamni?
(M & F to F) hal tafhamini?
‫ ﺃﻧﺎ ﺃﻓﻬﻢ‬anā afham
I understand
‫( ﺃﻧﺎ ﻻ ﺃﻓﻬﻤﻚ‬M & F to M) anā lā afhamak
I don’t understand you
(M & F to F) anā lā afhamuki
Do you need an interpreter?
I need an interpreter
© RDNS
‫ﻩﻞ ﺑﺤﺎﺟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻣﺘﺮﺟﻢ؟‬
hal beh’ajeh ilā motarjim?
‫ ﺃﻧﺎ ﺑﺤﺎﺟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻣﺘﺮﺟﻢ‬ana beh’ajeh ilā motarjim
January 2007
Page 3 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 2: MAKING / CHANGING APPOINTMENTS
English
What day can I visit you?
Arabic
Closest Pronunciation in
English
‫ﻓﻲ ﺃﻱ ﻳﻮﻡ ﺃﺳﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺯﻳﺎﺭﺗﻚ؟‬
At what time?
‫ﻓﻲ ﺃﻱ ﻭﻗﺖ؟‬
Sunday
‫ﺍﻻﺛﻨﻴﻦ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺜﻼﺛﺎء‬
‫ﺍﻷﺭﺑﻌﺎء‬
‫ﺍﻟﺨﻤﻴﺲ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻌﺔ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺴﺒﺖ‬
‫ﺍﻷﺣﺪ‬
Morning
ً‫ﺻﺒﺎﺣﺎ‬
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
(M & F to M) fee ay yawm astaţeea’
ziāratak?
(M & F to F) fee ay yawm astaţeea’
ziārateki?
Fee ay waqt?
alithnayn
athulāthā’
alarbiāa’
alkhamees
aljuma’ah
assabt
alah’ad
śabah’an
ً‫ ﻇﻬﺮﺍ‬źuhrran
ً‫ ﻣﺴﺎء‬masāan
Midday
Evening / At Night
.... ‫ ﺃﺭﻳﺪ ﺃﻥ‬aureed an …
‫ ﺃﺗﻠﻔﻦ‬autalfin
I need to……
Make a phone call
‫ ﺃﺗﻜﻠﻢ ﻣﻊ‬attakallam ma’
Speak……
to your doctor
‫( ﻃﺒﻴﺒﻚ‬M & F to M) ţabebak
to your family
‫( ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺘﻚ‬M & F to M) a’āelatak
(M & F to F) ţabebek
(M & F to F) a’aāelatek
‫( ﺍﺑﻨﻚ‬M & F to M) ibnak
to your son
(M & F to F) ibnek
‫( ﺍﺑﻨﺘﻚ‬M & F to M) ibnatak
to your daughter
(M & F to F) ibnatek
‫ ﺯﻭﺟﻚ‬zawjek
to your husband
‫ ﺯﻭﺟﺘﻚ‬zawjatak
to your wife
to your brother
‫( ﺃﺧﻴﻚ‬M & F to M) akhouk
to your sister
‫( ﺃﺧﺘﻚ‬M & F to M) aukhtak
I need to change our visit time
© RDNS
(M & F to F) akhouki
(M & F to F) aukhtek
‫ ﺃﻧﺎ ﺑﺤﺎﺟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺗﻐﻴﻴﺮ ﻭﻗﺖ ﺯﻳﺎﺭﺗﻲ‬anā beh’ajeh ilā taghyeer waqt
ziārati
January 2007
Page 4 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 3: MEDICAL PROBLEMS
English
Arabic
Closest Pronunciation in
English
‫ﺁﻴﻒ ﺣﺎﻟﻚ؟‬
How are you?
(M & F to M) kaifa h’alak?
(M & F to F) kaifa h’alek?
‫ ﺃﻳﻦ ﺍﻷﻟﻢ؟‬Ayna al’alam?
Where does it hurt?
The chemist will bring your tablets
this afternoon / tomorrow
‫( ﺳﻴﻘﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﺼﻴﺪﻟﻲ ﺑﺈﺣﻀﺎﺭ ﺃﺩﻭﻳﺘﻚ ﺑﻌﺪ‬M & F to M) sayaqoum aśśaidhali
beihdhār adwiatak ba’da źohr
‫ ﻏﺪﺍً؟‬/ ‫ﻇﻬﺮ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ‬
Show me the medications that you
are taking
‫ ﺗﺄﺧﺬﻳﻨﻬﺎ‬/ ‫( ﺃﺭﻧﻲ ﺍﻷﺩﻭﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺗ ﺄﺧﺬﻩﺎ‬M & F to M) areni al’adwiah allati
I want you to take your medicine
Can you get yourself some water?
I need to……
Check your blood pressure
alyawm / ghadan
(M & F to F) sayaqoum aśśaidhali
beihdhār adwiatek ba’da źohr
alawum / ghadan
ta’khuzhoha
(M & F to F) areni al’adwiah allati
ta’khuzhenaha
‫ ﺗﺄﺧﺬﻱ ﺩﻭﺍءﻙ‬/ ‫( ﺃﺭﻳﺪ ﻣﻨﻚ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺄﺧﺬ‬M & F to M) aureed menka an
ta’khuzh dawāa’k
(M & F to F) aureed menki an
ta’khuzhi dawāa’ek
‫ﻩﻞ ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻚ ﺇﺣﻀﺎﺭ ﻣﺎء ﺑﻨﻔﺴﻚ؟‬
(M & F to M) hal yumkenuka ih’dhar
māa’ benafsak?
(M & F to F) hal yumkenuki ih’dhar
māa’ benafseki?
.... ‫ ﺃﺭﻳﺪ ﺃﻥ‬aureed an …..
‫( ﺃﻗﻴﺲ ﺿﻐﻂ ﺩﻣﻚ‬M & F to M) aqees dhaghţ dammak
ِ(M & F to F) aqees dhaghţ dammeki
Take your pulse
‫( ﺃﻗﻴﺲ ﻧﺒﻀﻚ‬M & F to M) aqesa nabdhak
Change your dressing
‫( ﺃﻏﻴّﺮ ﺿﻤﺎﺩﻙ‬M & F to M) an aughayyer
(M & F to F) aqesa nabdheki
dhammadak
(M & F to F) an Aughayyer
dhammadeki
‫ ﺇﺳﻌﺎﻑ‬Isa’āf
Ambulance
Doctor
‫ ﻃﺒﻴﺐ‬ţabeeb
Medicine
‫ ﺩﻭﺍء‬dawāa’
Are you constipated?
Do you have diabetes?
© RDNS
‫ﻩﻞ ﺗﻌﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻹﻣﺴﺎﻙ؟‬
‫ ﻣﺼﺎﺑﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻜﺮﻱ؟‬/ ‫ﻩﻞ ﺃﻧﺖ ﻣﺼﺎﺏ‬
January 2007
hal tua’āni min alimsāk?
(M & F to M) hal anta muśāb
bea’ssukkari?
(M & F to F) hal anti muśābah
bea’ssukkari?
Page 5 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Arabic
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 4: FAREWELL
English
You can ring me on …….
Arabic
Closest Pronunciation in
English
...... ‫( ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻚ ﺍﻻﺗﺼﺎﻝ ﺑﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﻢ‬M & F to M) yumkinuka aliteśāl
be a’lā arraqam ….
(M & F to F) yumkinuki aliteśāl be
a’lā arraqam ….
ً‫ ﺷﻜﺮﺍ‬shukran
Thank you
I’m pleased to have met you
‫( ﺗﺸﺮﻓﺖ ﺑﻤﻘﺎﺑﻠﺘﻚ‬M & F to M) tasharrfto
bemoqabaltak
(M & F to F) tasharrfto
bemoqabalateki
ً‫ ﻋﻔﻮﺍ‬af’wan
You are welcome
ً‫ ﻭﺩﺍﻋﺎ‬wadāa’n
Good - bye
Keep well
Take care / All the best / Good
luck
© RDNS
‫ ﺍﻋﺘﻨﻲ ﺑﺼﺤﺘﻚ‬/ ‫( ﺍﻋﺘﻦ‬M & F to M) ia’tani beśah’atak
(M & F to F) ia’tani beśah’ateki
‫ ﻣﻊ ﺃﻓﻀﻞ ﺍﻟﺘﻤﻨﻴﺎﺕ‬Ma’ afdhal attamaniāt
January 2007
Page 6 of 6
ACHS L1