Tunisian-Arabic phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Tunisian-Arabic with translation. | Free & useful
Tunisian-Arabic phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.
They are an important part of Tunisian-Arabic culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.
Tunisian-Arabic phrases you should know
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Greet someone in Tunisian-Arabic
If you want to greet someone in Tunisian-Arabic, it’s actually quite easy:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome to the site. | مرحباً بالموقع. | /marḥabān bāl-mawqiʕ/ |
| Welcome to the site. | أهلاً وسهلاً بالموقع. | /ahlan w-saḥlan bāl-mawqiʕ/ |
| Good day to you! | نهارك طيب! | /nḥārak ṭayyib/ |
| Good morning to you! | صباح الخير! | /ṣabāḥ al-ḫayr/ |
| Good evening! | مساء الخير! | /masāʾ al-ḫayr/ |
| Good to see you. | مبروك عليك. | /mabrūk ʕalik/ |
| I’m glad to see you. | فرحت برؤيتك. | /faraḥt biruʾyatak/ |
If you are greeted in Tunisian-Arabic, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! | نهارك زين إنتي زادا! | /nḥārak zīn inti zāda/ |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. | شكراً، فرحت برؤيتك زادا. | /šukran, faraḥt biruʾyatak zāda/ |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? | كيفاش لاباس؟ | /kīfāš labeš?/ |
| Are you doing well? | أنتي لاباس؟ | /inti labeš?/ |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | شكراً على سؤالك، أنا لاباس. | /šukran ʕalā suʔālik, anā labeš/ |
| Thank you, I am fine. | شكراً، أنا لاباس. | /šukran, anā labeš/ |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | شكراً، ما نحبش نقول لاباس. | /šukran, mā naḥibš nʕūl labeš/ |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | شكراً، أنا لاباس. كيفاش لاباس؟ | /šukran, anā labeš. kīfāš labeš?/ |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in Tunisian-Arabic?
Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Tunisian-Arabic is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! | باي! | /bāy/ |
| Take care of yourself! | تواخذ روحك! | /twaḫað rūḥak/ |
| Goodbye | إلى اللقاء | /ilā al-liqāʔ/ |
| See you tomorrow | نشوفك غدوة | /nšūfak ġodwa/ |
| See you soon | نشوفك قريب | /nšūfak qarīb/ |
| See you later | نشوفك بعد | /nšūfak baʕd/ |
| Good night | تصبح على خير | /ṭuṣbiḥ ʕalā ḫayr/ |
| Sleep well | نم براحة | /nim bārāḥa/ |
| Talk to you later | نهدر معاك بعد | /naḥdār maʕāk baʕd/ |
| Nice to have met you! | فرحت بلقائك! | /faraḥt biliqāʔak/ |
How do I introduce myself in Tunisian-Arabic?
When travelling in Tunesia, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Tunisian-Arabic and know who you’re talking to.
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | إسمي جوناس. | /ismī ʒūnās/ |
| What is your name? | شنوّة إسمك؟ | /ʃnūwa ismak?/ |
| What is your surname? | شنوّة لقبك؟ | /ʃnūwa laqabak?/ |
| What is your first name? | شنوّة إسمك الأول؟ | /ʃnūwa ismak al-ʔawwal?/ |
| What is your surname? | شنوّة لقبك؟ | /ʃnūwa laqabak?/ |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | منين إنتي؟ | /mnīn inti?/ |
| I am from London. | أنا من لندن. | /anā min landān/ |
| Are you from Birmingham? | إنتي من برمنغهام؟ | /inti min bārminġām?/ |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | لا، أنا من مدريد. | /lā, anā min madrīd/ |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | عظيم، أنا زادا من مدريد. | /ʕaẓīm, anā zāda min madrīd/ |
| Where do you live? | وين تسكن؟ | /wīn taskun?/ |
| I live in Berlin. | أنا ساكن في برلين. | /anā sākin fī barlīn/ |
If you have problems with your Tunisian-Arabic, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | تحكي إنجليزي؟ | /taḥkī inglīzī?/ |
| Yes, I speak English. | إيه، نحكي إنجليزي. | /īh, naḥkī inglīzī/ |
| Yes, I speak some English. | إيه، نحكي شوية إنجليزي. | /īh, naḥkī šwiyya inglīzī/ |
| No, I do not speak any English. | لا، ما نحبش نحكي إنجليزي. | /lā, mā naḥibš naḥkī inglīzī/ |
| I only speak English. | أنا نحب نحكي إنجليزي برك. | /anā naḥib naḥkī inglīzī barak/ |
| I understand some Tunisian. | نفهم شوية تونسي. | /nifham šwiyya tūnsī/ |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Tunisian-Arabic and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I am English. | أنا إنجليزي. | /anā inglīzī/ |
| I am injured. | أنا مجروح. | /anā maǧrūḥ/ |
| I am here. | أنا هنا. | /anā hinā/ |
| I am hungry. | أنا جائع. | /anā jāʕiʕ/ |
| I am thirsty. | أنا عطشان. | /anā ʕaṭšān/ |
| I am a single person. | أنا شخص عازب. | /anā šakṣ ʕāzib/ |
| I need help! | نحتاج للمساعدة! | /naḥtāj lil-mūsāʕada/ |
| I am tired. | أنا تعبان. | /anā tʕabān/ |
| I am happy. | أنا فرحان. | /anā faraḥān/ |
| I am sad. | أنا حزين. | /anā ḥazīn/ |
| I am in love. | أنا واقع في الحب. | /anā wāqiʕ fī al-ḥubb/ |
| I am ill. | أنا مريض. | /anā marīḍ/ |
| I am ready. | أنا جاهز. | /anā jāhaz/ |
| I am busy. | أنا مشغول. | /anā mašġūl/ |
| I am lost. | أنا ضايع. | /anā ḍāyiʕ/ |
| I am a tourist. | أنا سائح. | /anā sāʔiḥ/ |
| I am new here. | أنا جديد هنا. | /anā ǧadīd hinā/ |
| I am confident. | أنا واثق. | /anā wāṯiq/ |
| I am proud. | أنا فخور. | /anā faḥūr/ |
| I am a teacher. | أنا معلم. | /anā muʕallim/ |
| I am late. | أنا متأخر. | /anā mtaʔaḫḫir/ |
| I am 30 years old. | عندي 30 سنة. | /ʕandī 30 sana/ |
| I am in a hurry. | أنا مستعجل. | /anā mistaʕǧil/ |
| I am happy. | أنا فرحان. | /anā faraḥān/ |
| I am surprised. | أنا مستغرب. | /anā misṯaɡrib/ |
| I am angry. | أنا غاضب. | /anā ġāḍib/ |
Apologising in Tunisian-Arabic
Here’s how to apologise to a Tunisian-Arabic speaker:
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise. | أنا نعتذر. | /anā naʕtadhir/ |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | آسف، ما كانش هذيك النية. | /āsef, mā kānš hāḏīk an-nīya/ |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | آسف، ما عملتش هكا عمداً. | /āsef, mā ʕamiltš hakka ʕamdan/ |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | آسف، هذي كانت غلطة كبيرة مني. | /āsef, hāḏī kānat ḡalta kbīra minnī/ |
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Useful signs and notices in Tunisian-Arabic
Useful signs and messages in Tunisian-Arabic that you will often see.
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | مدخل | /madxal/ |
| Toilet | مرحاض | /mirḥāḍ/ |
| Exit | مخرج | /maxraǧ/ |
| Attention! | إنتباه! | /intibāḥ/ |
| Police | شرطة | /šuṛṭa/ |
| Emergency services | خدمات الطوارئ | /ḫidmāt aṭ-ṭawāriʔ/ |
| Fire brigade | إطفاء الحريق | /iṭfāʔ al-ḥarīq/ |
| Passage forbidden. | المرور ممنوع. | /al-murūr mamnūʕ/ |
| Caution! | حذر! | /ḥaḏar/ |
| This building is under video surveillance. | هذا المبنى تحت المراقبة بالفيديو. | /hāḏā al-mabnā taḥt al-murāqaba bil-fīdyū/ |
Numbers to 25 in Tunisian-Arabic
Counting in Tunisian-Arabic is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Tunisian-Arabic from 1 to 25.
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | واحد | /wāḥid/ |
| 2 | إثنين | /itnīn/ |
| 3 | ثلاثة | /θalāṯa/ |
| 4 | أربعة | /arbaʕa/ |
| 5 | خمسة | /xamsa/ |
| 6 | ستة | /sitta/ |
| 7 | سبعة | /sabʕa/ |
| 8 | ثمانية | /θamāniya/ |
| 9 | تسعة | /tisaʕa/ |
| 10 | عشرة | /ʕašra/ |
| 11 | حداش | /ḥdāš/ |
| 12 | إثناش | /iθnāš/ |
| 13 | ثلاثة عشر | /θalāṯa ʕašar/ |
| 14 | أربعة عشر | /arbaʕa ʕašar/ |
| 15 | خمسة عشر | /xamsa ʕašar/ |
| 16 | ستة عشر | /sitta ʕašar/ |
| 17 | سبعة عشر | /sabʕa ʕašar/ |
| 18 | ثمانية عشر | /θamāniya ʕašar/ |
| 19 | تسعة عشر | /tisaʕa ʕašar/ |
| 20 | عشرون | /ʕishrūn/ |
| 21 | واحد وعشرون | /wāḥid w ʕishrūn/ |
| 22 | إثنان وعشرون | /itnīn w ʕishrūn/ |
| 23 | ثلاثة وعشرون | /θalāṯa w ʕishrūn/ |
| 24 | أربعة وعشرون | /arbaʕa w ʕishrūn/ |
| 25 | خمسة وعشرون | /xamsa w ʕishrūn/ |
The colours in Tunisian-Arabic
The most common colours in Tunisian-Arabic with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Red in Tunisian | أحمر | /aḥmar/ |
| Blue in Tunisian | أزرق | /azraq/ |
| Green in Tunisian | أخضر | /aḫḍar/ |
| Yellow in Tunisian | أصفر | /aṣfar/ |
| Black in Tunisian | أسود | /aswad/ |
| White in Tunisian | أبيض | /abyaḍ/ |
| Orange in Tunisian | برتقالي | /burtuqālī/ |
| Pink in Tunisian | زهري | /zahri/ |
| Purple in Tunisian | بنفسجي | /banafsajī/ |
| Brown in Tunisian | بني | /bunnī/ |
Days of the week, months and seasons in Tunisian-Arabic
Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Tunisian-Arabic and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Tunisian-Arabic.
| English | Tunisian | Phonetic Transcription (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday in Tunisian | الاثنين | /il-ithnīn/ |
| Tuesday in Tunisian | الثلاثاء | /it-θalāṯāʔ/ |
| Wednesday in Tunisian | الأربعاء | /al-ʔarbʕāʔ/ |
| Thursday in Tunisian | الخميس | /il-xamīs/ |
| Friday in Tunisian | الجمعة | /il-ǧumʕa/ |
| Saturday in Tunisian | السبت | /as-sabt/ |
| Sunday in Tunisian | الأحد | /al-ʔaḥad/ |
| January in Tunisian | جانفي | /ǧānfī/ |
| February in Tunisian | فيفري | /fīfrī/ |
| March in Tunisian | مارس | /māris/ |
| April in Tunisian | أفريل | /afrīl/ |
| May in Tunisian | ماي | /māy/ |
| June in Tunisian | جوان | /ǧwān/ |
| July in Tunisian | جويلية | /ǧwīlīya/ |
| August in Tunisian | أوت | /ūt/ |
| September in Tunisian | سبتمبر | /sibtāmbār/ |
| October in Tunisian | أكتوبر | /oktūbār/ |
| November in Tunisian | نوفمبر | /nūvambār/ |
| December in Tunisian | ديسمبر | /dīsambār/ |
| Spring in Tunisian | الربيع | /ar-rabīʕ/ |
| Summer in Tunisian | الصيف | /as-ṣayf/ |
| Autumn in Tunisian | الخريف | /al-ḵarīf/ |
| Winter in Tunisian | الشتاء | /aš-šitāʔ/ |
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these Tunisian-Arabic phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Tunisian-Arabic phrases and dialogues.
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More information about the Tunisian-Arabic Business Course.
Additional links
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- Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
- The different types of learners when learning languages
More information about the Tunisian-Arabic Course for Children.