Tunisian Arabic Phrases – Essential Derja for Everyday Life

Tunisian Arabic – known locally as Derja – sounds unlike any other Arabic dialect you may have heard. The first time I came across Tunisian spoken at speed, I understood almost nothing, despite already knowing Norwegian, French, and having studied MSA. Derja is genuinely its own thing: a mix of Arabic, Berber, French, Italian, Turkish, and Andalusian Arabic compressed into something that can be impenetrable even for native speakers of Egyptian or Syrian Arabic.

That’s exactly why a practical phrase guide matters. Whether you’re traveling to Tunisia, connecting with Tunisian family or friends, or simply curious about this fascinating dialect, the phrases below will give you a working foundation in real spoken Derja – not textbook Arabic.

A quick note on what you’re learning here: these are spoken Tunisian phrases, not Modern Standard Arabic. The way Tunisians actually greet each other, say goodbye, apologize, or count is often completely different from what any standard Arabic course would teach you. That difference is the point.

Tunisian Arabic phrases you should know

OUR TIP: If you want to learn these phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Tunisian-Arabic phrases and dialogues today.

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Greet someone in Tunisian Arabic

Tunisian greetings often feel warmer and more elaborate than what you’d hear in other Arabic dialects. Aslema is the distinctly Tunisian hello – you won’t hear it in Egypt or Lebanon. And notice how French slips in naturally: Ça va? is used constantly in everyday Tunisian conversation, often mixed right into Arabic sentences.

If you are greeted in Tunisian Arabic, the best way to respond is as follows:

How are you? – The Tunisian way

The most distinctly Tunisian phrase you’ll hear is Kīfāš labeš? – which directly translates as “How is the no-problem?” It comes from the French pas (not) filtered through Tunisian phonology. Using labeš immediately signals to any Tunisian that you know real Derja, not tourist Arabic.

If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:

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More information about the Tunisian Arabic online course.

How to say goodbye in Tunisian Arabic

Tunisian goodbyes mix formal Arabic with borrowed words. Bāy (from French/English “bye”) is completely standard in informal settings – you’ll hear it constantly. Nšūfak (I’ll see you) is used exactly like “see you” in English, and the future marker n- at the start is a distinctly Maghrebi feature you won’t find in Eastern dialects.

How to introduce yourself in Tunisian Arabic

When travelling in Tunisia, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Notice that šnūwa (what) is a distinctly Tunisian word – you won’t hear it anywhere else in the Arab world, and using it immediately shows you’ve done your homework.

If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:

If you have language difficulties, these phrases help:

Essential Tunisian phrases: thank you, please, sorry

These are the phrases people search for most – and they’re good examples of how Derja blends its sources. Yaishek (bless you / thank you) has no equivalent in other Arabic dialects and comes from an old Berber root. Āsef (sorry) is shared with other dialects but the Tunisian apology formulas that follow it are unique.

Useful sentences with ‘I am…’

The following sentences will help you express yourself in everyday situations in Tunisia. Notice how Tunisian often drops vowels that other dialects keep – tʕabān (tired) loses the opening vowel entirely, which is characteristic of the Maghrebi consonant-cluster tendency.

Apologising in Tunisian Arabic

Tunisian apologies tend to be direct. Sāmħnī (forgive me) is more heartfelt than āsef (sorry) and signals genuine remorse. In informal situations Tunisians often just say āsef quickly and move on – much like English speakers use “sorry” without much weight.

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More information about the Tunisian Arabic intermediate course.

Useful signs and notices in Tunisian Arabic

Tunisia uses both Arabic script and French in public signage – you’ll see both languages on street signs, in official buildings, and on transport. These are the Arabic versions of the most common signs you’ll encounter.

Numbers 1–25 in Tunisian Arabic

Tunisian numbers sit between Moroccan Darija and MSA in an interesting way. Like Moroccan, the teens compress heavily — ḥdāš (11) and iθnāš (12) use the short Maghrebi -āš ending. But from 13 onwards, Tunisian switches back to the fuller two-word MSA form (θalāṯa ʕašar, arbaʕa ʕašar etc.) rather than fusing them — a hybrid pattern not found in either Moroccan or Levantine dialects. Similarly, the tens from 20 upwards use the MSA -ūn ending (ʕishrūn, not ʕishrīn), which makes Tunisian written numbers closer to formal Arabic than Egyptian or Levantine speech. Tunisian also retains the th sound (ث) in θalāṯa (3) and θamāniya (8) — unlike Egyptian and Lebanese, which replace it with t.

For the full framework — Eastern Arabic numerals (١ ٢ ٣), MSA compound number logic, and how Tunisian compares to all other major dialects — see the Arabic numbers guide.

Colours in Tunisian Arabic

Days, months and seasons in Tunisian Arabic

One of the most telling signs of French influence in Tunisian Arabic is the calendar. While other Arab countries use Arabicized versions of the English month names (يناير, فبراير…), Tunisians use French-origin names: Jānfī for January (from French janvier), Fīfrī for February (février), Māy for May, and so on. If you know any French, the Tunisian months will feel immediately familiar.

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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Additional links

• Tunisian Arabic online course
• Learn Arabic – dialect guide and course overview
• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Motivated language learning
• It is so easy to train your understanding of a language at the same time
• Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
• The different types of learners when learning languages