English to Arabic Phrasebook Calais - People to People Solidarity - Action from UK         

Version I ~ 05 September 2015                                               

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About this book:

This booklet is written in Modern Standard Arabic and is intended for use in providing assistance to the refugees arriving in Europe from the Arab world. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the language of the media and academia and is typically understood by all Arab speakers regardless of their regional dialect. If you speak these phrases to the refugees, it will sound different to them because they are used to only hearing this form spoken on television, but they will understand what you are saying. The great benefit of MSA is that you are unlimited in which refugees you can communicate with as everyone from Iraq to Morocco will understand this form. This includes Sudanese as well.

This document is a first step, designed for rapid publication. More complete versions will follow based on user feedback.

This book was written by Robert P. Hill and Ricardo Garcia-Magana of Monterey, California. All rights reserved.​Editing, publication, and distribution of this document are permitted so long as it is never sold and republication remains unrestricted.

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How to use this book​ :

If you are taking food down to the refugees then flip to the “Giving Food” chapter and everything you need should be right there. Likewise if you are taking clothes, medicine, or Toiletries, then flip to that chapter. Each chapter is designed to be a self contained unit so you don’t have to look all over the place for the phrases you need, and instead can operate entirely from that chapter throughout your trip.

Each Chapter has two sections: ➢ A table of words and phrases that you can use while distributing your supplies to the refugees. ➢ Simple signs that you can print out before you leave home and tape to the goods, or your vehicle, or hand to the refugees letting them know what items you have. There are also some signs for crowd control saying things like “Please form a queue,” all in Arabic. There is an English version of the statement at the bottom of each page.

Pronunciation Guide​ : ●

i​ is always pronounced like “ee” as in “eat”

●

ch​ is a soft guttural K, like the German “ach”

● a​ is always pronounced like “taught” ● If you see double letters like a ​a ​ or ​ tt​ just linger a little longer on that letter, emphasizing it in the word ● zh​ is a soft J, like DiGiorno’s Pizza ● Try to roll your R’s like in Spanish. It will be tremendously helpful for the people trying to understand you. Every R is rolled in Arabic. ● th​ is always a vocalized “th” like when you say “the” 3 

Table of Contents      

Giving Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pp. 5 - 12

Giving Clothes, Medicine, and Toiletries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pp. 13 - 23

Determining what they need immediately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pp. 24 -25

4 

Giving Food 

  English 

What you say 

Arabic (MSA) 

Hello 

marhaban 

 ‫ﻣﺮﺣﺒﺎ‬

My name is . . . 

ismee 

 ‫ﺃﺳﻤﻲ‬

What is your name? 

ma ismook? 

‫ﺍﺳﻤﻚ؟‬ ‫ﻣﺎ‬ 

Nice to meet you 

tushurrufna 

 ‫ﺗﺸﺮﻓﻨﺎ‬

Food 

taam 

 ‫ﻃﻌﻢ‬

Water 

ma 

 ‫ﻣﺎء‬

I have food  

eindee taam 

 ‫ﻃﻌﻢ‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻱ‬

I have water 

eindee ma 

 ‫ﻣﺎء‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻱ‬

You can have this  

tuffudl 

Form a queue 

ashkaloo suf 

For your children 

lee atfalik 

 ‫ﻷﻃﻔﺎﻟﻚ‬

For the elderly 

leel azhooz 

 ‫ﻟﻠﻌﺠﻮﺯ‬

I don't have anything else 

leis eindee aiy shay acher 

I'm sorry 

ana aasif 

 ‫ﺁﺳﻒ‬ ‫ﺃﻧﺎ‬

I will return 

sa arjhoo 

 ‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬

I will return later 

sa arzhoo fee wakt alacher 

I will return tomorrow 

sa arzhoo gadan 

Thank you 

shookran 

 ‫ﺷﻜًﺎ‬

You're welcome 

afwan 

 ً‫ﺃﻓﻮﺍ‬

Yes 

naam 

 ‫ﻧﻌﻢ‬

No 

la 

Maybe 

moomkin 

There is no pork in this 

hatha geir laham al chanzeer 

Candy 

halwee 

 ‫ﻃﻔﻀﻞ‬  ‫ﺻﻒ‬ ‫ﺇﺷﻜﻠﻮﺍ‬

 ‫ﺁﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﺷﻲء‬ ‫ﺃﻱ‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻱ‬ ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬

 ‫ﺍﻷﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬  ً‫ﻏﺪﺍ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬

 ‫ﻻ‬  ‫ﻣﻤﻜﻦ‬  ‫ﺍﻟﺨﻨﺰﻳﺮ‬ ‫ﻟﺤﻢ‬ ‫ﻏﻴﺮ‬ ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬  ‫ﺣﻠﻮﻯ‬

    5 

 ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺻﻒ‬ ‫ﺇﺷﻜﻠﻮﺍ‬  .‫ﻓﻀﻠﻚ‬                                                   Form a queue please 

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 ‫ﺧﺪﻣﺔ‬ ‫ﺳﻨﻮﺍﺻﻞ‬  ‫ﺗﺸﻜﻴﻠﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﺑﻌﺪ‬ ‫ﻧﺎ‬  .‫ﺻﻒ‬                               We will continue serving after you form a queue.  7 

 ‫ﺃﻱ‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬ ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬  ،‫ﺃﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﺷﻲ‬

 ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬  ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﻨﺮﺟﻊ‬  .‫ﺷﻜﺮًﺍ‬ ،‫ﺍﻷﺧﺮ‬                 We are all out.  We will return at another time.  Thank you.  8 

‫ﺍﻟﻄﻌﻢ‪ ‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ﻣﺠﺎﻧﺎ‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪Free food ‬‬ ‫‪9 ‬‬

‫ﺍﻟﻤﺎء‪ ‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ﻣﺠﺎﻧﺎ‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪Free water ‬‬ ‫‪10 ‬‬

 ‫ﻷﻃﻔﺎﻟﻜﻢ‬                                                           For your children  11 

 ‫ﻟﻠﻌﺠﻮﺯ‬                                                           For the elderly  12 

Giving Clothes, Medicine, and Toiletries English 

What you say 

Arabic (MSA) 

Hello 

marhaban 

My name is . . . 

ismee 

What is your name? 

ma ismook? 

Nice to meet you 

tushurrufna 

You can have this  

tuffudl 

Form a queue 

ashkaloo suf 

For your children 

lee atfalik 

‫ ﻷﻃﻔﺎﻟﻚ‬ 

For the elderly 

leel azhooz 

‫ﻟﻠﻌﺠﻮﺯ‬ 

Toothpaste 

maazhoon asnan 

 ‫ﺃﺳﻨﺎﻥ‬ ‫ﻣﻌﺠﻮﻥ‬

Toothbrush 

farashat alasnan 

 ‫ﺍﻷﺳﻨﺎﻥ‬ ‫ﻓﺮﺷﺎﺓ‬

Soap 

saboon 

Shampoo 

shamboo 

Razor 

shifrat al halaka 

Nappies 

kafoolat 

Nappy rash ointment 

kreem al kafoola  

 ‫ﺍﻟﻜﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﺮﻳﻢ‬

Pain reliever 

masakun lil alalim 

 ‫ﻟﻼﻻﻡ‬ ‫ﻣﺴﻜﻦ‬

Cold medicine 

dewa lil zikam 

 ‫ﻟﻠﺰﻛﺎﻡ‬ ‫ﺩﻭﺍء‬

Stomach medicine 

dewa lil button 

 ‫ﻟﻠﺒﻄﻦ‬ ‫ﺩﻭﺍء‬

Blankets 

battaaniat 

Pillow 

meechada 

Pillowcase 

ghata almeechada 

Shoes 

hatha 

Shirt 

kamees 

‫ﻣﺮﺣﺒﺎ‬   . . . ‫ﺃﺳﻤﻲ‬  ‫ﺍﺳﻤﻚ؟‬ ‫ﻣﺎ‬  ‫ﺗﺸﺮﻓﻨﺎ‬

‫ﻃﻔﻀﻞ‬  ‫ﺻﻒ‬ ‫ﺇﺷﻜﻠﻮﺍ‬ 

 ‫ﺻﺎﺑﻮﻥ‬  ‫ﺷﺎﻣﺒﻮ‬  ‫ﺍﻟﺤﻼﻗﺔ‬ ‫ﺷﻔﺮﺓ‬  ‫ﻛﻔﻮﻻﺕ‬

 ‫ﺑﻄﺎﻧﻴﺎﺕ‬  ‫ﻣﺨﺪﺓ‬  ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺨﺪﺓ‬ ‫ﺧﻄﺎء‬  ‫ﺣﺬﺍء‬  ‫ﻗﻤﻴﺺ‬

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English 

What you say 

Arabic (MSA) 

Pants 

bantloon 

Children's or Baby's clothes 

melabis leel atfal 

 ‫ﻟﻸﻃﻔﻞ‬ ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬

Women's clothes 

melabis leel nissa 

 ‫ﻟﻠﻨﺴﺎء‬ ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬

Men's clothes 

melabis leel rezhal 

 ‫ﻟﻠﺮﺟﺎﻝ‬ ‫ﻣﻼﺑﺲ‬

Writing paper 

warak al kitaba 

Pens / pencils 

aklam 

I don't have anything else 

leis eindee aiy shay acher 

I'm sorry 

ana aasif 

‫ﺁﺳﻒ‬ ‫ﺃﻧﺎ‬ 

I will return 

sa arjhoo 

‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬ 

I will return later 

sa arzhoo fee wakt alacher 

I will return tomorrow 

sa arzhoo gadan 

Thank you 

shookran 

‫ﺷﻜًﺎ‬ 

You're welcome 

afwan 

ً‫ﺃﻓﻮﺍ‬ 

Yes 

naam 

‫ﻧﻌﻢ‬ 

No 

la 

Maybe 

moomkin 

 ‫ﺑﻨﻄﻠﻮﻥ‬

 ‫ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺎﺑﺔ‬ ‫ﻭﺭﻕ‬  ‫ﺃﻗﻼﻡ‬  ‫ﺁﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﺷﻲء‬ ‫ﺃﻱ‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻱ‬ ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬

‫ﺍﻷﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬  ً‫ﻏﺪﺍ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﺄﺭﺟﻊ‬ 

‫ﻻ‬  ‫ﻣﻤﻜﻦ‬ 

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 ‫ﺻﻒ‬ ‫ﺇﺷﻜﻠﻮﺍ‬  .‫ﻓﻀﻠﻚ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬               Form a queue please.  15 

 ‫ﺧﺪﻣﺔ‬ ‫ﺳﻨﻮﺍﺻﻞ‬  ‫ﺗﺸﻜﻴﻠﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﺑﻌﺪ‬ ‫ﻧﺎ‬  .‫ﺻﻒ‬                               We will continue serving after you form a queue.

 

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 ‫ﺃﻱ‬ ‫ﺃﻳﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬ ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬  ،‫ﺃﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﺷﻲ‬

 ‫ﻭﻗﺖ‬  ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﻨﺮﺟﻊ‬  .‫ﺷﻜﺮًﺍ‬ ،‫ﺍﻷﺧﺮ‬                 We are all out.  We will return at another time.  Thank you.  17 

  ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬  ‫ﻟﻸﻃﻔﻞ‬                       Children’s or Baby’s Clothes  18 

 ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬  ‫ﻟﻠﻨﺴﺎء‬                       Women’s Clothes  19 

 ‫ﻣﻼﺑﺲ‬  ‫ﻟﻠﺮﺟﺎﻝ‬                       Men’s Clothes  20 

 ‫ﺑﻄﺎﻧﻴﺎﺕ‬                                     Blankets  21 

 ‫ﺣﺬﺍء‬                                     Shoes  22 

‫ﺻﺎﺑﻮﻥ‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪ ‬‬ ‫‪Soap ‬‬ ‫‪23 ‬‬

Find out what their most urgent need is

Just show them the below and give them a pen to circle what they need most

you may want to print a large number of copies of the below table since you’ll need one per person.

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 ‫ﺁﺧﺮ؟‬ ‫ﺷﻲء‬ ‫ﺃﻱ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺃﻛﺜﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻵﻥ‬ ‫ﺗﺤﺘﺎﺝ‬ ‫ﻣﺎﺫﺍ‬   What do you need right now more than anything else?           

Transliteration 

English 

Arabic (MSA) 

taam 

Food 

ma 

Water 

bataaneeat 

Blankets 

htha 

Shoes 

tabeeb 

Doctor 

melabis leel atfal 

Children's or Baby's clothes 

 

melabis leel nissa 

Women's clothes 

 

melabis leel rezhal 

Men's clothes 

kafoolat 

Nappies 

kreem al kafoola 

Nappy rash ointment 

 

masakun lil alalim 

Pain reliever 

 

dewa lil zikam 

Cold medicine 

 

dewa lil button 

Stomach medicine 

 

‫ﺍﻟﻄﻌﻢ‬

 

‫ﻣﺎء‬

 

‫ﺑﻄﺎﻧﻴﺎﺕ‬

 

‫ﺣﺬﺍء‬

 

‫ﻃﺒﻴﺐ‬ ‫ﺃﺣﺘﺎﺥ‬

 

‫ﻟﻸﻃﻔﻞ‬ ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻨﺴﺎء‬ ‫ﻣﻠﺒﺲ‬

‫ﻟﻠﺮﺟﺎﻝ‬ ‫ﻣﻼﺑﺲ‬

 

‫ﻛﻔﻮﻻﺕ‬

 

‫ﺍﻟﻜﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﺮﻳﻢ‬ ‫ﻟﻼﻻﻡ‬ ‫ﻣﺴﻜﻦ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﺰﻛﺎﻡ‬ ‫ﺩﻭﺍء‬ ‫ﻟﻠﺒﻄﻦ‬ ‫ﺩﻭﺍء‬

          25 

               

End 

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