How to Ask for and Understand Directions in Arabic :D
Exploring Arabic-speaking countries can be quite an adventure, but you need to know how to ask for directions in Arabic and to understand what you're told. After all, if you don't understand the directions, you might miss the very things you hoped to see.
The first thing you need to know is how to ask for directions. To get help you can say Men fathlek/fathleki [F] (Excuse me) or Hal beemkanek mosa'adati? (Can you help me?).هل بإمكانك مساعدتي ؟
If you're standing around looking confused, someone might ask you Hal beemkani mosa'adatuk? (Can I help you?) هل بإمكاني مساعدتك ؟
The following words can help you to understand the directions you hear in Arabic-speaking countries.
sharq (east) شرق
gharb (west) غرب
shamaal (north) شمال
januub (south) جنوب
yamiin (right) يمين
yasaar (left) يسار
The following phrases might come in handy with asking for and receiving directions in Arabic.
ayna-l-baab? (Where is the door?) أين الباب ؟
ayna maHaTTa matruu? (Where is a subway station?) أين محطة المترو
hal hunaaka markaz bariid qariib min hunaa?
(Is there a post office nearby?)
هل هناك مركز بريد قريب من هنا ؟
huwa fii shaari' tuunis. (It is on Tunis Street.) هو في شارع تونس
ayna as-sifaara al-amriikiiya? (Where is the American Embassy?)
أين السفارة الأمريكية
hal haadhaa shaari'as-saadaat? (Is this Sadat Street?)
هل هذا شارع السادات
uriid an adhab ilaa . . . (I want to go to . . .) أريد أن أذهب إلي
anaa biHaaja ilaa taaksii. (I need a taxi.) أنا بحاجة إلي تاكسي
al-matHaf qariib min al-kaniisa. (The museum is near the church.)
المتحف قريب من الكنيسة
Knowing the names of some common places or locations is often helpful when asking for directions.
maHaTTa qiTaaraat (train station) محطة القطارات
maTaar (airport) مطار
mustashfaa (hospital) مستشفي
funduq (hotel) فندق
masjid (mosque) مسجد
kaniisa (church) كنيسة
maT'am (restaurant) مطعم
suuq (market) سوق
maktab (office) مكتب
bank (bank) بنك
sifaara (embassy) سفارة
markaz ash-shurTa (police station) مركز الشرطة
maktab as-siyaaHa (tourist office) مكتب السياحة
matHaf (museum) متحف
madrasa (school) مدرسة
jaami'a (university) جامعة
madiina (city) مدينة
shaari' (street) شارع
muftaraq (intersection) مُفترق
taaksii, sayyaarat ujra (taxi) سيارة أجرة, تاكسي
matruu (subway) مترو
maHaTTa (station) محطة
markaz bariid (post office) مركز بريد
Hallaaq (barber) حلاق
shurTa (police) شرطة
baqqaal (grocery store) بقال
sifaara (embassy) سفارة
markaz (center) مركز
maktaba (bookstore) مكتبة
matHaf (museum) متحف
masjid, jaami' (mosque) مسجد, جامع
kaniisa (church) كنيسة
kulliya (college) كلية
Specific locations are formed with the name following the type of place, as in funduq Hilton فندق هيلتون(the Hilton Hotel)
or maTaar bayruut (Beirut Airport). مطار بيروت