Arabic dialects / Saudi Arabic
🇸🇦 Learn Saudi Arabic
Saudi Arabia does not have just one dialect. Najdi is heard around Riyadh, Hejazi around Jeddah and Mecca, and Gulf speech along the east coast. Lahja teaches the everyday Saudi Arabic you would use with people.
What makes Saudi Arabic distinct
- Hejazi and Najdi speakers can sound quite different from each other.
- It keeps many features close to older Arabic, partly because the Peninsula is where Arabic spread from.
- It is very useful for work, study and pilgrimage travel in the Kingdom.
Essential Saudi Arabic phrases
These come straight from the first sections of Lahja’s Saudi Arabic course.
| English | Say it | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | hala | هلا |
| How are you | keif halak | كيف حالك؟ |
| What's your name | esh ismak | إش اسمك؟ |
| Thank you | shukran | شكراً |
| Please | law samaht | لو سمحت |
| I love you | ahubbak | أحبك |
| Let's go | haya bina | هيا بينا |
| How much? | bikam | بكم؟ |
| Delicious | lazeez | لذيذ |
| No problem | ma fi mushkila | ما في مشكلة |
In the spelling, 3 is the letter ayn, 7 is a breathy h, 2 is a glottal stop, 5 is kh and 9 is qaf.
Lahja’s Saudi Arabic course
- 54 words and phrases across 7 sections
- Every word has a recording by a native speaker
- Short lessons, practice rounds and a test for each section
- Sections 1 to 3 are free. Pro is $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial
Best for: People working or living in Saudi Arabia, Saudi heritage speakers, and pilgrims.
Questions about learning Saudi Arabic
- Is Saudi Arabic different from Modern Standard Arabic?
- Yes. Saudi Arabic is the spoken language of Saudi Arabia, with its own pronunciation, grammar and everyday words. Modern Standard Arabic is the formal written language, so learning it alone will not prepare you for ordinary conversation in Saudi Arabia.
- How do I start learning Saudi Arabic?
- Start with greetings and everyday phrases you can use straight away, and listen to native speakers as often as you can. Lahja’s Saudi Arabic course has 54 words and phrases across 7 sections, in five minute lessons.
- Is the Saudi Arabic course free?
- Sections 1 to 3 are free and stay free. Lahja Pro unlocks the rest for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.
- Does the course use native Saudi Arabic speakers?
- Yes. All 54 words in this course have recordings by native speakers.
Other dialects
Lahja teaches 11 dialects in all, including: