Dubai phrases and words in English

The everyday Arabic and expat slang that runs the Gulf's glass-and-chrome boom city — words like yalla, khalas and inshallah that have crossed into English and travel far beyond the UAE.

22 phrases · meanings & example sentences

“Wasta”

Arabic for 'clout' or 'pull' — influence that comes from who you know rather than what you've earned. Used for any back-channel favour or insider connection that bends the rules in your direction.

She got the licence approved in three days — her father-in-law's on the board. Pure wasta.
He landed the interview through a cousin, not the application. Total wasta.
Don't bother queuing, his friend runs the office. It's all wasta.

Arabic for 'if God wills it' — said about anything in the future you hope for but can't guarantee. In everyday use it's a gentle hedge against a firm commitment: probably, but don't hold me to the date.

He swore the parcel would land Monday. Inshallah, he said. Still nothing.
The plumber's coming Saturday, inshallah. I'm not holding my breath.
She said she'd reply by Friday, inshallah. Three weeks later, silence.

“Yalla”

Arabic for 'come on' or 'let's go' — an all-purpose nudge to start, hurry, or wrap something up. It's crossed into casual English as a punchier 'let's move'.

Yalla, the table's booked for eight and we're already late.
She shut her laptop at five sharp. Yalla, weekend's started.
Coach paced the line shouting yalla at the defenders.

“Habibi”

Arabic for 'my dear' — a warm term of address for friends, family, and strangers alike, regardless of gender. It softens whatever sentence it lands in, from a friendly hello to a gentle telling-off.

Habibi, you don't need to send the CV — let me make a call first.
She ends every voice note to her best friend with 'love you, habibi'.
The waiter remembered his name after one visit. 'Welcome back, habibi.'

“Wallah”

Arabic for 'I swear to God' — an intensifier you tack onto a statement to insist you really mean it. Used to underline honesty, surprise, or sheer frustration.

Wallah, the rent jumped forty percent at renewal. I'm not exaggerating.
She told the whole table she was quitting. Wallah, just like that.
He swore he'd pay me back. Wallah, he said. Still waiting.

“Mashallah”

Arabic for 'what God has willed' — said when admiring someone or something, to show your praise carries no envy and ward off the evil eye. The polite tag on any compliment about a baby, a success, or a new purchase.

She held the newborn and said mashallah three times before handing him back.
He pulled up in the new car and everyone said mashallah, big smiles.
The promotion hit the family chat — twelve mashallahs in a minute.

“Khalas”

Arabic for 'enough' or 'done' — used to end an argument, close a discussion, or call a halt, often with a flat hand. The emphatic 'that's it, no more'.

Khalas, I'm done arguing. We're booking the flights tonight.
Three meetings, no decision. He stood up and said khalas.
Her son asked for a third ice cream. 'Khalas, habibi.' He sat back down.

“Mafi mushkila”

Arabic for 'no problem' — a reassuring brush-off that everything's fine and easily handled. Sometimes offered so fast it lands before the problem has actually been heard.

I told him the AC had been broken a week. 'Mafi mushkila, today inshallah.'
She asked for a refund. Mafi mushkila, they said, and never sent it.
He showed up two hours late, same answer. Mafi mushkila.

“Souk”

Arabic for 'market' — a traditional bazaar where nothing has a fixed price and everything is settled by haggling. Used figuratively for any chaotic, everything's-negotiable situation.

The freelance market this year is a complete souk. Every rate's up for grabs.
She got three quotes on the same bangle in one afternoon. All different.
The job market in tech is a souk right now — every offer's a starting point.

“Expat bubble”

The closed social world foreign residents build abroad — same bars, schools, and group chats, rarely touching the local culture around them. Used for any insular community that mistakes its own circle for the whole place.

She'd lived there eight years and met three locals. Pure expat bubble.
The expat bubble is small enough that everyone has dated everyone.
He moved cities and was back in the bubble within a week. Same brunches, new beach.

“Tfadal”

Arabic for 'please, go ahead', 'here you are', or 'be my guest' — one of the most hospitable words in the language. Used when offering a seat, handing something over, inviting someone to start, or waving someone through a door.

He held the door and said tfadal — no explanation needed.
She set the plate down: tfadal, dig in.
They finished presenting. 'Tfadal,' the boss said, and the floor was theirs.

“Mabrook”

Arabic for 'congratulations' — the standard way to celebrate someone's good news across the Arab world: a wedding, a baby, a new job, a graduation. Widely used in English among friends in the region.

She texted the family chat the second the offer came in. Forty mabrooks in a minute.
Mabrook on the new place — when's the housewarming?
He passed his test on the third try. Mabrook, finally.

“Shukran”

Arabic for 'thank you' — one of the first words anyone picks up in the region, slipped into English sentences as a quick, warm thanks.

She handed back the change and he smiled — shukran, habibi.
Shukran for covering my shift, I owe you.
He ended every email to the local team with a quick shukran.

“Maalish”

Arabic for 'never mind' or 'it's okay' — a gentle way to wave off a mistake, a delay, or bad luck. The verbal shrug that says don't worry about it.

He spilled coffee on the report and froze. Maalish, just print another.
The bus left without us. Maalish, we'll grab the next one.
She apologised for being late. Maalish, the food only just arrived.

“Khali wali”

Gulf Arabic slang for 'forget it' or 'whatever' — used to drop a topic, let an annoyance go, or signal you can't be bothered to argue.

He kept pushing about the bill. Khali wali, I just paid it to end it.
They changed the plan three times, so khali wali, I stayed home.
She wanted the last word. Khali wali — not worth the fight.

“Bukra”

Arabic for 'tomorrow' — but in practice the patron saint of putting things off, much like the Spanish 'mañana'. When everything will be done 'bukra', expect it sometime, eventually, maybe.

I asked when the report would be ready. Bukra, he said. That was last week.
Everything's bukra with that office — nothing ships when they promise.
The fix is always coming bukra. I've stopped waiting.

“Akhi”

Arabic for 'my brother' — used between friends the way English speakers say 'bro' or 'mate', a warm and familiar form of address.

Akhi, you didn't have to drive all the way over — but thank you.
He greets every regular at the gym the same way: 'Akhi! Long time.'
Calm down, akhi, it's not that deep.

“Sundowner”

A drink enjoyed outdoors as the sun sets — the relaxed early-evening ritual of winding down with a view. Borrowed into English from colonial-era usage and now common wherever the evenings are warm.

We caught a sundowner on the rooftop before dinner.
Friday means a quick sundowner with the neighbours on the balcony.
They watched the sun drop over the water, sundowners in hand.

“Tamam”

Arabic for 'okay', 'fine', or 'all good' — a quick confirmation that everything's in order, used to agree, reassure, or check in.

I asked if the booking went through. Tamam, all confirmed.
Everything tamam on your end before we send it?
He looked over the figures and nodded — tamam, we're good.

“Yani”

Arabic for 'it means' — but in everyday speech it's a filler dropped mid-sentence the way English speakers say 'like', 'I mean', or 'you know', buying a beat to think or softening what comes next.

He said the flat was 'cosy', yani tiny, yani don't get your hopes up.
She paused — 'it's fine, yani, it could be better' — and left it there.
I'm not angry, yani, just a little disappointed.

“Uff”

An Arabic-origin exclamation for frustration, exasperation, or mild dismay — the equivalent of 'ugh' or 'oof'. Brief and expressive, it needs no translation in a mixed conversation.

Uff, the traffic today. Two hours to go five kilometres.
She read the email, sat back, and just said uff.
He checked the bill. Uff. That's not what they quoted.

“Salam”

Short for the Arabic greeting meaning 'peace' — a warm hello or goodbye that crosses easily into English among friends in the region. The full 'salam alaikum' is answered with 'wa alaikum salam'.

She walked into the office and gave the whole room a quick salam.
He signs off every voice note with a soft 'yalla, salam'.
Salam, akhi — good to see you after all this time.