Ordering Food in Arabic: Menu Words, Phrases and Dining Etiquette

Food is central to Arab hospitality, and being able to order and chat about it goes a long way. This guide covers the words most likely to appear on a menu and the phrases you'll want at the table.

Basic food words

• خبز (khubz) — bread
• أرز (ruzz) — rice
• لحم (lahm) — meat
• دجاج (dajaj) — chicken
• سمك (samak) — fish
• خضار (khudar) — vegetables
• فواكه (fawakih) — fruit
• جبن (jubn) — cheese
• بيض (bayd) — eggs
• سلطة (salata) — salad
• شوربة (shurba) — soup

Drinks

• ماء (ma') — water
• شاي (shay) — tea
• قهوة (qahwa) — coffee
• عصير ('asir) — juice
• حليب (halib) — milk

Taste and preparation

• حلو (hulw) — sweet
• مالح (malih) — salty
• حار (harr) — hot or spicy
• مشوي (mashwi) — grilled
• مقلي (maqli) — fried
• بدون (bidun) — without, as in "without sugar"

At the table

• قائمة الطعام (qa'imat at-ta'am) — the menu
• أريد… (urid…) — I would like…
• هل يوجد… ؟ (hal yujad…?) — Is there…?
• الحساب من فضلك (al-hisab min fadlik) — The bill, please.
• شكراً، كان لذيذاً (shukran, kana ladhidhan) — Thank you, it was delicious.

Hospitality phrases

Before eating, guests are often told تفضل (tafaddal, "please, go ahead"). After a meal, a common blessing is بالهناء والشفاء (bil-hana' wash-shifa'), "may it bring happiness and health". In the Levant, you may hear صحتين (sahtayn, "two healths") said to someone eating.

Dietary requirements

• حلال (halal) — permitted under Islamic dietary law
• نباتي (nabati) — vegetarian
• عندي حساسية من… ('indi hassasiya min…) — I have an allergy to…

Etiquette notes

Hosts commonly offer more food than you can eat and may insist. It is polite to accept a little, praise the meal, and, if you are full, say something like الحمد لله (al-hamdu lillah, "praise God") with a smile. Eating with the right hand is customary in many places.