90 Arabic Phrases for Nurses Working in the Gulf (With Pronunciation)

You do not need to be fluent in Arabic to work as a nurse in the Gulf, because English is the working language of most large hospitals. But many patients, especially older adults and people from rural areas, speak little or no English. A few well-chosen Arabic phrases can calm a frightened patient, speed up a pain assessment, and show respect that patients and families remember. This guide gives you practical phrases for everyday nursing, with Arabic script, easy pronunciation and notes on male and female forms.

Before you start: important notes

• Use professional interpreters for important conversations. Consent, diagnoses, discharge instructions, end-of-life discussions and anything with legal or safety consequences should go through a qualified interpreter or bilingual staff member, not phrasebook Arabic. Most hospitals have interpreter services; use them.
• Gulf Arabic differs from Modern Standard Arabic. The phrases below mix polite standard forms that everyone understands with common Gulf expressions. Accents and words vary between countries and between Bedouin and urban speakers.
• Male and female forms: Arabic changes many words depending on whether you speak to a man or a woman. In this guide, m means speaking to a man and f means speaking to a woman.
• Pronunciation tips: “kh” is like the “ch” in Scottish “loch”; “gh” is a soft gargled “g”; “ḥ” is a breathy “h”; “ʿ” is a sound from the throat, which you can approximate with a short pause; long vowels (ā, ī, ū) are held a little longer.

Greetings and introductions

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Peace be upon you (hello)	السلام عليكم	as-salāmu ʿalaykum
Reply: and upon you peace	وعليكم السلام	wa ʿalaykum as-salām
Good morning	صباح الخير	ṣabāḥ al-khayr
Reply to good morning	صباح النور	ṣabāḥ an-nūr
Good evening	مساء الخير	masāʾ al-khayr
Welcome	أهلاً وسهلاً	ahlan wa sahlan
My name is …	اسمي …	ismī …
I am your nurse (female nurse)	أنا الممرضة	ana al-mumarriḍa
I am your nurse (male nurse)	أنا الممرض	ana al-mumarriḍ
How are you? (Gulf)	شلونك؟	shlōnak? (m) / shlōnich? (f)
How are you? (standard)	كيف حالك؟	kayf ḥālak? (m) / kayf ḥālik? (f)
Fine, praise God	الحمد لله	al-ḥamdu lillāh
What is your name?	ما اسمك؟	mā ismak? (m) / mā ismik? (f)

Courtesy words

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Please	لو سمحت	law samaḥt (m) / law samaḥti (f)
Thank you	شكراً	shukran
You’re welcome	عفواً	ʿafwan
Sorry / excuse me	آسف / آسفة	āsif (male speaker) / āsfa (female speaker)
Yes	نعم / إيه	naʿam / ēh (Gulf)
No	لا	lā
Okay	طيب / زين	ṭayyib / zēn (Gulf)
One moment	لحظة	laḥẓa
Don’t worry	لا تقلق	lā taqlaq (m) / lā taqlaqī (f)
God willing	إن شاء الله	in shāʾ allāh

About “in shāʾ allāh”: you will hear this constantly. It means “God willing” and is used for any future plan. It is a sincere expression of faith, not a polite refusal. Similarly, “mā shāʾ allāh” expresses admiration, often used about children or recovery.

Pain assessment

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Do you have pain?	عندك ألم؟	ʿindak alam? (m) / ʿindik alam? (f)
Pain (common everyday word)	وجع	wajaʿ
Where is the pain?	وين الألم؟	wēn al-alam?
Show me	وريني	warrīnī (m) / warrīnī (f, same)
How strong is the pain from 0 to 10?	كم درجة الألم من صفر إلى عشرة؟	kam darajat al-alam min ṣifr ilā ʿashara?
A little	شوي	shway
A lot	واجد / كثير	wājid (Gulf) / kathīr
Since when?	من متى؟	min mata?
Is it better now?	أحسن الحين؟	aḥsan al-ḥīn?
Do you feel dizzy?	تحس بدوخة؟	tiḥiss bi-dōkha? (m) / tiḥissīn bi-dōkha? (f)
Do you feel nauseous?	عندك غثيان؟	ʿindak ghathayān? (m) / ʿindik ghathayān? (f)
Can you breathe well?	تقدر تتنفس زين؟	tigdar titnaffas zēn? (m) / tigdrīn titnaffasīn zēn? (f)

Tip: use a numeric or faces pain scale card with Arabic numerals as well as the spoken question. Many hospitals have bilingual pain scales.

Vital signs and procedures

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
I will check your blood pressure	بقيس الضغط	baqīs aḍ-ḍaghṭ
I will check your temperature	بقيس الحرارة	baqīs al-ḥarāra
I will check your sugar	بقيس السكر	baqīs as-sukkar
Give me your arm	عطني يدك	ʿaṭnī yadak (m) / ʿaṭīnī yadik (f)
Small injection	إبرة صغيرة	ibra ṣaghīra
Take a deep breath	خذ نفس عميق	khudh nafas ʿamīq (m) / khudhī nafas ʿamīq (f)
Breathe out	طلّع النفس	ṭalliʿ an-nafas (m) / ṭalliʿī an-nafas (f)
Open your mouth	افتح فمك	iftaḥ fammak (m) / iftaḥī fammik (f)
Lie down, please	انسدح لو سمحت	insadiḥ law samaḥt (m) / insadḥī law samaḥti (f)
Sit up	اقعد	igʿid (m) / igʿidī (f)
Turn to the side	لف على جنبك	liff ʿala janbak (m) / liffī ʿala janbik (f)
It will finish soon	بيخلص الحين	bi-yikhlaṣ al-ḥīn

Medicines, food and fluids

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Medicine	دواء	dawāʾ
Tablet	حبة	ḥabba
Are you allergic to any medicine?	عندك حساسية من أي دواء؟	ʿindak ḥassāsiyya min ayy dawāʾ? (m) / ʿindik … (f)
Take this medicine	خذ هذا الدواء	khudh hādha ad-dawāʾ (m) / khudhī … (f)
With water	مع ماي	maʿ māy
Water	ماي / ماء	māy (Gulf) / māʾ
Did you eat?	أكلت؟	akalt? (m) / akalti? (f)
Are you hungry?	جوعان؟ / جوعانة؟	jūʿān? (m) / jūʿāna? (f)
Are you thirsty?	عطشان؟ / عطشانة؟	ʿaṭshān? (m) / ʿaṭshāna? (f)
Nothing to eat or drink	لا أكل ولا شرب	lā akl wa lā shurb
Are you fasting?	صايم؟ / صايمة؟	ṣāyim? (m) / ṣāyma? (f)

Toileting, mobility and comfort

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Do you need the toilet?	تبي الحمام؟	tabī al-ḥammām? (m) / tabīn al-ḥammām? (f)
Do you want …?	تبي …؟	tabī …? (m) / tabīn …? (f)
Can you walk?	تقدر تمشي؟	tigdar timshī? (m) / tigdrīn timshīn? (f)
Slowly	شوي شوي	shway shway
Call me if you need anything	اضغط الجرس إذا تحتاج شي	iḍghaṭ al-jaras idhā tiḥtāj shay (m) / iḍghaṭī … tiḥtājīn … (f)
Are you cold?	بردان؟ / بردانة؟	bardān? (m) / bardāna? (f)
Are you hot?	حران؟ / حرانة؟	ḥarrān? (m) / ḥarrāna? (f)
Rest	ارتاح	irtāḥ (m) / irtāḥī (f)
Get well soon	سلامتك	salāmtak (m) / salāmtich (f)
Reply: may God keep you safe	الله يسلمك	allāh ysallimak (m) / allāh ysallimich (f)

“Salāmtak” is one of the most useful words you can learn. It is what Gulf families say to anyone who is unwell, and patients appreciate hearing it from their nurse.

Body parts

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Head	راس	rās
Eye	عين	ʿayn
Ear	أذن	idhn
Throat	حلق	ḥalg
Chest	صدر	ṣadr
Heart	قلب	galb
Stomach / abdomen	بطن	baṭn
Back	ظهر	ẓahr
Arm / hand	يد	yad
Leg / foot	رجل	rijl

Numbers 1 to 10

Number	Arabic numeral	Pronunciation
0	٠	ṣifr
1	١	wāḥid
2	٢	ithnayn
3	٣	thalātha
4	٤	arbaʿa
5	٥	khamsa
6	٦	sitta
7	٧	sabʿa
8	٨	thamānya
9	٩	tisʿa
10	١٠	ʿashara

Arabic-Indic numerals (٠–٩) appear on some forms and older equipment, so it helps to recognise them.

Cultural tips for communicating with patients

• Greet first. Starting with “as-salāmu ʿalaykum” before any task shows respect.
• Address older patients respectfully. Many families appreciate titles such as “ʿamm” (uncle) or “khāla” (aunt) used warmly for older patients, but follow your unit’s norms.
• Involve the family appropriately. Families often want to be present and involved in decisions. Respect the patient’s wishes about who receives information.
• Respect modesty. Knock, explain before touching, keep patients covered, and follow hospital policy on same-gender care where it applies.
• Be aware of prayer. Patients may want to pray five times a day. Help with positioning, ablution (washing) or knowing the direction of Mecca (qibla) where possible.
• Use the right hand to give items such as medicines and food, which many patients consider more polite.
• During Ramadan, ask whether patients are fasting and discuss medicine timing with the healthcare team. See our guide to caring for fasting patients during Ramadan.

How to learn Arabic as a busy nurse

1. Learn ten phrases a week. Focus on what you use every shift.
2. Practise with colleagues and patients. Arabic-speaking colleagues are usually delighted to help.
3. Use language apps for vocabulary and listening practice, choosing courses that include Gulf dialect where possible.
4. Keep a pocket card with key phrases until they become automatic.
5. Take a course if your employer offers one; many Gulf hospitals run Arabic classes for international staff.
6. Listen more than you speak at first. Recognising words like “wajaʿ” (pain), “dōkha” (dizziness) or “ḥammām” (toilet) helps you respond quickly.

Useful phrases for families and visitors

English	Arabic	Pronunciation
Visiting time is over	انتهى وقت الزيارة	intahā waqt az-ziyāra
Please wait outside	انتظر برا لو سمحت	intaẓir barra law samaḥt (m) / intaẓrī … law samaḥti (f)
He/she is sleeping	نايم / نايمة	nāyim (m) / nāyma (f)
He/she is better today	أحسن اليوم	aḥsan al-yōm
Only two visitors	زائرين بس	zāʾirayn bas

For anything beyond simple directions, such as updates on a patient’s condition, use a professional interpreter and follow your hospital’s policy on sharing information with family members.

A quick script for starting a shift

Put the phrases together into a short, friendly introduction you can use with every patient:

“As-salāmu ʿalaykum. Ismī Grace. Ana al-mumarriḍa. Shlōnich al-yōm? ʿIndik alam?”

That means: “Hello. My name is Grace. I am your nurse. How are you today? Do you have any pain?” Changing just the name and the male or female forms gives you a greeting that works on almost any shift.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Arabic to work as a nurse in the Gulf?

Not usually as a licensing requirement in large hospitals, where English is the working language. But basic Arabic improves patient care, safety and job satisfaction, and some employers value it.

Is Gulf Arabic different from standard Arabic?

Yes. Gulf dialects differ in pronunciation and vocabulary, but patients understand polite standard phrases. Learning a mix of both works well.

Can I use Arabic phrases for consent?

No. For consent and other important information, use a qualified interpreter.

But what if I pronounce it wrong?

Patients almost always appreciate the effort, even with imperfect pronunciation. Many will smile, correct you gently and teach you new words. That shared moment often builds more trust than perfect grammar. Start today, make mistakes, and keep going.

Related: Nursing in the Middle East: complete guide · Gulf nursing interview questions · Bringing your family to the Gulf

Phrases reviewed for common Gulf and Modern Standard Arabic usage. Dialects vary by country and community; check with Arabic-speaking colleagues and always use professional interpreters for clinical consent and complex information.