Basic Nouns

1. ماء

   māʾ

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water, understood in any eatery or shop

2. طعام

   ṭaʿām

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food — a way into asking where you can eat

3. نقود

   nuqūd

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for anything about paying or changing currency

4. حمام

   ḥammām

   Toilet

   Usage

   Essential when asking directions. The word alone usually does the job

5. مناديل ورقية

   manādīl waraqiyya

   Tissue

   Usage

   Needed at toilets and street stalls that provide no paper

6. دواء

   dawāʾ

   Medicine

   Usage

   Use it at a pharmacy while miming your symptom

7. أمتعة

   amtiʿa

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking, carrying or collecting bags — common at airports and hotels

8. مفتاح

   miftāḥ

   Key

   Usage

   For room keys and locker keys

9. تذكرة

   tadhkira

   Ticket

   Usage

   Transport or entry tickets. Combine it with a number at the counter

10. جواز سفر

    jawāz safar

    Passport

    Usage

    Requested at check-in and currency exchange, and the word you need if it goes missing

11. هاتف

    hātif

    Phone

    Usage

    Usually covers both the device and the act of calling

12. شاحن

    shāḥin

    Charger

    Usage

    For borrowing or buying one — often needed at a hotel front desk

13. محطة

    maḥaṭṭa

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. مستشفى

    mustashfā

    Hospital

    Usage

    For when you fall ill — works as a destination in a taxi

15. شرطة

    shurṭa

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents. Even the bare word conveys urgency

16. متجر

    matjar

    Shop

    Usage

    The base word when asking where to buy something

17. غرفة

    ghurfa

    Room

    Usage

    For accommodation — checking vacancies or explaining a room number

18. طريق

    ṭarīq

    Road

    Usage

    For asking the way, ideally while pointing at a map

19. عائلة

    ʿāʾila

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic. Add a number and the conversation keeps going

20. اسم

    ism

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. الرأس

    ar-raʾs

    Head

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing out where it hurts

22. العين

    al-ʿayn

    Eye

    Usage

    Body-part word; the same spelling can also mean a spring of water, but pointing at your body settles it

23. الأسنان

    al-asnān

    Teeth

    Usage

    Body-part word for toothache; the plural is used because the singular sinn also means age

24. الحلق

    al-ḥalq

    Throat

    Usage

    Body-part word for a sore throat; Egyptians also say zōr

25. البطن

    al-baṭn

    Stomach, belly

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing at abdominal pain

26. الظَّهْر

    aẓ-ẓahr

    Back

    Usage

    Body-part word for back pain; vowel marks are kept because the bare spelling is identical to the word for noon

27. أسفل الظهر

    asfal aẓ-ẓahr

    Lower back

    Usage

    Points at lower-back pain; Arabic says lower part of the back

28. القدم

    al-qadam

    Foot

    Usage

    Means the foot below the ankle; the whole leg is ar-rijl — point at your own body to be sure

29. اليد

    al-yad

    Hand

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing at a hand injury

30. الصدر

    aṣ-ṣadr

    Chest

    Usage

    Points at chest pain, e.g. when reporting cardiac symptoms

31. فندق

    funduq

    Hotel

    Usage

    Shown to a taxi driver or passer-by as a destination

32. مطار

    maṭār

    Airport

    Usage

    Shown to a taxi driver or passer-by as a destination

33. سيارة إطفاء

    sayyārat iṭfāʾ

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The vehicle itself; the firefighters are rijāl al-iṭfāʾ

34. قنصلية

    qunṣuliyya

    Consulate

    Usage

    The mission in a provincial city; the embassy in the capital is the separate word sifāra

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