Signs

1. مدخل

   Madkhal

   Entrance

   Usage

   Displayed at the entrance of buildings, stations, and facilities

2. مخرج

   Makhraj

   Exit

   Usage

   Displayed at exits of buildings and stations; the same word marks motorway exits

3. مخرج طوارئ

   Makhraj ṭawāriʾ

   Emergency Exit

   Usage

   Emergency exit sign shown with a green pictogram; also written with the article as makhraj at-tawari'

4. مفتوح

   Maftūḥ

   Open (door sign)

   Usage

   The word on a shop door's OPEN flip sign — in Arabic this single word covers both "open" and "open for business"

5. مغلق

   Mughlaq

   Closed (door sign)

   Usage

   The word on a shop door's CLOSED flip sign; it does not say whether the closure is temporary or permanent

6. مفتوح الآن

   Maftūḥ al-ān

   Open Now

   Usage

   Arabic has no separate placard for "open for business" — doors just say maftuh; this longer form appears on notices and map apps to state a place is open right now

7. مغلق مؤقتاً

   Mughlaq muʾaqqatan

   Temporarily Closed

   Usage

   Hung during a midday break, a prayer-time pause, or before opening; many shops go into this state around Friday noon

8. رجال

   Rijāl

   Men

   Usage

   Marks the men's entrance to restrooms and prayer rooms; real signage usually pairs rijal with sayyidat

9. سيدات

   Sayyidāt

   Women

   Usage

   Marks the women's entrance to restrooms, prayer rooms, and family sections; sometimes written nisa'

10. ممنوع الدخول

    Mamnūʿ ad-dukhūl

    No Entry

    Usage

    Posted on doors and areas restricted to authorized people; any sign starting with mamnu' states a prohibition

11. ممنوع التدخين

    Mamnūʿ at-tadkhīn

    No Smoking

    Usage

    No-smoking sign posted indoors, in restaurants, and on transport; some venues treat shisha separately

12. منطقة التدخين

    Minṭaqat at-tadkhīn

    Smoking Area

    Usage

    Marks a designated smoking area, e.g. at airports and stations

13. السلالم

    As-salālim

    Stairs

    Usage

    Directional sign pointing to stairs; Egypt and the Levant also write ad-daraj

14. ادفع

    Idfaʿ

    Push

    Usage

    The push sign on a door; the same spelling also means "pay", but on a door it always means push

15. اسحب

    Isḥab

    Pull

    Usage

    The pull sign on a door; at an ATM the same word means "withdraw"

16. تحت الإنشاء

    Taḥt al-inshāʾ

    Under Construction

    Usage

    Posted at construction sites and closed-off passages; roadworks barriers usually read a'mal turuq instead

17. خارج الخدمة

    Khārij al-khidma

    Out of Order

    Usage

    Posted on broken elevators, ATMs, vending machines, and restroom stalls; sometimes paired with 'atal (fault)

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