Directions In Arabic: Quick Beginner's Guide To Asking
Author
Need some directions in an Arab country?
Directions are one of the most important parts of any Arabic phrasebook, and it's easy to see why.
Below, we've listed all of the most important Arabic direction vocabulary, including cardinal (compass) directions.
Note: These are in Modern Standard Arabic, but most of the vocabulary is also used in spoken dialects.
Additionally, make sure to see our lessons on prepositions in different dialects:
- Directions in Egyptian Arabic
- Directions in Algerian Arabic
- Directions in Saudi Arabic
- Directions in Iraqi Arabic
- Directions in Tunisian Arabic
- Directions in Sudanese Arabic
Cardinal (compass) directions
| Arabic | English |
| شَمال | north |
| جَنوب | south |
| شَرق | east |
| غَرب | west |
| شَمال غَرب | northwest |
| شَمال شَرق | northeast |
| جَنوب غَرب | southwest |
| جَنوب شَرق | southeast |
Other key directional vocabulary
| Arabic | English |
| شَمال | north |
| جَنُوْب | south |
| مَشْرِق | east |
| مَغْرِب | west |
| على | on, on top |
| فَوْق | above, over, up |
| أَعْلى | higher, top of |
| قِمّة | top |
| تَحْت | below/underneath |
| أَدْنى | lower (bottom) |
| أَسْفَل | bottom (below) |
| جانِب | beside |
| يَمِيْن | right (direction) |
| يسير | left (direction) |
| شِمال | left (direction) |
| أَيْمَن | right (right hand) |
| أَيْسَر | left (left hand) |
| أَمام | in front (any distance) |
| مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيـ | right in front |
| وَراء | behind (any distance) |
| خَلْف | right behind |
| بَيْن | between |
| في | in |
| حَوْل | around |
| قَرِيْب | near |
| دانٍ/أَدْنى | close |
| بَعِيْد | far |
| أَقْصى | distant |
| هُنا | here |
| هُناك | there |
| أَيْنَ | where? |
| مَرْأىً | (within) eyeshot |
| مَسْمَع | (within) earshot |
How to ask for directions?
The easiest way (in Modern Standard Arabic) is say Where + noun ?:
| Arabic | English |
|---|---|
| أَيْنَ | where |
Or you could use:
| Arabic | English |
|---|---|
| كيف أصل إلى | How do I get to... |
| هل هذا هو الطريق إلى | Is this the way to... |
There are many more options not listed here.
As I already mentioned, these are Modern Standard Arabic, so in practise, they're a bit awkward and unnatural to use when traveling.
You're much better off learning a spoken dialect.
We've covered directions in our spoken dialect lessons. Create an account to get started learning!
