Arabic phrases for hotels

Staff at big hotels in the Arab world usually speak English, but in smaller hotels, guesthouses and riads a few Arabic phrases make check-in smoother and earn real warmth. The phrases below are in Modern Standard Arabic with a soft, widely understood style. Tap ▶ to listen.

Phrase · Pronunciation · Meaning · ▶ Listen

Arrival and check-in

السلام عليكم

as-salāmu ʿalaykum

Hello (peace be upon you). The answer is wa ʿalaykum as-salām.

عندي حجز باسم ...

ʿindī ḥajz bi-ism ...

I have a reservation under the name ...

هل عندكم غرفة لليلة واحدة؟

hal ʿindakum ghurfa li-layla wāḥida?

Do you have a room for one night?

كم سعر الليلة؟

kam siʿr al-layla?

How much is it per night?

هل الفطور مشمول؟

hal al-fuṭūr mashmūl?

Is breakfast included?

متى موعد الفطور؟

matā mawʿid al-fuṭūr?

What time is breakfast?

ما هي كلمة سر الواي فاي؟

mā hiya kalimat sirr al-wāy fāy?

What's the Wi-Fi password?

Requests

من فضلك، أحتاج منشفة إضافية.

min faḍlak, aḥtāj minshafa iḍāfiyya

Please, I need an extra towel.

هل يمكن تنظيف الغرفة؟

hal yumkin tanẓīf al-ghurfa?

Could you clean the room?

أريد غرفة هادئة من فضلك.

urīd ghurfa hādiʾa min faḍlak

I'd like a quiet room, please.

هل يمكن أن أترك الحقائب هنا؟

hal yumkin an atruk al-ḥaqāʾib hunā?

Can I leave my bags here?

أحتاج تاكسي إلى المطار الساعة السادسة.

aḥtāj tāksī ilā al-maṭār as-sāʿa as-sādisa

I need a taxi to the airport at six o'clock.

هل يمكن تمديد وقت المغادرة؟

hal yumkin tamdīd waqt al-mughādara?

Could I have a late checkout?

Problems

المكيف لا يعمل.

al-mukayyif lā yaʿmal

The air conditioning doesn't work.

لا يوجد ماء ساخن.

lā yūjad māʾ sākhin

There's no hot water.

المفتاح لا يعمل.

al-miftāḥ lā yaʿmal

The key card doesn't work.

الغرفة فيها ضجيج.

al-ghurfa fīhā ḍajīj

The room is noisy.

هل يمكن تغيير الغرفة؟

hal yumkin taghyīr al-ghurfa?

Can I change rooms?

Leaving

أريد أن أدفع الحساب.

urīd an adfaʿ al-ḥisāb

I'd like to pay the bill.

هل تقبلون البطاقة؟

hal taqbalūn al-biṭāqa?

Do you accept cards?

شكرًا جزيلًا، كل شيء كان ممتازًا.

shukran jazīlan, kull shayʾ kān mumtāzan

Thank you very much, everything was excellent.

مع السلامة

maʿa as-salāma

Goodbye.

Tips that save the situation

Spoken Arabic differs a lot between countries — Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf and Moroccan Darija. Standard Arabic is understood everywhere by hotel staff, even if they answer in their dialect.
Min faḍlak is 'please' to a man; to a woman say min faḍlik.
During Ramadan, restaurants may serve breakfast earlier or later; ask about the schedule at check-in.
Friday is the weekly day off in most Arab countries; offices and some services work reduced hours.
Small tips for porters and housekeeping are common in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.

When the phrasebook runs out

A phrasebook covers the first sentence. Then the other person answers — fast, with words that are not on the list. Sabai translates the whole conversation live: you speak, the phone says it in Arabic, the other person replies into the same phone, and you read the answer in your language with a short explanation of what they meant.

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Questions

Why is the text written right to left?

Arabic script runs right to left. The pronunciation line is left to right in Latin letters; ʿ and ḥ mark sounds that don't exist in English — the audio is the best guide.

Will Gulf or Egyptian staff understand Standard Arabic?

Yes. Standard Arabic is used in news, school and writing across all Arab countries, so it is understood everywhere.

What if the receptionist answers in dialect?

That is common. Sabai translates the reply from any Arabic variety and explains it in your language.

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Updated: 2026-10-12