Arabic Vocabulary Lists
Learning Arabic vocabulary is one of the most important aspects to help you become fluent in the language. A strong vocabulary carries you further in everyday conversation than perfect grammar does, and most learners find that the first few hundred high-frequency words unlock the majority of what they read and hear.
Below are the vocabulary lists created by OpenArabic. Each list is available in two formats: a plain file you can print or import into any tool, and a ready-made Anki deck. We recommend the Anki decks – spaced repetition is the most reliable way to move words into long-term memory, and reviewing a deck for ten minutes a day beats a long weekly cram session. Where a list covers dialects (such as the Al Kitaab list with Syrian and Egyptian words), learn the Fusha form first and add the dialect forms once the word feels familiar. If you are looking for vocabulary apps, frequency dictionaries, and other third-party tools instead, see our Arabic vocabulary resources page.
This vocabulary list is centered around the book A New Arabic Grammar by Nahmad and Haywood. This is regarded as a very good book for learning Arabic Grammar.
View the A New Arabic Grammar vocabulary list
Vocabulary Formats:
All Ayat of the holy Quran translated in English with the Surah and Ayah numbers. Official translations provided by Abul Ala Maududi and resources from Tanzil.net.
View the Quran vocabulary list
Vocabulary Formats:
Frequently asked questions
How many Arabic words do I need to know?
Around 500 high-frequency words cover most everyday conversation, and roughly 2,000–3,000 let you read newspapers comfortably. The Al Kitaab list (364 words) and the A New Arabic Grammar list (2,600 words) map well onto those two milestones.
Should I learn vocabulary with or without the short vowels?
Learn each new word with its short vowels (tashkeel) so you internalize the correct pronunciation, then practice recalling it without them – written Arabic almost never includes the vowel marks, and reading unvowelled text is a skill of its own.
What is the best way to review these lists?
Import the Anki deck and review daily. Spaced repetition schedules each word right before you would forget it, which is far more efficient than re-reading a printed list. Ten to fifteen minutes a day is enough to work through the Al Kitaab deck in about a month.
Everyday words
12 pages- Arabic Numbers 1 to 100
- Colors in Arabic, Including the Plural Forms
- Days of the Week in Arabic
- Arabic Months of the Year
- Arabic Family Words and Kinship Terms
- Food in Arabic, With Dialect Variants
- Animals in Arabic
- Fruit and Vegetable Names in Arabic, With Dialect Variants
- Clothes in Arabic, With Dialect Variants and Traditional Dress
- Weather in Arabic
- Telling the Time in Arabic
- The 100 Most Common Arabic Words, Counted From Real Usage
Phrases and expressions
8 pages- Arabic Greetings, Thank You and Common Phrases, With Replies
- Basic Arabic Sentences: 50 Patterns You Can Reuse
- How to Say Good Morning, Good Evening and Good Night in Arabic
- How to Say I Love You in Arabic, to Anyone, in Six Varieties
- Happy Birthday in Arabic, and the Right Wish for Every Occasion
- Arabic Slang Words, and Which Dialect Says Them
- 40 Arabic Proverbs and Sayings, Word by Word
- Ten Famous Arabic Poems, Vowelled and Glossed Word by Word
Script and writing
9 pages- Arabic Alphabet Chart: Every Letter in All Four Forms
- Free Arabic Writing Worksheets for All 28 Letters
- Arabic Transliteration: Convert Arabic, Arabizi and English Letters
- How to Pronounce the Arabic Letters English Doesn't Have
- Arabic Alphabet Quiz: Letters, Sounds, Forms and Look-Alikes
- Arabic Calligraphy Generator: Type It, Style It, Download It
- Free Arabic Fonts, Previewed in Your Own Words
- Reading Arabic Business and Firm Names: A Reader’s Guide
- Arabic Language
Names
6 pages- Your Name in Arabic Script, With Checked Spellings
- Arabic Last Names: What They Mean and Where They Are Found
- Arabic Name Generator: Boy and Girl Names With Their Meanings
- Arabic Girl Names: 160 Female Names With Their Meanings
- Arabic Boy Names: 166 Male Names With Their Meanings
- Sarah in Arabic: How to Write سارة, and What It Means
Calendar, Islam and the Quran
8 pages- Islamic Date Today and Hijri Calendar Converter
- Islamic Calendar 2027: Ramadan, Eid and Every Hijri Date
- Ramadan 2027: When It Starts and Your City's Fasting Times
- Free Ramadan Worksheets for Kids, with Real Arabic Words
- 99 Names of Allah
- Quran with English Translation Vocabulary
- Eid al-Fitr 2027: The Date, and Why Countries Differ
- Eid al-Adha 2027: Arafah, Eid and the Hajj Days