Tunisian Arabic Phrases & Language Guide for Travellers

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Tunisia sits at the crossroads of Arab, Berber, French, and Mediterranean influences - and this shows in the way people speak. Understanding which language to use and when is the first step to navigating the country with confidence.

The Languages of Tunisia

Tunisian Arabic (Derja) is the mother tongue. It is not the Arabic you may have encountered in textbooks or other Arab countries - Derja diverges so significantly from Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) that speakers of Egyptian or Gulf Arabic often cannot follow a conversation in Tunisia. Derja borrows heavily from French, Italian, Berber (Amazigh), and Ottoman Turkish. You will regularly hear sentences that blend Arabic grammar with French vocabulary mid-sentence.

French is the functional second language for educated and urban Tunisians. Schooling runs in Arabic and French from primary level. All menus, signage, and official documents appear in both. In Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, and tourist resorts, French will get you through almost any situation.

Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) appears in newspapers, formal addresses, and religious contexts, but no one speaks it in daily life. Learning MSA phrases for street use is counterproductive - Tunisians will smile politely and respond in Derja anyway.

English is spoken reliably at four-star hotels, major resorts, Tunis tour operators, and by younger Tunisians who study or work in tourism. Outside those contexts, do not count on it. In medinas, rural markets, and smaller towns, French is the backup language, not English.

The Arabic Script

Written Tunisian Arabic uses the Arabic alphabet, which reads right to left and consists of 28 letters. You do not need to learn the script to get around - all transit signs, menus, and tourist materials include French equivalents. However, recognising a few common words will help you navigate medinas and market stalls independently.

The transliterations in this guide use a simplified phonetic system:

• kh = the guttural sound at the back of the throat, like the Scottish “loch”
• gh = a softer gargling sound, similar to a Parisian French “r”
• ’ = a glottal stop - a brief catch in the throat (like the pause in “uh-oh”)
• aa = a long “a” vowel, held slightly longer than a short “a”
• Capital letters in pronunciation guides indicate the stressed syllable

Do not stress over perfect pronunciation. Tunisians are patient with learners and will appreciate any effort.

Greetings and Everyday Basics

These are the phrases that open doors. Use them every time you enter a shop, ask for directions, or start any interaction.

English	Derja	Pronunciation
Hello	Aslema	ah-SLEH-ma
Hello (formal, any time)	Assalemu alaykum	as-sa-LAY-moo ah-LAY-kum
Reply to above	Wa alaykum essalam	wa ah-LAY-kum es-sa-LAM
Good morning	Sbah el khir	SBA ah el KHEER
Good evening	Msa el khir	MSA el KHEER
Goodbye	Bislema	bis-LEH-ma
How are you?	Esh’noua?	esh-NWA
I’m fine, thank you	Lebes, yishek	leh-BESS, YEE-shek
Yes	Ih / Ey	ee / ay
No	Le	leh
Please	Yaishek	YAI-shek
Thank you	Yishek / Shukran	YEE-shek / SHOOK-ran
You’re welcome	Afwan	AF-wan
Excuse me	Samahni	sa-MAH-nee
I don’t understand	Ma fhemtesh	ma f-HEM-tesh
Do you speak French?	Tahki français?	TAH-kee fron-SAY
Do you speak English?	Tahki inglizi?	TAH-kee in-GLEE-zee
My name is…	Esmi…	EZ-mee

Getting Around

English	Derja	Pronunciation
Where is…?	Win…?	ween
How much is the taxi?	B’qaddesh le taxi?	b-KAD-desh leh TAXI
Train station	La gare	la GAR (French loanword)
Bus station	Mahatta	ma-HAT-ta
Louage station	Mahattit louage	ma-HAT-tit loo-AJ
Left	Lissar	lee-SAR
Right	Limin	lee-MEEN
Straight ahead	Tool	TOOL
Stop here, please	Okof hna, yaishek	OH-kof h-NA, YAI-shek
How far is it?	Qaddesh yob’od?	KAD-desh yo-BOAD
Is this the right road to…?	Hethya t’rik…?	HETH-ya t-REEK
I want to go to…	Nheb nmshi l…	n-HEB n-MSHEE l
Airport	Matar	ma-TAR

Accommodation

Most hotel staff speak French. These phrases are for guesthouses (dar) and smaller places in medinas.

English	Derja	Pronunciation
Do you have a room?	Aandek bit?	AAN-dek BEET
How much per night?	Qaddesh el-lila?	KAD-desh el-LEE-la
I have a reservation	Aandi hajz	AAN-dee HAJZ
Can I see the room?	Najem nchouf el-bit?	NA-jem n-SHOUF el-BEET
Too expensive	Ghali bezzef	GHA-lee bez-ZEF
Do you have WiFi?	Aandek WiFi?	AAN-dek WHY-fee
Where is the bathroom?	Win el-hammam?	ween el-ham-MAM
The key	La clé	la KLAY (French loanword)

Food and Ordering

Tunisian meals begin with harissa - the chilli-oil paste found on every table. You will need these phrases from your first café breakfast.

English	Derja	Pronunciation
Water	Ma	MA
Bread	Khobz	KHOBZ
Coffee	Qahwa	KAH-wa
Tea (mint)	Tey bil-naanaa	TAY bil-naa-NAA
The bill, please	L’addition, yaishek	la-dee-SYON, YAI-shek
Delicious!	Bnin!	b-NEEN
I am vegetarian	Ana nabati	AH-na na-BA-tee
Without meat	Bla lahm	bla LAHM
Not too spicy, please	Bla harr bezzef, yaishek	bla HARR bez-ZEF, YAI-shek
A table for two	Tabla le zouz	TAB-la leh ZOOZ
Do you have…?	Aandek…?	AAN-dek
I’d like…	Nheb…	n-HEB
More bread, please	Zid khobz, yaishek	ZEED KHOBZ, YAI-shek

Shopping and Bargaining

Souk bargaining is expected at tourist stalls - less so in fixed-price shops or supermarkets. Showing knowledge of a price range signals you are a serious buyer rather than someone to be quoted the “tourist price.”

English	Derja	Pronunciation
How much does this cost?	Qaddesh hethya?	KAD-desh HETH-ya
Too expensive	Ghali bezzef	GHA-lee bez-ZEF
Can you lower the price?	Najem tnakkes chwaya?	NA-jem t-NAK-kes chwa-YA
I’ll take it	Naakhdo	NAA-kh-doh
I’m just looking	Rani nchouf bass	RA-nee n-SHOUF BASS
Do you have a smaller size?	Aandek sghar menno?	AAN-dek SGHAR men-NO
Do you have this in another colour?	Aandek b-loun okhar?	AAN-dek b-LOON OH-khar
That’s my final offer	Hethya aakher kalma	HETH-ya AAK-her KAL-ma

Emergency Phrases

Save these before you travel. Mobile signal is reliable in most urban areas, but in Saharan zones it can be intermittent.

English	Derja	Pronunciation
Help!	Awnuni!	ow-NOO-nee
I need a doctor	Nheb tabib	n-HEB ta-BEEB
Police	Boulicia	boo-LEE-see-ya
Hospital	Sbitar	SBEE-tar
I am lost	Twahart	twa-HART
Call an ambulance	Otel ambulance	OH-tel am-bew-LONSS
It’s urgent	Hajja mostaaajla	HAJ-ja mos-TAAJ-la
I’ve been robbed	Serkouli	ser-KOO-lee
I need help	Nheb mosaada	n-HEB mo-SAA-da
Police station	Commissariat	kom-ee-sar-YA (French)

Emergency numbers in Tunisia: 197 (police) · 198 (national guard) · 190 (ambulance) · 198 (fire)

Numbers

Number	Derja	Pronunciation
0	Sifr	SIFR
1	Wahid	WAH-hid
2	Zouz	ZOOZ
3	Tletha	TLEH-tha
4	Arba	AR-ba
5	Khamsa	KHAM-sa
6	Sitta	SIT-ta
7	Seba	SEH-ba
8	Thmenia	th-MEN-ya
9	Tesaa	TES-ah
10	Ashra	ASH-ra
11	Hadaash	ha-DAASH
12	Tnash	t-NAASH
20	Aashrin	AASH-rin
50	Khamseen	kham-SEEN
100	Mia	MEE-ya
1,000	Alf	ALF

When haggling or paying, writing figures on a phone screen avoids all misunderstanding and is widely used in souks.

Language Etiquette Tips

Always greet before asking. Starting a question without Aslema or Sbah el khir reads as rude in Tunisian culture, even if you are in a hurry. The greeting takes five seconds and changes the whole tone of the interaction.

Accept tea. When a shopkeeper or host offers you tea (tey), accepting is a social courtesy. Refusing without explanation can come across as dismissive. A polite “shwaya wakhkha” (a little later, thank you) softens a decline.

Mixing languages is normal. Tunisians switch freely between Derja and French mid-sentence. Do not feel embarrassed about doing the same. Attempting a Derja greeting then continuing in French is perfectly natural and genuinely appreciated.

Men speaking to women. In traditional areas such as medinas and rural towns, men should allow women to initiate conversation if they are approaching a female vendor or local. Brief, transactional questions are always fine, but prolonged conversation should follow the other person’s lead.

Religious phrases. You will regularly hear Inshallah (if God wills it), Hamdulillah (praise God - said when things are going well), and Bismillah (in the name of God - said before eating). Acknowledging them with a nod or a repeat of the phrase is appropriate. They are not superstition - they reflect how Tunisians genuinely understand the world.

Ramadan. During the holy month, eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours is considered disrespectful. Most cafés and restaurants close until iftar (the evening meal). A few words of understanding - “Ramadan kareem” (generous Ramadan) - will be received warmly.

How Widely Is English Spoken?

English fluency in Tunisia follows a distinct pattern. In Tunis’s city centre, Hammamet, Djerba resorts, and anywhere aimed at package tourists, English is workable - hotel staff, tour guides, and younger Tunisians in the 20–35 age group often speak it well. Move into the medinas, regional cities like Kairouan or Gafsa, or any non-tourist context, and French takes over as the expected foreign language.

The practical upshot: French gives you access to 90% of Tunisia. English alone gets you through the tourist circuit but leaves gaps. Learning the Derja greetings in this guide - even just Aslema, Yishek, and Bislema - will earn more goodwill than any amount of English or textbook Arabic.

A few words of Derja change how people interact with you in Tunisia. Shopkeepers relax, taxi drivers laugh, and conversations shift from transactional to genuinely warm. Keep this page accessible offline and practise the greetings first. For more trip preparation, see our Tunisia travel guide for first-timers and our Tunisian food guide - knowing a few phrases at the table makes any meal considerably more memorable.

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