Shopping and money in Arabic
82 words in Arabic on the topic “shopping and money”: يورو — euro, بكم هذا؟ — how much is it?, متجر — shop, سوق — market.
82 words on the topic
- يوروйуроeuroEvery Arab country has its own money: dinar, riyal, dirham, pound. Yuro is for Morocco, Tunisia and the exchange desks
- بكم هذا؟би-кам хаза؟how much is it?Literally "for how much is this?". In the market rows a plain bi-kam? — for how much? — is enough
- متجرматджарshopFrom taajir — a merchant: matjar is "the merchant’s place". Shops close for lunch and in the evening — the hours are not printed on the sign
- سوقсуукmarketThe covered bazaars of Baghdad and Damascus are suuqs; the word also names the whole trading quarter of a city
- بسطةбистаcounterLiterally "a spread": at an eastern market the goods lie not on a shelf but on a counter covered with cloth. Both the counter and the market around it live by this word
- بائعбааиʿsellerFrom the verb "to sell", with the ayn in the middle — that squeezed throat. The seller woman is baaʾiʿa, and at the market it is her in nine cases out of ten
- زبونзабуунbuyerThe same word means "customer": in a cafe, a taxi, a shop they are all zabuun. The long uu in the middle stretches
- ميزانмизаанscalesSingular in form, unlike the English plural: al-miizaan is "the scales itself". From the verb "to weigh", and justice is al-miizaan too
- كيلوغرامкилограамkilogramAt the market they say it short — kilo. Half is nisf kilo, and the weigher measures exactly so, with no grams involved
- طازجтазижfreshThe t is emphatic — the tongue pulled back. About fish and bread they ask exactly this: samak taazij? — the buyer’s first question at the counter
- ناضجнаадижripeLooks like taazij (fresh) but is another word: ripe is what has reached its fullness. The same word names a mature person
- بطاقة السعرбаатакат ас-сиʿрprice tagLiterally "the card of the price": the price itself is siʿr. At the market the word bi-kam? often works better than any price tag
- تخفيضтахфидdiscountLiterally "a lowering" — the thing brought down. The plural takhfiidaat stands on sale windows
- كم الحساب؟кам аль-хисааб؟how much do I owe?Literally "how much [is] the bill?". Hisaab you know from asking for the check — here the same word plays the total
- هذا غاليхаза гаалиit is expensiveA phrase without a verb, like all description in Arabic: "this expensive" — and that is enough. Shukran after it is the polite refusal
- هل يمكن أرخص؟халь юмкин архас؟can it be cheaper?Hal turns anything into a question, yumkin is "it is possible". Arkhas is the comparative of rakhiis: the whole haggling rests on one form
- آخذаахузI takeFrom the verb "to take". The dh here is interdental (ذ) — tongue between the teeth. Agreement to a purchase is expressed with exactly this verb
- لا أريدля уридI do not need itLiterally "I do not want": urid you know from the cafe. The polite refusal at the market and in the shop; softer — start with shukran
- بقاليةбакаалияgrocery (dry goods shop)The same word that traveled into European languages as the grocer’s trade: a shop of dry goods. The little shop by the house where one gets bread, milk and eggs
- سلةсалляbasketThe doubled ll is long. The basket at the shop entrance, the waste basket and the bicycle basket are one salla for all cases
- الطابورтаабурqueueThe t is emphatic. The queue stands at the bakery and at the bank, and the same word means a battle line — Arabs know how to stand in a queue
- الصندوقсундуукtillLiterally "a box": a box with money became the till. The same word names a chest, a fund and a mailbox
- كيسкисbagA plastic bag, a sack, any little bag. Ask it short: kiis min fadlik — and at the till they will understand the first time
- مفتوحмафтуухopen (sign)The participle "opened" — doors are marked with exactly it. From the verb "to open", out of the same nest as miftaah — the key
- مغلقмуглакclosed (sign)The partner of maftuuh. Shops with this sign on a Friday morning are the usual thing: Friday is the weekly day of rest in Arab countries
- اختارихтаарto chooseIn the dictionary the verb stands in the past: ikhtaara — he chose. "I choose" is akhtaaru, the hamza at the start heard as a short catch
- مقاسмикаасsizeFrom the verb "to measure". About clothes and shoes they say miqaas, not "number": "what is the size?" is maa al-miqaas?
- الضمانад-дамаанwarrantyDamaan is both warranty and guarantee: a word of the market and of the bank. The warranty term is muddat ad-damaan — and you already know both parts
- إرجاع البضاعةирджиаʿ аль-бадааʿаreturn of goodsLiterally "the return of the goods": badaaʿa is goods in general, in the shop and at the warehouse. Irdjiʿ — give it back — is the same verb
- إعلانиʿляанan adThe same word as an announcement: iʿlaan wazifa, a job ad, you have already read. Advertising for Arabic is also an announcement — only louder
- إعلان تجاريиʿляян тиджаарийa commercialLiterally "a commercial announcement": tijaariy comes from tijaara, trade. It names the clip and the banner alike — the place tells them, not the word
- علامة تجاريةаляама тиджаарийяa brandLiterally "a trade mark": an ʿalaama is the same mark as on road signs. A brand for Arabic is a trade mark, and the contract uses exactly this pair
- شعارшиʿаарa logoThe same word as a slogan: a motto and a logo are one shiʿaar for Arabic. The picture does the splitting: a motto is spoken, a logo is printed on the door
- تخفيضاتтахфидаатa saleThe plural of the familiar takhfiid, discounts: a sale for Arabic is many discounts at once. On the shop window the word stands large and reads without a dictionary
- عرض مناسبаʿр мунаасибa good dealLiterally "a suitable offer": the familiar ʿard from "job offer" plus munaasib, "suitable". Arabic does not name the gain outright — it hides inside "suitable"
- يقارن الأسعارйюкяарин аль-асʿаарto compare pricesLiterally "compares the prices": the verb of setting two things side by side. The prices take the article: not any prices, but the concrete ones from this shop
- عبوةʿибваa packPackaging in general: an ʿibwa is a pack of butter and a carton of juice alike. Counted in pieces: "one pack" — enough for reading the price tag
- زجاجзуджааджglass (material)A relative of zujaaja, "a glass": glass and glass-vessel are one root nest. Broken glass is zujaaj masqur — and it lives in the proverb about shards of words
- معدنмаʿаданmetalOne word for metal and mineral: maʿadan is both iron and ore. Hence masnad, "a metal stay": Arabic builds words from material, not function
- بلاستيكбластиикplasticAn international word in Arabic spelling: blastiik — known at first glance. The bag here is kis blastiik, and the shop asks about it too: "with paper or not?"
- ورقваракpaperYou met waraq in "wallpaper" — waraq al-haaʾit: paper in general, the wall merely its case. Hence the stationery shop: paper is the grandmother of writing
- متينматинsturdyFrom matana, "to be strong": the sturdy is what holds out. Books are named so too — kitab matin: a hard cover against a soft one
- محكمмахкамwell-madeFrom mahaka, "to press": the well-made is pressed tight without gaps. Do not confuse with mahkama, the court: there the same pressing, but of arguments
- مركز تجاريмарказ тиджаарийa shopping mallLiterally "a commercial center": tijaariy comes from tijaara, trade — a relative of the merchants of the Quran. In speech often just markaz, or the name
- واجهة العرضваджихат аль-ʿардa shop windowLiterally "the face of display": the window is the shop's face, and wajiha is the same wajh, "face", as a person's. ʿArd, display, is a relative of the exhibition
- كاشيرкаширthe cashierIt came with the till, like the mini bar: kaashir — known at once. A woman at the till is kaashira, and in supermarkets this word is heard most of all
- شراءширааʾa purchaseFrom sharaa, "to buy": shiraaʾ is the purchase as an act. Buying online is shiraaʾ bi-l-intarnit — and there the word is in every second menu
- بطاقة ولاءбатаакат валааʾa loyalty cardLiterally "a card of loyalty": walaaʾ, loyalty, is a word of oaths. The cashier will ask: ʿindaka bataaqat walaaʾ? — and the price depends on the answer
- تغليف الهداياтаглиф аль-хадаайяgift wrappingLiterally "the wrapping of gifts": taghlif comes from ghatta, "to cover" — the lid's own root. Wrapping here is a service: bi-t-taghlif? — the cashier will ask
- عربة التسوقʿарбат ат-тасаввукa shopping cartLiterally "the cart of shopping": tasawwuq, going for purchases, comes from suuq, the market you know. The ʿaraba family is large: the pram and the carriage are neighbours
- يبدل البضاعةйюбаддиль аль-бадааʿаto exchange the itemYubaaddil, "changes", is the strengthened form of badaal: the same root word as "replace", istabdaal, which you know. Badaaʿa, merchandise, is a relative of badaʿa, "to invent": goods are what someone thought up
- يسترد المالйястирид аль-маальto get a refundLiterally "takes the money back": the refund in Arabic is about the money, not the box. You know istirdaad from the ticket refund: the same mechanics, now in a shop
- معيبмаʿиибdefectiveFrom ʿayb, "a flaw": defective is flawed, like a person with a vice. One root with ʿaaba, "to reproach": defect and blame are neighbours here
- المقاس لا يناسبنيаль-микаас ля йюнаасибнийthe size does not fitLiterally "the size did not suit me": in Arabic the size acts, and you are the one who suffers. Mqaas, "size", you know from "a size bigger" — now it simply does not suit
- احتفظ بالإيصالихтафиз би-ль-исаальkeep the receiptIhtafiz, "keep", is the command of hafiza, "to guard": the receipt here is a treasure. Isaal, the receipt, you know: without it there is no refund in any shop
- هذا مزيفхаза мазиййифit is a fakeMuzayyaf comes from zayyafa, "to fake": the counterfeit is named by its verb. At markets the question is asked outright: "is this a fake?" — and the honest seller laughs
- متوفرмутаваффирin stockA participle of "to make available": in stock is "available". In online shops the word stands in green beside the price
- تبديل اللونтабдиль аль-лаунchange the colorTabdiil, "a change", is from the same badal as the exchange: to change the color is yubaddil al-lawn. Lawn, "color", you have already had; here it simply changes
- ساعة يدсааʿат йадa wristwatchLiterally "a watch of the hand": the wristwatch is the watch "the hand wears". The wall one is saaʿat haaʾit, the alarm clock is manaabbih, "the waker"
- عطرʿитрperfumeOne word for perfume and for scent in general: ʿitr is smell as a state. Giving perfume is the oldest Arab compliment to a guest: the house smells — it means you are awaited
- مكياجмакьяаджmakeupAn international word in Arabic spelling: makyaaj, like the mini bar. The bag with it is shanta makyaaj, and in the mall you find it by that sign
- مستعملмустаʿмальusedA participle of ʿamala, "to use": used is "already served". Ads with it — sayyaara mustaʿmala — and the haggling there starts with words, not with the price
- يساومйюсауимto haggleFrom sawm, "exchange": to haggle is to circle prices back and forth. It lives only at the suuq, the market: in a shop with a price tag haggling is bad manners
- متجر كتبматджар кутубa bookstoreLiterally "a store of books": matjar, "a store", and kutub, the plural of "book". The library, maktaba, you had: one letter divides the place where one buys from the place where one is lent
- بالجملةби-ль-джумляwholesaleLiterally "by the whole lot": wholesale, for the whole row. The opposite of selling piece by piece — and in the market price this word is always haggled over
- فترة الضمانфитрат аз-замаанthe warranty period"A period" and "a warranty": the warranty period. The receipt is kept exactly for this term
- حسب الطلبхасаб ат-талябmade to orderLiterally "according to the order": made to order. "Made it to order" — against "ready-made"
- يأخذйаʾхузto takeTakes with a hand, takes for oneself, takes a bar of chocolate — one verb. About yourself: aakhuz — I will take
- يعطيйуʿтииto giveTo give and to hand over. The request "give me" is built from the same verb — aʿtiinii, one bundle
- يشتريйаштарийto buyOne verb answers for shopping in a shop and at the market; only the place differs. About yourself: ashtarii — I will buy
- يغلفйугаллифto wrap upLiterally "dresses in a wrapping": wraps a present in paper. In the shop they ask: ghallifhaa — wrap it up
- يعيدйуʿиидto give backLiterally "gives back": returns goods to the shop, a book to the neighbour. The partner of yaʿuud: oneself returns — yaʿuud, a thing — yuʿiid
- بكم الكيلوغرام؟би-кам аль-килограам؟how much per kilo?Bi here means "for": the price in Arabic comes with this preposition. The familiar kam and kilughraam press against it — and the question is ready
- هل هناك تخفيض؟халь хунаак тахфииз؟is there a discount?Literally "is there there a discount?"; the discount is the familiar takhfiid. On the price tag it is looked for by exactly this word
- هل لديكم...؟халь ладайкум...؟do you have...?Literally "is there at your side": there is no separate "to have", there is "at" and "with". Complete the word at the end: hal ladaykum jibna?
- سآخذ هذاсаʾаахуз хазаI will take thisThe Arabic future is the prefix sa- before the familiar aakhuz — I take. At the counter it sounds like a decision, not a plan
- أحتاج كيساахтаадж киисанI need a bagAn Arab says "I need": ahtaaju plus the familiar kiis in the form kiisan. There is no separate "to me" here at all
- أين الصندوق؟айна ас-сундуук؟where is the till?The familiar ayna from "where does one sign" plus the familiar till as-sunduuq. The order is rigid: "where" — and the thing at once
- هذا كل شيءхаза куль шайʾthat is allAt the till it means "I am taking nothing more": kull — all, shayʾ — a thing. Say it with shukran — and the bag gets closed
- نقدا أو بالبطاقة؟накдан ау би-ль-баатака؟cash or card?Both ways of paying you know: naqdan — in cash, bil-bitaaqa — by card. The familiar aw — or — sets the choice politely
- الباقي لكаль-бааки лякkeep the changeLiterally "the change is yours": al-baaqii — the change — you have met, lak — to you. This is how they say it instead of a long "you need not give me change"
- قائمة التسوقкааʾимат ат-тасуввукshopping listThe same qaaʾima as in the to-do list; tasawwuq is a shopping run, from the verb "to shop". One writes it in the morning, before the market
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How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- القهوة بيوروينаль-кахва би-йурвейнThe coffee costs two euros
- بكم هذا؟ — خمسة يورو.би-кам хаза؟ — хамса йуро.How much is it? — Five euros.
- المتجر هناаль-матджар хунаThe shop is here
- السوق كبيرас-суук кябирThe market is big
- التفاح على البسطةаль-туффаах аля ль-бистаThe apples are on the counter
- البائع في السوقаль-бааиʿ фи ас-суукThe seller is at the market
What is worth knowing about these words
يورو (йуро) — euro. Every Arab country has its own money: dinar, riyal, dirham, pound. Yuro is for Morocco, Tunisia and the exchange desks.
بكم هذا؟ (би-кам хаза؟) — how much is it? Literally "for how much is this?". In the market rows a plain bi-kam? — for how much? — is enough.
متجر (матджар) — shop. From taajir — a merchant: matjar is "the merchant’s place". Shops close for lunch and in the evening — the hours are not printed on the sign.
سوق (суук) — market. The covered bazaars of Baghdad and Damascus are suuqs; the word also names the whole trading quarter of a city.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “euro” in Arabic?
Every Arab country has its own money: dinar, riyal, dirham, pound. Yuro is for Morocco, Tunisia and the exchange desks
- How do you say “scales” in Arabic?
Singular in form, unlike the English plural: al-miizaan is "the scales itself". From the verb "to weigh", and justice is al-miizaan too
- How do you say “it is expensive” in Arabic?
A phrase without a verb, like all description in Arabic: "this expensive" — and that is enough. Shukran after it is the polite refusal
- How do you say “till” in Arabic?
Literally "a box": a box with money became the till. The same word names a chest, a fund and a mailbox
- How do you say “return of goods” in Arabic?
Literally "the return of the goods": badaaʿa is goods in general, in the shop and at the warehouse. Irdjiʿ — give it back — is the same verb
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
How much it costs, whether there is a smaller one, whether cards are accepted. A shop forgives mistakes: miss a word and they will show you the thing with their hands anyway.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “euro” in Arabic?
«يورو», read “йуро”. Every Arab country has its own money: dinar, riyal, dirham, pound. Yuro is for Morocco, Tunisia and the exchange desks. It is one of 82 words in the set “shopping and money” — the rest are in the table above.
How many shopping words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 82 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.