Food sits at the center of Arab social life. Shared meals seal friendships, mark holy days, and carry the weight of hospitality that Arab cultures hold sacred. This reference catalogues the vocabulary a learner needs to shop in a souq, read a menu in Cairo, cook from an Emirati grandmother's instructions, or tell a waiter in Beirut that the food is superb. Every term appears in Arabic script with Latin transliteration and an English gloss.
Arab cuisine is not a single tradition but a family of regional traditions linked by common staples (bread, rice, olive oil, lamb, legumes) and Islamic dietary norms. Levantine food is built on mezze and grilled meats. Gulf food centers on spiced rice with lamb or chicken. Maghrebi cuisine leans on couscous and slow-cooked tagines. Egyptian street food favors legumes and bread. Each region also has its dessert traditions and coffee rituals. For the grammar that underlies food sentences, see the Arabic grammar rules guide and for numbers used when ordering, see the Arabic numbers system guide.
Meals and Mealtimes
Table 1. The daily meals.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| فَطُور | faṭūr | Breakfast | Morning, lighter in Gulf, heavier in Levant |
| غَدَاء | ghadā' | Lunch | Around 1 to 3 pm, often the main meal |
| عَشَاء | ʿashā' | Dinner | Late, often 8 to 10 pm |
| سُحُور | suḥūr | Pre-dawn meal during Ramadan | Before dawn prayer |
| إِفْطَار | ifṭār | Fast-breaking meal | Sunset during Ramadan |
| وَجْبَة خَفِيفَة | wajba khafīfa | Snack (light meal) | Any time |
| طَعَام | ṭaʿām | Food (generic) | |
| أَكْل | akl | Eating / food (colloquial) |
Note that فَطُور in the Levant often includes labneh, olives, za'atar, fresh bread, cheese, and tomatoes; in the Gulf, it is frequently sweeter and lighter, including dates and cardamom coffee.
Core Ingredients: Grains, Bread, Proteins
Table 2. Staple ingredients.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| خُبْز | khubz | Bread |
| أَرُزّ | aruzz | Rice |
| قَمْح | qamḥ | Wheat |
| دَقِيق | daqīq | Flour |
| بَيْض | bayḍ | Eggs |
| لَحْم | laḥm | Meat |
| لَحْم خَرُوف | laḥm kharūf | Lamb |
| لَحْم بَقَر | laḥm baqar | Beef |
| دَجَاج | dajāj | Chicken |
| سَمَك | samak | Fish |
| رُبْيَان / جَمْبَرِي | rubyān / jambarī | Shrimp |
| جُبْن | jubn | Cheese |
| حَلِيب / لَبَن | ḥalīb / laban | Milk (MSA / Egyptian) |
| لَبَن رَائِب / زَبَادِي | laban rā'ib / zabādī | Yogurt |
| زُبْدَة | zubda | Butter |
| زَيْت | zayt | Oil |
| زَيْت الزَّيْتُون | zayt az-zaytūn | Olive oil |
| مِلْح | milḥ | Salt |
| فُلْفُل | fulful | Pepper |
| سُكَّر | sukkar | Sugar |
Note the dialect quirk: in MSA لَبَن (laban) generally means yogurt or sometimes milk. In Egyptian Arabic laban means milk. In Levantine, laban is yogurt and ḥalīb is milk. Confusion is common even among Arabs.
Vegetables and Fruits
Table 3. Vegetables (خُضَار khuḍār).
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| بَطَاطِس / بَطَاطَا | baṭāṭis / baṭāṭā | Potato |
| طَمَاطِم / بَنَدُورَة | ṭamāṭim / banadūra | Tomato (Egyptian / Levant) |
| خِيَار | khiyār | Cucumber |
| بَصَل | baṣal | Onion |
| ثُوم | thūm | Garlic |
| جَزَر | jazar | Carrot |
| خَسّ | khass | Lettuce |
| سَبَانِخ | sabānikh | Spinach |
| مُلُوخِيَّة | mulūkhiyya | Jew's mallow, mulukhiyah |
| بَاذِنْجَان | bādhinjān | Eggplant |
| كُوسَة | kūsā | Zucchini |
| فَاصُولْيَاء | fāṣūlyā' | Green beans |
| حِمَّص | ḥimmaṣ | Chickpeas |
| عَدَس | ʿadas | Lentils |
| فُول | fūl | Fava beans |
Table 4. Fruits (فَوَاكِه fawākih).
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| تُفَّاح | tuffāḥ | Apple |
| بُرْتُقَال | burtuqāl | Orange |
| لَيْمُون | laymūn | Lemon / lime |
| مَوْز | mawz | Banana |
| عِنَب | ʿinab | Grapes |
| تَمْر | tamr | Dried dates |
| رُطَب | ruṭab | Fresh dates |
| بَلَح | balaḥ | Dates (general, Egyptian) |
| تِين | tīn | Fig |
| رُمَّان | rummān | Pomegranate |
| مَانْجَا | mānjā | Mango |
| بَطِّيخ | baṭṭīkh | Watermelon / melon (varies by country) |
| فَرَاوْلَة / فَرَز | farāwla / faraz | Strawberry |
The Quran mentions seven foods by name as paradisiacal: dates, grapes, pomegranates, figs, olives, honey, and milk. These appear throughout Arab tables as blessed ingredients, carrying religious and cultural resonance far beyond mere nutrition.
Iconic Middle Eastern Dishes
Table 5. Signature dishes.
| Arabic | Transliteration | Description | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| حُمُّص | ḥummuṣ | Mashed chickpea dip with tahini, lemon, garlic | Levant |
| فَلَافِل | falāfil | Fried chickpea/fava patties | Egypt/Levant |
| فُول مُدَمَّس | fūl mudammas | Stewed fava beans | Egypt (national dish) |
| كُشَرِي | kusharī | Rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, fried onions | Egypt |
| طَعْمِيَّة | ṭaʿmiyya | Egyptian falafel made with fava beans | Egypt |
| شَاوَرْمَا | shāwarmā | Spit-roasted sliced meat in flatbread | Levant (via Ottoman) |
| كَبَاب | kabāb | Grilled skewered meat | Pan-regional |
| كُبَّة | kubba | Bulgur shells stuffed with meat | Levant/Iraq |
| تَبُّولَة | tabbūla | Parsley, bulgur, tomato, lemon salad | Levant |
| فَتُّوش | fattūsh | Bread salad with sumac | Levant |
| وَرَق عِنَب | waraq ʿinab | Stuffed grape leaves | Levant |
| مَحْشِي | maḥshī | Stuffed vegetables (zucchini, cabbage, etc) | Pan-regional |
| مُتَبَّل / بَابَا غَنُّوج | mutabbal / bābā ghannūj | Smoky eggplant dip | Levant |
| مَقْلُوبَة | maqlūba | Upside-down rice with lamb and eggplant | Palestine/Jordan |
| كَبْسَة | kabsa | Spiced rice with chicken or lamb | Saudi Arabia |
| مَجْبُوس / مَتْشْبُوس | majbūs / matchbūs | Bahraini/Qatari spiced rice | Gulf |
| مَنْسَف | mansaf | Lamb over rice with fermented yogurt | Jordan (national dish) |
| هَرِيس | harīs | Wheat and meat porridge | Gulf/Arabian |
| مُسَخَّن | musakhkhan | Palestinian sumac chicken on bread | Palestine |
| مُجَدَّرَة | mujaddara | Lentils, rice, caramelized onions | Levant |
| قَطَايِف | qaṭāyif | Stuffed pancakes for Ramadan | Pan-regional |
| كُنَافَة | kunāfa | Shredded phyllo with cheese and syrup | Levant |
| بَقْلَاوَة | baqlāwa | Layered phyllo pastry with nuts | Pan-Middle Eastern |
| مَعْمُول | maʿmūl | Date or nut-filled semolina cookies | Levant |
| حَلْوَى | ḥalwā | Sweet, often sesame-based candy | Pan-regional |
Breads
- خُبْز عَرَبِيّ khubz ʿarabī: Arabic pita bread.
- صَمُون ṣamūn: Oval bread, Iraqi and Gulf.
- مَرْقُوق / شْرَاك marqūq / shrāk: Thin bedouin flatbread.
- خُبْز الصَّاج khubz aṣ-ṣāj: Thin bread cooked on a domed griddle.
- فَطِير faṭīr: Egyptian layered pastry, savory or sweet.
- بَقْصُمَاط baqṣumāṭ: Dry rusks.
Spices and Flavorings
Arab cooking is defined by its spices. Souqs sell dozens of blends, each region favoring a different combination.
Table 6. Spice vocabulary.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| كَمُّون | kammūn | Cumin |
| كَرْكَم | karkam | Turmeric |
| كُزْبَرَة | kuzbara | Coriander (seed and fresh) |
| بَقْدُونِس / مَعْدَنُوس | baqdūnis / maʿdanūs | Parsley |
| نَعْنَاع | naʿnāʿ | Mint |
| زَعْتَر | zaʿtar | Thyme-sumac-sesame blend |
| سُمَّاق | summāq | Sumac |
| قِرْفَة | qirfa | Cinnamon |
| هَال / حَبَّهَان | hāl / ḥabbahān | Cardamom |
| قَرَنْفُل | qaranful | Clove |
| زَعْفَرَان | zaʿfarān | Saffron |
| زَنْجَبِيل | zanjabīl | Ginger |
| سِمْسِم | simsim | Sesame |
| طَحِينَة | ṭaḥīna | Sesame paste |
| دِبْس الرُّمَّان | dibs ar-rummān | Pomegranate molasses |
| خَلّ | khall | Vinegar |
| بَهَارَات | bahārāt | Spices (generic, also name of Gulf blend) |
| هَرِيسَة | harīsa | Chili paste (Maghrebi) |
The geographer Ibn Khurradadhbih described Basra's 9th-century markets as redolent with cumin, coriander, and clove brought up from India. This trade shaped Arab cuisine, making spices not a luxury but the structural backbone of flavor from Morocco to Oman.
Drinks
Table 7. Beverages.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| مَاء | mā' | Water |
| قَهْوَة | qahwa | Coffee |
| قَهْوَة عَرَبِيَّة | qahwa ʿarabiyya | Cardamom Arabic coffee (Gulf) |
| قَهْوَة تُرْكِيَّة | qahwa turkiyya | Turkish-style coffee |
| شَاي | shāy | Tea |
| شَاي بِالنَّعْنَاع | shāy bi-n-naʿnāʿ | Mint tea (Maghrebi) |
| عَصِير | ʿaṣīr | Juice |
| لَبَن رَائِب / عَيْرَان | laban rā'ib / ʿayrān | Salted yogurt drink |
| سَحْلَب | saḥlab | Sweet milk drink with orchid powder |
| كَرْكَدِيه | karkadīh | Hibiscus tea |
| تَمْر هِنْدِي | tamr hindī | Tamarind drink |
| حَلِيب | ḥalīb | Milk |
| خَمْر | khamr | Wine (religiously forbidden; used in classical literature) |
Coffee culture varies enormously. Gulf قهوة عربية is light yellow, cardamom-heavy, served in tiny cups by the host. Turkish-style قهوة تركية is black and thick. Maghrebi coffee often follows a French-influenced style. In Levantine cafes, both Turkish coffee and American-style drip are common.
Restaurant Phrases
Table 8. Ordering vocabulary.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| مَطْعَم | maṭʿam | Restaurant |
| مَقْهَى | maqhā | Cafe |
| قَائِمَة الطَّعَام | qā'imat aṭ-ṭaʿām | Menu |
| جَرْسُون / نَادِل | jarsūn / nādil | Waiter |
| طَاوِلَة | ṭāwila | Table |
| كُرْسِي | kursī | Chair |
| طَبَق | ṭabaq | Plate, dish |
| صَحْن | ṣaḥn | Plate (also used) |
| كَأْس | ka's | Glass, cup |
| شَوْكَة | shawka | Fork |
| سِكِّين | sikkīn | Knife |
| مِلْعَقَة | milʿaqa | Spoon |
| الحِسَابُ | al-ḥisāb | The bill |
| بَقْشِيش | baqshīsh | Tip |
| طَلَب | ṭalab | Order |
Essential restaurant sentences
- طَاوِلَة لِشَخْصَيْنِ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ṭāwila li-shakhṣayn min faḍlik. Table for two, please.
- القَائِمَةَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ al-qā'imata min faḍlik. The menu, please.
- مَاذَا تَنْصَحُ؟ mādhā tanṣaḥ? What do you recommend?
- أُرِيدُ... urīdu... I want...
- بِدُونِ بَصَلٍ bidūni baṣal. Without onions.
- هَلْ هَذَا حَارٌّ؟ hal hādhā ḥārr? Is this spicy?
- هَلْ هَذَا حَلَالٌ؟ hal hādhā ḥalāl? Is this halal?
- أَنَا نَبَاتِيٌّ anā nabātī. I am a vegetarian.
- لَذِيذٌ جِدًّا ladhīdh jiddan. Very delicious.
- الحِسَابَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ al-ḥisāba min faḍlik. The bill, please.
Halal, Haram, and Tayyib
حَلَال (ḥalāl): religiously permitted. حَرَام (ḥarām): religiously forbidden. طَيِّب (ṭayyib): good, wholesome. ذَبِيحَة (dhabīḥa): slaughtered according to Islamic rite.
Forbidden items include pork (لَحْم الخِنْزِير laḥm al-khinzīr), alcohol (كُحُول kuḥūl), blood (دَم dam), and meat from animals not slaughtered with the appropriate prayer. Many halal-observant Muslims also avoid gelatin from non-halal sources and check additives.
The pairing حَلَال طَيِّب recurs in the Quran (2:168). Halal refers to the legal permission; ṭayyib refers to the intrinsic goodness of the food. Something can be technically ḥalāl but not ṭayyib if it is spoiled or of poor quality.
Cooking Verbs
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| طَبَخَ | ṭabakha | To cook |
| قَلَى | qalā | To fry |
| شَوَى | shawā | To grill |
| خَبَزَ | khabaza | To bake |
| قَطَّعَ | qaṭṭaʿa | To cut up |
| فَرَمَ | farama | To mince |
| خَلَطَ | khalaṭa | To mix |
| أَضَافَ | aḍāfa | To add |
| غَلَى | ghalā | To boil |
| حَمَّرَ | ḥammara | To brown |
| تَبَّلَ | tabbala | To season |
For how these verbs conjugate, see the Arabic verb conjugation guide and the Arabic verb forms reference.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Confusing laban across dialects. In MSA and Levantine, laban is yogurt. In Egyptian, laban is milk. Asking for laban in Egypt and expecting yogurt leads to disappointment. Learn both words: لَبَن and حَلِيب.
Pluralizing fruit and vegetable collectives incorrectly. Most fruits and vegetables are collective nouns: تُفَّاح means apples as a category. One apple is تُفَّاحَة (tuffāḥa). Many apples is تُفَّاحَات (tuffāḥāt). See the Arabic broken plurals reference for similar patterns.
Translating shāwarmā as kabāb. They are different. Shāwarmā is sliced from a vertical spit. Kabāb is skewered and grilled. Confusing them will mark you as a tourist.
Asking for "spicy" food universally. Most Arab cuisines are mildly spiced; intense chili heat is mostly Tunisian (harīsa), Moroccan, and Yemeni. In the Levant or Gulf, asking for ḥārr often gets you gentle warmth, not fire.
Misusing qahwa. In the Gulf, قهوة عربية qahwa ʿarabiyya (cardamom-yellow) is very different from what a Western tourist expects. Ask for قهوة تركية (Turkish-style) if you want black coffee, or قهوة أميركية (American coffee) in more international venues.
Quick Reference
- Bread: خُبْز khubz. Rice: أَرُزّ aruzz.
- Meat: لَحْم laḥm. Chicken: دَجَاج dajāj. Fish: سَمَك samak.
- Water: مَاء mā'. Coffee: قَهْوَة qahwa. Tea: شَاي shāy.
- Restaurant: مَطْعَم maṭʿam. Menu: قَائِمَة qā'ima. Bill: الحِسَاب al-ḥisāb.
- Halal: حَلَال ḥalāl. Vegetarian: نَبَاتِي nabātī.
- Delicious: لَذِيذ ladhīdh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between halal and tayyib? Halal refers to religious permission. Tayyib means good and wholesome. The Quran pairs them as halal tayyib.
Is there a single Arab cuisine? No. It is regional: Levantine, Egyptian, Gulf, Maghrebi, and Iraqi traditions each have distinct staples and flavor profiles.
Why do dishes have multiple English spellings? Arabic spelling is consistent; transliteration varies. Hummus/hommus/homos all represent حمص.
What does بسم الله mean before meals? In the name of God. Said by Muslims before eating, like grace.
What is the difference between مطعم and مقهى? Maṭʿam serves meals; maqhā is a coffeehouse.
Why doesn't خضار follow a single plural pattern? It is a collective meaning vegetables as a class. Singulative: خضرة. Plural: خضروات.
How do I order without meat? Say أنا نباتي (I am vegetarian) or أريد طبقا بدون لحم (I want a dish without meat).
See Also
- Arabic common phrases daily conversation reference
- Arabic travel phrases tourist guide reference
- Arabic grammar rules complete beginners guide
- Arabic numbers system guide Modern Standard
- Arabic verb conjugation present past tense guide
- Arabic broken plurals irregular plural patterns reference
- Arabic idafa construction possession and genitive reference
- Arabic root system trilateral roots word formation reference
Author: Kalenux Team
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between halal and tayyib?
حلال (ḥalāl) means religiously permitted under Islamic law. طيب (ṭayyib) means good, pure, or wholesome. The Quran often pairs them as ḥalāl ṭayyib, meaning both legally permitted and of good quality. Halal refers to the ruling; ṭayyib refers to the nature of the food itself.
Is there a single Arab cuisine?
No. Arab cuisine is regional: Levantine (mezze, kibbeh, tabbouleh), Egyptian (ful, koshari, molokhia), Gulf (kabsa, machboos, majboos), Maghrebi (couscous, tagine, harira), and Iraqi (masgouf, dolma). A shared core of spices and Quranic food references unites them, but each region has distinct staples.
Why are some dishes written with different spellings?
Arabic script is consistent, but transliteration varies. Kibbeh/kubbeh/kubba all render كبة. Hummus/hommus/homos all render حمص. The Arabic original is stable; English transcription systems differ.
What does بسم الله mean before meals?
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (bismi-llāh, in the name of God) is said before eating by Muslims, similar to grace. الحمد لله (al-ḥamdu li-llāh, praise God) is said after. Non-Muslims are not expected to say them, but acknowledging them is appreciated.
What is the difference between مطعم and مقهى?
مطعم (maṭʿam) is a restaurant that serves meals. مقهى (maqhā) is a café or coffeehouse, traditionally for coffee, tea, shisha, and light snacks. The gender of maqhā as masculine is unusual and catches learners off guard.
Why does the plural of خضار not follow a single pattern?
خضار (khuḍār) is already a collective noun meaning vegetables as a class. For one vegetable you say خضرة (khuḍra), and its plural is خضروات (khuḍrawāt). Arabic has many such collective-singulative pairs, especially for foods.
How do I order without meat in Arabic?
Say أَنَا نَبَاتِيٌّ (anā nabātī) I am vegetarian, or أُرِيدُ طَبَقًا بِدُونِ لَحْمٍ (urīdu ṭabaqan bidūni laḥm) I want a dish without meat. For vegan, use نَبَاتِيٌّ صِرْفٌ or specify بِدُونِ لَحْمٍ وَلَا أَلْبَانٍ no meat and no dairy.
