What kind of language they speak in Dubai?
What is the official language in Dubai? Dubai's official language is Arabic but there are many variations prevalent in the city. Standard Arabic – the modernised, literary version – is the one you'll encounter in all legal, administrative and government texts, as well as books and newspapers.
While in Dubai, the most common greetings visitors will come across are marhaba (hello) and maasalaamah (goodbye or with peace). These are considered standard greetings for everyday situations and would be an appropriate way to say hello to restaurant staff or hotel concierges.
The official language of Dubai has been Arabic since the founding of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Arabic is an important language in the Middle East and North Africa region and one of the most widely spoken in the world, and is the mother of a large part of the population of the United Arab Emirates.
The official language of the United Arab Emirates is Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic is taught in schools, and most native Emiratis speak a dialect of Gulf Arabic that is generally similar to that spoken in surrounding countries.
The official language of Dubai is Arabic, though English is even more widely spoken.
Official Spoken Language of Dubai - Arabic
WIth 3 quarters of all people living here as expats, English is the favourite choice among its population. Immigrants and labourers from South Asian countries have made Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu and Malayalam the common languages in Dubai.
The Emiratis (Arabic: الإمَارَاتِيُّون) are the native Arab citizen population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Within the UAE itself, they number approximately 1.5 million. Emiratis.
La afham (pronounce la af-am)
Example: Sorry, la afham.
In the morning, you can say “Sabah al-khayr” meaning, “good morning”. Unlike in English greetings, there are several replies to this greeting in Arabic, depending on the mood and creativity of the speaker. The most common reply is “Sabah an-noor” meaning, “morning or light”.
Generally, the legal age for drinking alcohol is 18 in Abu Dhabi, but a Ministry of Tourism by-law prevents hotels from serving alcohol to those under the age of 21. In Dubai and all other emirates besides Sharjah, the drinking age is 21. Drinking alcohol in Sharjah is illegal.
Why is Dubai so rich?
The UAE is the third-richest country in the world, below Luxembourg at number two and Qatar at number one, with a GDP per capita of $57,744. The bulk of its money comes from the production of goods and provision of services related to petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminium and cement.
Dubai isn't actually much more expensive than London, New York, and other big cities. However, Dubai's not a very walkable city. Jaywalking is illegal, and crossings are few and far between. Taxi prices aren't too expensive but taking them often can add up.
The UAE dirham is the official currency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The name 'dirham' is derived from the Greek currency, the drachma. One dirham is subdivided into 100 files. The UAE currency is issued by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates – but you can get yours for your trip from the Post Office.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is situated in the Southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. In December 1971, the UAE became a federation of six emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, and Fujairah, while the seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the federation in 1972.
Approximately 11 percent of the population are citizens, of whom more than 85 percent are Sunni Muslims, according to media reports. The vast majority of the remainder are Shia Muslims, who are concentrated in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah.
Dubai is an expensive city compared to other UAE locales. Numbeo's cost of living index estimates that a single person in Dubai needs about 3,700 United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED), or $1,000 USD per month, excluding rent.
| Type of Apartment | Cost of rent per month |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | AED 5,141.89 (USD 1 399.92) |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | AED 3,281.72 (USD 893.47) |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | AED 9,766.53 (USD 2 659.01) |
What Is the Minimum Cost of Living in Dubai? While the table above estimates the median cost of living, the minimum cost of living for a single person in Dubai would be around AED 6,000 per month to account for any unexpected expenses.
While Arabic is the official language of Emirates, the company language is English. You do not even need to have power over spoken Arabic for several jobs in Dubai. You would probably need command over English.
Arabic is usually considered one of the most difficult languages to learn, topped by only a few languages like Japanese in terms of difficulty. Plus, it's even harder (or so they say) if you are a native speaker of English or a romance language.
How much of Dubai speak English?
About 75% of the population in Dubai are expatriates, majority of who speak in English or in their native language. Some important contracts like employment contracts or rental agreements are written in both Arabic and English languages. So English is used in written documents too.
Emiratis with a university degree who work in the private sector will receive a Dh7,000 monthly salary top-up, up from Dh5,000 at present. The changes were announced at a meeting of 500 senior government leaders in November. The payment will be Dh6,000 for diploma holders and Dh5,000 for high school graduates.
All UAE citizens in the seven emirates carry the unified nationality of the UAE, which is recognised internationally. The demonym is Emirati.
Dubai and the UAE are in Asia. The Arabian peninsula, which is the landmass on which Dubai can be found, is in Western Asia.
Day-to-day conversational terms
Become a Culture Tripper! save up to 40% on our unique trips. Also good to know is 'yes' and 'no' which is na'am and la respectively. 'Please' is said as min fadlak when speaking to a man and min fadlik when addressing a woman.
The customary greeting is 'As-salam alaikum' (peace be upon you). The reply is 'Wa alaikum as-salam' (and upon you be peace). Handshakes are the normal form of greeting, but ensure you use only your right hand. Members of the same sex who know each other well often greet warmly, with embraces.
Inshallah. Probably one of the most well-known Arabic words because of how commonly it is used, the word “inshallah” means “God willing”, but most people will use it in the context of meaning “maybe” or “I'm not sure, it's out of my hands”.
For most of Dubai, permitted noise level during the day is 40-50dbA (7am to 8pm), while at night, a level of 30-40 dbA is acceptable (8pm to 7am).
What is a typical breakfast in Dubai? A typical breakfast in Dubai includes baith tamat which is a delicious combination of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, herbs and luxurious saffron. Other essentials are balaleet, khameer and chebab which is served with a side of date syrup.
The word jamiil جميل is the most commonly used word to say beautiful in Arabic. You can use jamiil for both people and inanimate objects.
Can you wear shorts in Dubai?
You can wear shorts in Dubai and even skirts, if they are at knee length and not shorter than that. Just be mindful of the fact that there are a lot of families and children there.
There are certain things you can't do in Dubai and PDA is one of them. In Dubai, holding hands, hugging, and kissing in public is considered socially unacceptable and if caught indulging in such acts, you might land up in jail. Many foreigners have already suffered the consequences.
The UAE's law prohibits sale of tobacco and tobacco products to children. Smoking in public transportation, private vehicles and indoor places in the presence of a child is also prohibited.
GENERAL SAFETY IN DUBAI
There's not much dispute that Dubai is quite safe for tourists. Dubai is heavily monitored, so violent crime directed at tourists is rare. Most tourist-directed crime in Dubai is likely to be petty stuff like pickpocketing, scams, or sexual harassment.
What is the average salary in Dubai? According to Salary Explorer, the average salary in Dubai is 258,000 AED per year (70,256 USD as per exchange rates in 2023). This figure can help you get an overview of Dubai's economy and its standard of living.
February 24, 2022. Is Dubai safe for solo female travelers? Yes, Dubai is definitely safe for solo female travelers, and it is the perfect destination for solo female digital nomads!
On average, it would likely cost two travelers anywhere from $55 USD to just over $100 in food alone, per day, during a trip to Dubai. For a single traveler, food costs are lower and range from nearly $30 USD to just over $50 USD for the day.
Single: For a 3-day solo trip to Dubai, a single traveler can expect to spend between $800 to $1,500 USD, depending on accommodation, transportation, food, and activities.
Although USD is widely accepted across all sectors in Dubai, it is best advisable to convert home currency into Dirham for the ease of travelling and saving money. For example Canadian Dollar is 2.81 AED and 0.76 USD.
So, you've converted 100 US Dollar to 363.698221 UAE Dirham.
How much is a bottle of water in Dubai?
Re: How much for 1 bottle (600 ml) ? A pack of 6 x 1.5ltr bottles can be bought in most supermarkets for around 6AED. In a hotel restaurant a 1.5ltr bottle can cost up to 20AED !
Dubai's currency, the Emirati dirham, is based on the US dollar. This stability allows it to remain fairly inelastic, and the worth of the money is unlikely to change dramatically from year to year. Just to let you know, 1 US dollar is about 3.67 dirhams.
Dubai is famous for the record-breaking Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and the Palm, its vibrant culture, turbulent history, modern infrastructure, huge aquariums, and indoor ski slopes. Dubai is also known for its ultra-fast cars, driverless subway, scorching summer heat, and fantastic beaches.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of seven independent city-states: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Qaiwain, Fujairah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah.
Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert. However, the topography of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country.
Is Christianity legal in UAE? Christians and other religions are allowed to have their places of worship in Dubai. However, they cannot convert a muslim into their religion, however, they can convert to Islam if they want.
You can witness Christmas traditions from across the world here. As Christmas is not a public holiday in Dubai, all western traditions are followed in Dubai. You will find giant Christmas trees and Santas on the streets and Christmas lights.
Islam is the official religion of the U.A.E. and is integral to the local culture. The Arabic word "Islam" literally means "submission to God," and the core of the faith is the belief that there is only one God (Allah) who should be worshiped.
The UAE's law prohibits sale of tobacco and tobacco products to children. Smoking in public transportation, private vehicles and indoor places in the presence of a child is also prohibited.
Dubai is famous for the record-breaking Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and the Palm, its vibrant culture, turbulent history, modern infrastructure, huge aquariums, and indoor ski slopes. Dubai is also known for its ultra-fast cars, driverless subway, scorching summer heat, and fantastic beaches.
What is the currency of Dubai?
The UAE Dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. It is sub-divided into 100 fils.