Speak Algerian Arabic as a Guest & Host
Are you going to be a guest in an Algerian home, or maybe host an Algerian friend or family member? And do you want to know what to say so you can blend in and sound more natural?
In this lesson, you’ll learn the basic words and phrases you need for this everyday situation, so you can speak and react more like an Algerian.
And make sure you watch the video below, because you won’t just learn the expressions — you’ll actually practice them with me. We’ll switch roles, so you’ll get to practice being both the guest and the host.
Ready? Let’s start!
Conversation
1. Guest arrives
Host:
مرحبا اتفضلي
/mar7’ba itfadli:/
Guest:
الله يسلمك
/allah y’salmik/
(The guest brings a cake as a gift and offers it to the host.)
Host:
صحيتي علاش تشقي في روحك؟
/sa7iti: 3’la:ch t’chaqqi fi rou7ik/
Guest:
بلا مزية
/b’la m’ziya/
2. Going to sit
Host:
اتفضلي
/itfadli:/
Guest:
صحا
/sa7a:/
3. Catching up
Guest:
وشراكي وشراهم لولاد؟
/wach ra:ki: wach ra:hom liwla:d/
Host:
لباس حمدلله
/laba:s 7amdoullah/
وانت واش حوالك؟
/w inti wach 7’wa:lik/
Guest:
لباس حمدلله
/laba:s 7amdoullah/
Host:
واش الخدمة؟
/wa:ch elkhidma/
Guest:
لباس
/laba:s/
4. Offering coffee/food
Host:
تشربي قهوة بالسكر ولا بلا سكر؟
/tochorbi qahwa bi sokkor walla b’la sokkor/
Guest:
مغرف وحدة برك
/moghrof wa7da bark/
Host:
اتفضلي قاطو
/itfadli: gatou/
Guest:
صحا
/sa7a:/
5. Preparing to Leave
Guest:
أيا أنا نروح
/aya: ana n’rou7/
Host:
مزال الحال زيدي شوية
/maza:l el7a:l zi:di: ch’wiya/
Guest:
لالا معليش
/la:la: ma3li:ch/
6. Goodbye
Host:
لخطرة الجاية إن شاء الله
/el-khatra elja:yya inchallah/
Guest:
إن شاء الله يعطيك الصحة
/inchallah ya3tik essa7a/
Host:
بالسلامة
/bisla:ma/
Guest:
بالسلامة
/bisla:ma/
English Translation
Host: Welcome, come in.
Guest: Thank you.
Host: Thank you! You shouldn’t have.
Guest: You’re welcome.
Host: Come in / Have a seat.
Guest: Thanks.
Host: How are you? How are the kids?
Guest: They’re fine, thank God. And you, how are you?
Host: I’m good, thank God.
Guest: How’s work?
Host: Good.
Host: Would you like your coffee with sugar or without sugar?
Guest: Just one spoon.
Host: Have some cake.
Guest: Thanks.
Guest: Alright, I’m going to go.
Host: It’s still early. Stay a little longer.
Guest: No, it’s okay.
Host: Until next time, God willing.
Guest: God willing. Thank you.
Host: Goodbye.
Guest: Goodbye.
Useful Variations
When Leaving
Guest:
لازم نروح
/la:zim n’rou7/_ I have to go
راح الحال
/ra:7 el7a:l/_ It’s getting late
اسمحيلي مانقدرش
/isim7ili: manaqdarch/_ Sorry, I can’t
Goodbye
Guest:
لخطرة لجاية عندي إن شاء الله
/elkhatra eljayya 3andi: inchallah/_
Next time at my place, God willing
Cultural Insight
In our Algerian culture,
we always have to serve our guest something,
even if they refuse.
Another thing that is very common with guests
is that we insist that they eat or drink something.
Now you have the basic words and expressions you need to handle a simple visit as both a guest and a host in Algerian Arabic.
Make sure you watch the video below for real speaking practice. You’ll practice the conversation with me and switch roles, so you get to be both the guest and the host.
