Arabic Dialects 101
Arabic is a Semitic language with speakers from dozens of countries. With such a vast group of people using the language, there are over 30 different major dialects of spoken Arabic. These include:
- Egyptian: perhaps the most widely understood dialect of Arabic with over 50 million speakers. This is largely because of the popularity of Egyptian-produced films and TV shows over the last century.
- Algerian: spoken by over 22 million people in Algeria.
- Moroccan: spoken in Morocco by over 20 million people.
- Sudanese: spoken in Sudan by over 20 million people.
- Levantine: spoken by over 15 million people in Lebanon and Syria.
- Gulf: spoken across the Gulf region
Amazingly, these dialects all use Modern Standard Arabic for written and formal communications. To better appreciate the vastness of the dialects, check out this list of countries and their respective Arabic dialects. Remember, they all use MSA as well:
| Country | Varieties of Arabic spoken |
| Afghanistan | Tajiki |
| Algeria | Algerian Saharan |
| Bahrain | Baharna, Gulf |
| Chad | Chadian |
| Cyprus | Cypriot |
| Djibouti | Ta’izzi-Adeni/South Yemeni |
| Egypt | Egyptian, Saidi, Libyan, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi |
| Eritrea | Hijazi |
| Iran | Mesopotamian, Gulf |
| Iraq | Mesopotamian, Najdi, North Mesopotamian, Gulf, Judeo-Iraqi |
| Israel | Judeo-Tripolitanian, Judeo-Moroccan, Judeo-Iraqi, Judeo-Yemeni, Judeo-Tunisian |
| Jordan | Najdi, South Levantine, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi |
| Kenya | Omani |
| Kuwait | Gulf |
| Lebannon | North Levantine |
| Libya | Libyan |
| Mali | Hassaniyya |
| Mauritania | Hassaniyya |
| Morocco | Moroccan/Maghrebi, Hassaniyya, Judeo-Moroccan |
| Niger | Libyan, Hassaniyya |
| Oman | Gulf, Omani, Dhofari, Shihhi |
| Palestinian West Bank & Gaza | South Levantine, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi |
| Qatar | Gulf |
| Saudi Arabia | Najdi, Hijazi, Gulf |
| Sudan | Sudanese |
| Syria | North Levantine, Mesopotamian, Najdi, North Mesopotamian, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi |
| Tajikistan | Tajiki |
| Tanzania | Omani |
| Tunisia | Tunisian, Judeo-Tunisian |
| Turkey | North Mesopotamian |
| UAE | Gulf, Shihhi |
| Uzbekistan | Uzbeki |
| Yemen | Sanaani/North Yemeni, Ta’izzi-Adeni/South Yemeni, Hadrami, Judeo-Yemeni |
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