Languages Spoken in Qatar: Do You Need Arabic?
Arabic is Qatar's official language and English is the common second language. What that means for work, shops, offices and daily life, plus a short list of Arabic words worth knowing.
If you are planning a move, the practical question is usually not which languages exist but how much Arabic you need. This page answers that from what we could confirm, and says clearly where we are relying on a general source.
The official language
Article 1 of Qatar's Permanent Constitution says: "The Arabic Language shall be its official language." That is the only language the Constitution names. In practice this is Modern Standard Arabic for official documents, news and signs, and Gulf Arabic for everyday speech. A general reference site, WorldAtlas, describes the two as mutually intelligible.
English in daily life
WorldAtlas describes English as the most popular foreign language and as widely accepted as the second language in Qatar, and says it is taught as a second language in schools. A large share of residents are from outside Qatar, so English often works as the shared language between people who do not share a mother tongue. You will commonly see it next to Arabic on road signs, in malls, in hotels and on many shop and restaurant menus.
That is a general picture, not a rule. Some offices, smaller shops, drivers and tradespeople may speak little English, and some paperwork is only in Arabic.
Other languages you will hear
WorldAtlas also lists Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tagalog, Nepali, Farsi, Sinhala, French and Balochi among the languages spoken in Qatar. It gives rough speaker numbers for a few of them, for example more than 200,000 for Tagalog, more than 100,000 for Urdu, about 37,000 for Sinhala and about 30,000 for Farsi, without a clear dated source, so we do not rely on those figures. The point for a newcomer is simple: whatever your first language, you will probably find shops, restaurants, community groups and services run by people who speak it. See our guides to Pakistani restaurants in Doha and Indian restaurants in Doha for examples.
Do you need Arabic?
- **To live and work in many jobs:** often no. Many private employers work in English. Check the job advert, since some roles ask for Arabic. Our guide to how to find a job in Qatar covers where to look.
- **For contracts and official papers:** read what you sign. If you cannot read the Arabic text, ask for a translation before signing. Our guide to checking your employment contract online explains what to compare.
- **For government services:** some online services and forms have an English option and some do not. Ask the office or a colleague if a page or form is only in Arabic.
- **For making friends and being respected:** a few Arabic greetings go a long way and are noticed.
Arabic words worth learning
| Word | Roughly means |
|---|---|
| Marhaba | Hello |
| As-salamu alaykum | Peace be upon you (a common greeting; reply: wa alaykum as-salam) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| Afwan | You are welcome |
| Min fadlak (to a man) / min fadlik (to a woman) | Please |
| Yalla | Let us go, come on |
| Inshallah | God willing |
| Kam? | How much? |
| La | No |
| Na'am | Yes |
Spelling in English letters varies, so you may see these written in other ways. Our guide to dining etiquette in Qatar and the first week in Qatar checklist have more on what to expect.
For families and schools
If you are choosing a school, ask each school which languages it teaches in and how it handles Arabic lessons. Our page on international schools in Qatar is a starting point, but we did not check any school's language policy for this article.
What we could not verify
- Current census or Planning and Statistics figures for how many people speak each language. The speaker numbers above come from a general reference site and are not dated.
- Whether specific government services or forms are available in English, Urdu or other languages today.
- Whether the law requires an Arabic text or a translation for an employment contract. Check with the Ministry of Labour before relying on this.
- School language rules and fees, which differ by school.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official language of Qatar?
Arabic. Article 1 of the Permanent Constitution says the Arabic language is the official language.
Can I live in Qatar with only English?
Many people do, because English is widely used as a second language. Some offices, small shops and paperwork may be Arabic only, so learn a few words and ask for translations when you need them.
Which languages are spoken in Qatar besides Arabic and English?
A general reference lists Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tagalog, Nepali, Farsi, Sinhala, French and Balochi, among others.
Should I sign an Arabic-only contract?
Do not sign what you cannot read. Ask for a translation first and compare the terms with what you were offered.
Sources & references
Agha Ali Abbas
Founder & Editor
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