10 Ways to Address Someone in Jordanian/Palestinian Arabic

One of the more stressful situations when learning a new language is knowing how to address someone! In this blog post, our resident Jordanian teacher, Lina, breaks it down.

Ammo/Khalto (عمو/خالتو)

In Arabic culture, it is customary to show additional respect to individuals of older age. Calling someone older than you by their first name is considered offensive. To address an older lady, people use the word "Khalto," which means "maternal aunt," and to address an older gentleman, people use the word "Ammo," which means "paternal uncle." "Ammo" and "Khalto" are also used to address aunts and uncles, as well as parents-in-law. "Ammo" and "Khalto" both end with "o," the singular masculine form "his," and this is very common in Jordan, although some people might use "Ammi" and "Khalti."

Teeta/Sitto/Jiddeh (تيتا/ستّو/جدّة)

Depending on the exact dialect you use, these are ways to address a grandmother. "Teeta" is what small children would use, "sitto" is used by Palestinians and Jordanians of Palestinian origin, and "jiddeh" is used by Jordanians.

Seedo/Jiddo (سيدو/جدّو)

"Seedo" is what Palestinians and Jordanians of Palestinian origin would call their grandpa, and "jiddo" is used by Jordanians.

Law samaht! (لو سمحت)

To get someone's attention on the street or at a restaurant, you can say "law samaht" or "law samahti," which means "please/excuse me."

Madaam, Aaneseh (مدام/آنسة)

Although less common, this is a polite way to address a woman you don't know. It is usually used on the phone by customer service or at a nice restaurant. "Aaneseh'' means "miss."

Sayyed/Ustaz (سيّد/أستاذ):

This is a formal way to address a man. It is also used on the phone by customer service or at a nice restaurant.

Ya akhi, ya ukhti (yakhti)(يا أخي/يا أختي):

This literally means "my brother/my sister," and while it sounds friendly, it is not a very polite way to address someone. It is usually used in very informal situations, such as in street markets or by bus or taxi drivers.

Ya shabb, ya m3allem, ya habibi (يا شب/يا معلّم/يا حبيبي)

These are used informally to address a young man, usually someone who works at a small restaurant or a small shop. Recognize these phrases, but I recommend against using them, as they might sound a bit rude depending on the context.

Ya shaater/ya shaatra, Ya walad/ya benet (يا شاطر/يا شاطرة/يا ولد/يا بنت)

This is a colloquial way to address a child. It is also common to say "habibi" or "habeebti" to call a child.

Habibi/habeebti, 3omri, hayaati (حبيبي/حبيبتي/عمري/حياتي):

These are terms of endearment that people usually use to address their significant others.

Note: Keep in mind that “ya/يا” is used in front of a person’s name or in front of words discussed above to get that person’s attention, for example “ya Ahmad!”, “ya khalto!”.