How to Order Coffee in Arabic: A Complete Phrase Guide
You do not need Arabic to order coffee in Saudi Arabia. Most specialty cafés in Riyadh and Jeddah have English-speaking staff and English menus. But knowing the words changes something. It slows the interaction down in a good way. The barista notices. You get a better read on what is actually being served.
Here are the phrases you will actually use: ordering at the counter, asking about brewing methods, and talking about taste.
Basic café ordering
Ureed qahwa, min fadlak. I would like a coffee, please.
أريد قهوة، من فضلك.
Wahid isbreeso, min fadlak. One espresso, please.
واحد إسبريسو، من فضلك.
Wahid qahwa Arabiyya, min fadlak. One Arabic coffee (qahwa), please.
واحد قهوة عربية، من فضلك.
Bidoon sukkar. Without sugar.
بدون سكر.
Sukkar qaleel. A little sugar.
سكر قليل.
Ma habb al-bun? What is the coffee bean (origin)?
ما حب البن؟
Specialty coffee vocabulary
In specialty cafés, staff usually just say the English terms: Aeropress, pour over, V60. But knowing the Arabic helps in a traditional or less touristy setting.
Al-qahwa al-mutakhassisa. Specialty coffee.
القهوة المتخصصة
Al-tahmees al-fatieh. Light roast.
التحميص الفاتح
Al-tahmees al-ghameq. Dark roast.
التحميص الغامق
Al-asl al-fardi. Single origin.
الأصل الفردي
Muhass bi bard. Cold brew.
محضر بالبرد
Talking about taste
Use these when you want to describe what you taste or ask about a coffee’s profile:
Taama humoodat. It tastes acidic, bright.
طعمه حموضة.
Taama helw. It tastes sweet.
طعمه حلو.
Taama murr. It tastes bitter.
طعمه مر.
Ma taamu? What does it taste like?
ما طعمه؟
Qahwa-specific phrases
Arabic coffee (qahwa) has its own etiquette around receiving and returning the cup. This part actually matters:
Dazzem. Thank you, no more (shake the cup slightly while declining a refill).
دزم.
Zidni, min fadlak. More, please (asking for a refill).
زدني، من فضلك.
The dallah is refilled by the host until you signal you are done. That is hospitality protocol, not a sales pitch.
For more on qahwa culture and how to brew it, read our guide to Arabic coffee and the dallah. For context on Saudi coffee culture, see the Vision 2030 and specialty coffee article.
No. Most specialty cafés in Riyadh and Jeddah have English-speaking staff. But knowing a few Arabic phrases improves the experience and earns you respect from staff.
Qahwa (قهوة) is the standard Arabic word for coffee. In Gulf dialect, you may also hear gahwa. In the context of traditional Saudi coffee, qahwa refers specifically to the spiced, lightly roasted Arabic coffee.
Dazzem is said when you gently shake the small cup (finjaan) to signal you do not want a refill of qahwa. Without this signal, the host will keep refilling your cup as an act of hospitality.
Say ‘bidoon sukkar’ for no sugar, or ‘sukkar qaleel’ for a small amount. For qahwa, it is typically served without added sugar — the sweetness comes from dates served alongside.
You do not need perfect Arabic. You need two or three phrases delivered with confidence. That is enough to change how the interaction goes.
