Nationalities in Arabic

Names of nationalities in Arabic are something that you should study from the very beginning of your language learning journey.

You can be sure that you are going to be asked this question a lot while talking to native speakers. Prepare well for answering and asking such a question by learning the nationalities names in Arabic.

Below you are also going to find a list of nationalities in Arabic along with transliteration.

If you don’t know the Arabic alphabet yet check our post Arabic alphabet – All you need to know to write in Arabic

At the end of this lesson you will be able to test your knowledge with our Nationalities in Arabic Quiz.

What is the word for nationality in Arabic?

The word nationality in Arabic is جِنْسِيَّة [jinsiyya] , plural is جِنْسِيّات [jinsiyyaat]

Nationalities in Arabic- rules

Below you are going to find the most important rules regarding to nationalities in Arabic explained in an easy and clear way:

1. Male nationalities in Arabic

Male nationality is made by adding -iy يّ at the end of the country name. If you are not familiar with the country names yet check our post with the full list of country names in Arabic. If you need only the names of Arab countries check Arab countries in Arabic.

Example 1

مِصْر	Egypt	[miSr]
مِصْرِيّ	Egyptian (male)	[miSriy]

Example 2

لُبْنان	Lebanon	[lubnaan]
لُبنانيّ	Lebanese (male)	[lubnaaniy]

2. Female nationalities in Arabic

For female you must add suffix –iyya يّة ;

Example 1

مِصْر	Egypt	[MiSr]
مِصْرِيّة	Egyptian (female)	[MiSriyya]

Example 2

لُبْنان	Lebanon	[Lubnaan]
لُبْنانِيَّة	Lebanese (female)	[Lubnaniyya]

Do you know that language names in Arabic (French, German, Chinese etc.) are female? To read more check Languages in Arabic.

3. Nationalities of countries that start with Al ال

When the country starts with Al [ال] you need to remove it and then add the proper ending.

Example 1

الاُرْدُن	Jordan	[al-Urdunn]
أُرْدُنيّ	Jordanian (male)	[Urduniy]
أُرْدُنِيّة	Jordanian (female)	[Urduniyya]

Example 2

اليابان	Japan	[al-Yaabaan]
يابانيّ	Japanese (male)	[Yaabaniy]
يابانِيَّة	Japanese (female)	[Yaabaaniyya]

4. Countries that end with ta marbutah or alef

If the country name ends with ta marbutah [ة] or alef [ا] you must remove it and then add the proper ending.

Example 1

أمْريكا	America	[Amriikaa]
أمْريكيّ	American (male)	[Amriikiy]
أمْريكيَّة	American (female)	[Amriikiyya]

Example 2

مالْطا	Malta	[MaalTa]
مالْطيّ	Maltese (male)	[MaalTiy]
مالْطِيَّة	Maltese (female)	[MaalTiyya]

Example 3

In this case you have both rules combined – you need to remove Al at the beginning and ta marbutah at the end so;

السُّعودِيَّة	Saudi Arabia	[as-sa3uudiyya]
سُعوديّ	Saudi (male)	[Sa3uudiy]
سُعودِيَّة	Saudi (female)	[Sa3uudiyya]

5. How to say English nationality in Arabic?

Of course, sometimes there are exceptions, and this is the case with England;

England in Arabic is إنْجِلْتِرا [injlitiraa] and the nationality is إنْجْليزيّ [injliiziy] for male and إنْجْليزِيَّة [injliiziyya] for female.

إنْجِلْتِرا	England	[injlitiraa]
إنْجْليزيّ	English male	[injliiziy]
إنْجْليزِيَّة	English female	[injliiziyya]

***There are few more exceptions but as this is the lesson for beginners we are not going to mention them all. As an exercise try to find them on the list of nationalities below.

See also: basic Arabic adjectives for beginners.

List of nationalities in Arabic

Below you will find the list of nationalities in Arabic along with the transliteration.

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Afghan	أفْغانيّ	Afghaaniy
Albanian	ألْبانيّ	Albaniy
Algerian	جَزائِريّ	Jazaa’iriy
Australian	أُسْتُراليّ	Usturaaliy
Austrian	نَمْساويّ	Namsaawiy
Belgian	بِلْجيكيّ	Biljiikiy
Brazilian	بَرازيليّ	Baraaziliy
Bulgarian	بُلْغاريّ	Bulghaariy
Canadian	كَنَديّ	Kanadiy
Chinese	صينيّ	Siiniy
Croatian	كُرْواتيّ	Kurwaatiy
Danish	دِنِمارْكيّ	Dinmaarkiy
Egyptian	مِصْريّ	MiSriy
Estonian	إسْتونيّ	Istuuniy
Finnish	فِنْلَنْديّ	Finlandiy
French	فَرَنْسيّ	Faransiy
German	ألْمانيّ	Almaniy
Greek	يونانيّ	Yuinaaniy
Indian	هِنْديّ	Hindiy
Iranian	إيرانيّ	Iiraaniy
Iraqi	عِراقيّ	3iraaqiy
Italian	إيطاليّ	IiTaaliy
Japanese	يابانيّ	Yaabaaniy
Kuwaiti	كُوَيْتيّ	Kuwaitiy
Libyan	ليبيّ	Liibiy
Lithuanian	ليتوانيّ	Liituuaaniy
Malaysian	ماليزيّ	Maaliiziy
Mexican	مِكْسيكيّ	Miksiikiy
Moroccan	مَغْرِبيّ	Maghribiy
Dutch	هولَنْديّ	Huulandiy
Norwegian	نُرْويجيّ	Nurwiiji
Omani	عُمانيّ	3umaaniy
Pakistani	باكِسْتانيّ	Baakistaniy
Palestanian	فِلِسْطينيّ	FilisTiiniy
Philippine	فِلِبِّينيّ	Filibbiiniy
Polish	بولَنْديّ	Buulandiy
Russian	روسيّ	Ruusiy
Korean	كوريّ	Kuuriy
Spanish	إسْبانيّ	Isbaaniy
Swedish	سُوَيْديّ	Suwaidiy
Syrian	سوريّ	Suuriy
Taiwanese	تايْوانيّ	Taiwaaniy
Tunisian	تونِسيّ	Tuunisiy
Turkish	تُرْكيّ	Turkiy
Ukrainian	أُوكرانيّ	Uukraaniy
Emirati	إماراتيّ	Imaaraatiy

Nationalities in Arabic Quiz

Quizzes are a great tool to practice your vocabulary. All the Arabic vocabulary lists on our website contain quizzes at the end of each lesson, to help you remember newly learned words. To check more Arabic Quizzes go to -> Selfarabic – Arabic Vocabulary Quizzes