The Essential Travel Phrasebook
Open to the conversation you’re in.
You don’t need to read Arabic to start using Tunisian. English meanings and Arabizi help you say the words; notes on tone and patterns help you understand them.
612 real-life phrases15 chaptersBy Amin Ben Said
One-time purchasePaperback: black-and-white · Kindle: colour
Paperback · US$18.99 on Amazon.com
Kindle and hardcover also available. Local prices and delivery are shown on Amazon.
A page, in practice
How to use a phrase
Start with the English meaning. Read the Arabizi aloud, or show the Arabic line to the person you’re speaking with.
Can you repeat, please?
tnejjem tawed, iyaichek?
تنجم تعاود، يعيّشك؟
Select an underlined 3 for a sound note.
From page to sound
Hear the chapter you’re reading
540 audio recordings available, with more on the way. Scan the QR code at the start of each numbered chapter to listen while you follow the words. The chapter link is printed beside it, too.
Patterns, tone and context
Start recognising how the phrases work
The same ma … -sh structure appears in both phrases here. After Chapter 2, four short patterns explain what stays the same and what you can change.
Alongside the phrases, notes explain how a request sounds and what to expect when ordering at a café or visiting someone’s home.
ma + verb + -sh
Say “not”
ma fhemt-sh
I don’t understand.
ma naki-sh tounsi
I don’t speak Tunisian.
From Patterns You’ll Notice · After Chapter 2
Explore the chapters
Your Trip: the 15 chapters
Start with a situation you expect to find yourself in. These six chapters give you a first look; open the full contents for all 15 and the reference sections.
Arriving & getting around
Chapter 02First Contact: Airport, Passport, First Taxi
Handle passport questions, missing luggage, money exchange, a SIM card, and the first ride to your accommodation.
Chapter 03Moving Around: Taxi, Louage, Bus & Directions
Ask about taxi meters, louage departures, tickets, stops, and the route on foot.
Food & shopping
Chapter 07Let’s Eat: Restaurants, Diets & Complaints
Find a table, ask about a dish, explain dietary needs or allergies, and offer a compliment or make a complaint.
Chapter 08Souks & Shops: Groceries, Clothes & Pharmacy
Say you’re just looking, ask about crafts and clothing sizes, and find groceries, phone credit, or pharmacy essentials.
People, culture & everyday life
Chapter 10Meeting People: Small Talk & Friends
Introduce yourself, talk about work and studies, share what you like about Tunisia, and keep a small conversation going.
Chapter 13Real Tunisia: Culture, Family & Everyday Life
Visit a home, talk about family, thank a host, and recognise the everyday phrases that accompany food and good news.
See all 15 chapters
Before You Begin
A Story of Love
Amin explains what led him to write the book, and why it mattered to get the language right.
How to Use This Book
A guide to the three-line phrases, masculine and feminine forms, audio, and finding the words you need.
A Note on Tunisian
An introduction to the sounds, the romanization, and why you may hear more than one natural form of a word.
Small Words That Do a Lot
The short questions, polite words, and everyday reactions you’ll meet again throughout the chapters.
Chapter 01First Words in Tunisia
Greet someone, introduce yourself, ask for a repeat or slower speech, or say you don’t understand.
Chapter 02First Contact: Airport, Passport, First Taxi
Handle passport questions, missing luggage, money exchange, a SIM card, and the first ride to your accommodation.
Chapter 03Moving Around: Taxi, Louage, Bus & Directions
Ask about taxi meters, louage departures, tickets, stops, and the route on foot.
Chapter 04Money Talk: Prices, Payment & Bargaining
Check a price, ask about payment, negotiate politely, and work out who’s paying.
Chapter 05Where You Sleep: Hotel, Airbnb & Guesthouses
Check in, ask for the room you need, explain what isn’t working, and arrange check-out.
Chapter 06Café Life: Coffee, Tea & Chill
Order drinks and snacks, find a seat, ask to charge your phone, and settle the bill.
Chapter 07Let’s Eat: Restaurants, Diets & Complaints
Find a table, ask about a dish, explain dietary needs or allergies, and offer a compliment or make a complaint.
Chapter 08Souks & Shops: Groceries, Clothes & Pharmacy
Say you’re just looking, ask about crafts and clothing sizes, and find groceries, phone credit, or pharmacy essentials.
Chapter 09Sun & Sand: Beach, Desert & Trips
Plan a beach day or excursion, ask what a price includes, and check equipment or return times.
Chapter 10Meeting People: Small Talk & Friends
Introduce yourself, talk about work and studies, share what you like about Tunisia, and keep a small conversation going.
Chapter 11When Things Go Wrong: Emergencies & Problems
Ask for help, describe how you feel, explain a loss or theft, and ask for information to be written down.
Chapter 12Nightlife & Flirting: Social Vibes & Boundaries
Join a night out, offer a compliment, exchange contacts, and state your boundaries clearly.
Chapter 13Real Tunisia: Culture, Family & Everyday Life
Visit a home, talk about family, thank a host, and recognise the everyday phrases that accompany food and good news.
Chapter 14Numbers & Time: Counting, Dates & Colours
Use numbers, days, times, and colours for prices, bookings, phone numbers, and plans.
Chapter 15Expressions: Reactions, Attitude & Real Life
Recognise surprise, teasing, irritation, praise, and the expressions people use to keep a story moving.
Each numbered chapter includes an Important vocab recap for a quick review of its key words.
Keep Close
Your Tunisian Cheat Sheet
Frequently needed phrases gathered by situation, with a quick sound reminder and the four sentence patterns in one place.
Mini Dictionary — Essential Tunisian for Your Trip
An alphabetical English word and expression list, with the Tunisian beside it, for when you need to look up a word.
Numbers
A compact reference at the end of the Mini Dictionary, with a reminder of how 11–19 are formed.
A few useful answers
Questions about the book
Which formats can I choose?
The English book is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and hardcover. The paperback has a black-and-white interior; the Kindle ebook is in colour. The colour samples on this website show the colour edition. Choose your format on Amazon to see its current price and delivery options.
How much audio is available?
540 recordings are available across 15 chapter pages, with more on the way. Scan the chapter QR code or type the address printed beside it to listen.
Do I need to know Arabic already?
No. You can use the English meanings and romanized Tunisian from the start. The introductory sound guide explains how to read the romanization, and the Arabic line lets you show a phrase to someone if you need to.
What is Arabizi?
In Talk Tunisian, Arabizi is the Tunisian line written with Latin letters. Numbers stand for sounds that English letters don’t represent neatly: the 3 in 3aslema, for example, represents ع, not the number “three”. The book’s introductory sound guide explains 3, 5, 7, 9 and gh, so you can begin without reading Arabic script.
Is this Tunisian Arabic or Standard Arabic?
It is Tunisian Arabic as people speak it in everyday life. The phrases include the French words and informal forms that appear naturally in Tunisian conversation.
Is it just a collection of travel phrases?
You can look up a phrase and use it straight away, but the book also helps you understand what you’re saying. Each chapter explains key words in its vocabulary recap, and four short sentence patterns show how familiar words fit into other phrases. Notes explain tone and everyday customs, so you can better judge when and how to use what you’ve learned.
What if I’m visiting family or staying longer?
The book also covers home visits, family, work, studies and friendships. Those chapters give you phrases for getting to know people and taking part in everyday conversations during a longer stay.
Will everyone use exactly the same words?
Tunisian varies by region, generation, and speaker. The book presents common contemporary usage and explains some variations you may hear. Another natural wording doesn’t mean the phrase you learned is wrong.
Try a few pages
Find your first conversation.
Browse the contents and a few pages. Pick a phrase to try aloud.