General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » Language

The official language of the country is Arabic, but English is widely spoken. Other commonly heard languages include Urdu, Baluchi, Swahili, Hindi and other Indian dialects. Most road signs, shop signs and menus are in both Arabic and English. The further into the interior you go, the more Arabic you will find, both spoken and on street signs. See p.xxx for a quick list of useful Arabic phrases to get you around the country.

Arabic isn’t the easiest language to pick up (or to pronounce), but if you learn the usual greetings you’re more likely to receive a warmer welcome. Most Omanis appreciate the effort and will help you with your pronunciation. Just give it a try – it certainly won’t hurt and it definitely helps when dealing with officials of any sort.