Saudi Arabia Language and Culture

Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia. English is the universal language of commerce in the kingdom, so you will have no problems in the main cities and towns. Arabic, like Hebrew, is a Semitic language. It is spoken and understood in various forms by millions of people throughout the Middle East and beyond. It is one of the official languages of the United Nations. Classical Arabic, the language of the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an, is used only in writing and rarely in speech. A standardized modern Arabic is used for newspapers, for television and, with local variations, for conversation. The language is written in a flowing cursive style from right to left of a page.

The Arabian Peninsula has a poetic tradition that goes back to pre-Islamic times. Poetry and storytelling are common folk traditions. The Qur'an limits public performances of music and dance and prohibits the making of graven images by artists. Hand-lettered Qur'ans are produced with complex geometric and floral designs.