United Arab Emirates: primary language is Arabic — English is widely spoken, especially in cities and tourist areas.
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The primary language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic.
English is widely spoken, especially in cities and tourist areas. English functions as the de facto business and expat lingua franca in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — no significant language barrier.
Learning "hello," "please," "thank you," "excuse me," and "the check please" in the local language goes a long way anywhere, including United Arab Emirates — locals consistently appreciate the effort.
It's rarely necessary given how widely English is understood in United Arab Emirates, but it doesn't hurt to have one as a backup.