{"id":98843,"date":"2025-08-06T09:36:36","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T05:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/?p=98843"},"modified":"2025-08-06T09:36:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T05:36:36","slug":"8-habits-uae-residents-unintentionally-pick-up-from-locals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovin.co\/dubai\/en\/news\/8-habits-uae-residents-unintentionally-pick-up-from-locals\/","title":{"rendered":"8 habits UAE residents unintentionally pick up from locals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UAE is home to over 200 nationalities. With expats making up for most of the country\u2019s population, it is beautiful to see people from so many different traditions, expressions, languages, and cultures coming together to call the Emirates their \u201csecond home\u201d. But moving to any country means there is a high chance that the locals and their way of living will rub off on you. From language quirks to lifestyle shifts, expats unconsciously adopt several habits from the people they cross paths with day in and day out, be it at a grocery store or their workplace.<\/p>\n

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Whether they are living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, or anywhere else in the UAE, here are some common habits expats pick up from locals\u00a0 \u2014 many of which stay with them even after they leave.<\/p>\n

8. Using \u201cYallah Habibi\u201d before even breathing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the most noticeable changes among expats is the casual use of Arabic expressions in daily conversation. These phrases aren\u2019t just linguistic flair\u2014they reflect a cultural awareness and respect that\u2019s appreciated by locals.<\/p>\n

From screaming \u201cYallla Habibi\u201d when asking a friend to hurry up to go grab lunch, to ending the taxi ride with \u201cShukran\u201d to greeting a cashier at the local grocery store with \u201cMarhaba\u201d, the list is truly endless! And the best part is these phrases come naturally to you and become a part of your everyday lingo without you even noticing it.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Lauren Pandit | Abu Dhabi Expat Mum (@thepandits_inabudhabi)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n