The national language in Qatar is Arabic, and it is also the country’s local dialect. Don’t worry just yet if you are totally not familiar with Arabic. Although the country’s English speaking skill is ranked 71st among 100 other countries in its region, with an English Proficiency Index of 459, you’ll be surprised that English is actually considered the country’s second language. English was also introduced and accepted in schools in the past years and is now widely used across the country.

Language Skills
While English is widely used by most Qataris in the workforce, and expats make up 85% of the country’s population, it is still best to familiarize yourself with basic Arabic. This is to express your interest in the culture of the country, which may help you break social barriers among your local peers. Also, who wouldn’t want to know what is being talked about around you, right? So take time to check out free Arabic lessons before you depart for Qatar, from online resources line Duolingo and Lingo.

One of the basic steps in engaging with your local counterparts is through greetings. It is best that you learn how to greet in Arabic, not just to impress business colleagues but also to easily start a friendly conversation. To say Hi, you can say “Marhaban!” This perhaps is the most commonly used Arabic greeting, but a more cultural way of saying it would be “Al-salāmu ‘alaykum,” which means peace be with you. It is also recommended that after greeting your counterpart, you may ask them ‘how are you’ or you may also say ‘Kayla hāluka?’ When you’re about to depart, you may just say ‘wadā’an’ which means ‘goodbye.’ There are more greetings you may want to explore when you get some Arabic lessons, but just so you know how to pronounce the greetings discussed previously, you may check this link.

Body Language
Since Qatar is a Muslim country, it is safe to assume that locals are very conservative in nature. For example, when greeting a local as an expat, a handshake is normal except for meeting a Muslim woman, wherein you should wait for her to extend her hand first; but this rarely happens for female Qataris. You may be surprised that male Qataris kiss each other on the cheek, nose, or forehead. This is a sign of respect amongst them, however, expats are not required to do the same.

You may also notice that male Qataris may embrace a woman, but this is not an acceptable public gesture for everyone. Females should never show public display of affection towards the opposite sex, may it be an embrace or a kiss. Always take note that females are expected to act in the most conservative way in public.

Other bodily gestures to avoid are showing the soles of your feet, doing a thumbs up, or using a finger to point at things. A thumbs up carries the same meaning as the middle finger in Qatar, so it is definitely to be avoided. Also, it is more polite to use an open palm whenever pointing at something.

During business meetings, avoid crossing your legs, or you might be seen as arrogant. Should you find yourself in agreement with what is being discussed, you may tilt your head to the side with a smile as a sign of saying ‘yes.’ Finally you may place your right hand on your chest as a warm gesture in greeting someone.

Topics for Discussion
Locals in Qatar are good communicators and they would appreciate a good chat before you start them with the agenda of your meeting. To get along well with your local counterparts, it is important that you know what topics are acceptable to them and what should be avoided.

Start with a light and acceptable topic with your local peers by opening subjects about sports that are popular in their country, such as football. Make sure you are aware of the country’s national team and the current leagues they are in. Football is the center of the country’s sports events and any local would enjoy a good conversation about their national players and ongoing standing in competitions.

Another topic that is accepted in Qatar is the discussion about family. Although asking intrusive questions about a local’s family should be avoided, they would enjoy hearing someone talk about family background and country of residence. You may start by telling how many siblings you have, general cultural family traditions, and alike.

An important thing to note when talking to locals is that they are very conservative. Like many countries, the topics about their religion, sex, or country politics should not be brought up. In fact, criticizing an emir and their Prophet Mohammed is considered an offensive crime. When talking about family, never ask about the female family members of the locals, and do not express admiration over a Qatari’s wealth and material possessions.