Arabic is the official language of Tunisia and one of the languages of commerce, the other being French — a relic of Tunisia's former status as a French protectorate until 1956. The dialect of Arabic spoken in Tunisia is called Tunsi, similar to that in neighboring Algeria and Morocco (North African Arabic), which is nearly incomprehensible to speakers of the Gulf dialect. Don't be surprised if you don't understand locals even if you are competent in classical Arabic. However, all Tunisians learn standard Arabic in school, so nearly anyone will be able to communicate in standard Arabic if needed. Almost all locals are bilingual in Arabic and French, with the exception of some elderly people (60+) who may only speak Arabic, particularly elderly women in more rural or poorer areas. French is the primary language of higher education and is commonly used in administration, commerce, and the media. English is becoming more widespread, but still of limited use except around some tourist areas and expensive hotels. The Tunisian variety of Arabic contains a substantial number of French loanwords, so if you speak French but not Arabic you may be able to follow the general meaning of a conversation, although not any specifics.