It is said to be not mutually intelligible with Tigre and, according to Simeone-Senelle, is sufficiently different to be considered a separate language.

[5] Dahalik is spoken on the Dahlak Archipelago, an island group belonging to Eritrea in the Red Sea.

Most Dahalik men have regular contact with Arabic, Tigre, and Afar, and any mixed marriages usually result in the children learning two mother tongues.

Dahalik speakers also consider their language to be a mix of Arabic, Tigre, and a small amount of Tigrinya.

However, Dahalik speakers do have positive attitudes towards the language and see it as an essential part of their cultural identity.