Basic words in Arabic
308 words in Arabic on the topic “basic words”: نعم — yes, لا — no, جيد — fine, سيئ — bad, ممتاز — excellent.
308 words on the topic
- نعمнаамyesShort and firm. In conversation an Arab often answers not with yes but by repeating the verb: "do you like it?" — "I like it"
- لاляnoThe same word negates the present tense: laa aʿrif — I do not know. The past is negated by ma — two particles for two tenses
- جيدджейидfineThe standard answer in full: ana bikhayr, shukran — I am well, thank you — or a short jayyid. From the root "to be good"
- سيئсаййиʾbadThe doubled y is held long and the word is cut off by a hamza at the end: say-yi-ʾ. The partner of jayyid, and just as common in an answer
- ممتازмумтазexcellentFrom the root "to outdo". A stronger answer to how are you than jayyid: it means it cannot be better
- يمكنюмкинit is possibleAn impersonal "it is possible": it has no subject at all. "Can I pay by card?" is built on exactly this word
- وваandIt is written attached to the next word: wa sticks like a prefix. Khubz wa jibna — bread and cheese
- لكنлякинbutIt opens the second half of the sentence. With a long a on the end — laakinna — it sounds stronger, with a press
- كيلوغرامкилограамkilogramAt the market they say it short — kilo. Half is nisf kilo, and the weigher measures exactly so, with no grams involved
- نصفнисфhalf"Half an hour" is nisf as-saaʿa, and an Arab divides time into halves more readily than quarters. A short word, but the s here is soft, interdental
- لا أريدля уридI do not need itLiterally "I do not want": urid you know from the cafe. The polite refusal at the market and in the shop; softer — start with shukran
- واحد آخرвахид аахарone moreLiterally "one other": aakhar is both "another" and "more". Before the noun they say aakhar waahid — the order changes, the sense does not
- يكفيйакфииenoughLiterally "it suffices" — a form of the verb "to suffice". Yakfii, shukran is the politest full stop of a market conversation
- في المجموعфи ль-маджмууʿin totalLiterally "in the sum": the cashier names the total exactly so. Majmuuʿ itself is "the sum", with the ayn on the end
- الطابورтаабурqueueThe t is emphatic. The queue stands at the bakery and at the bank, and the same word means a battle line — Arabs know how to stand in a queue
- مقاسмикаасsizeFrom the verb "to measure". About clothes and shoes they say miqaas, not "number": "what is the size?" is maa al-miqaas?
- أكثرаксарmoreBoth "more" and "greater": aghlaa (more expensive) and arkhas (cheaper) are made on the same frame — the Arabic comparative pattern
- أقلакалльlessThe emphatic q and the doubling on the end: aqall. The partner of akthar, and "at least" is built on it too
- ثقيلсакиильheavyThe interdental s and a long ii. About a suitcase and about a hard day alike: yawm thaqiil — a heavy day — with the same word
- خفيفхафиифlight (not heavy)The same word about light food and a light wind. The partner of thaqiil, and the stress holds on the long ii in the middle
- جديدджадидnewAbout a thing and about fresh news alike: khabar jadiid — a new piece of news. The feminine is jadiida
- قديمкадимoldThe partner of jadiid. Both old and ancient: they say it of a grandmother’s chair and of the walls of Damascus. The feminine is qadiima
- مكسورмаксуурbrokenThe participle "broken" — from the verb "to break", which you will meet two lessons on. About a person’s heart they say it with the same word
- إنسانинсаанhumanA human in general, any of the people. The plural is unaas: "people" and "folk" are one word for every case
- رأىраʾааto seeThe long aa on the end is the trace of a hamza: ra-ʾaa — he saw. "I see" is araa, and the word is short: two syllables
- سمعсамиʿаto hearThe same word means "to obey": "hear" and "heed" are not split. "I hear" is asmaʿ, and the ayn at the end of the verb stretches
- نامнаамto sleepLooks like naam (yes) — the difference is one long a: naa-ma sleeps, naam agrees. "I sleep" is anaamu
- حملхамалаto carryBoth "to carry" and "to take on responsibility": hamala masʾuuliyya — he took it upon himself. A short two-syllable word living in hundreds of derivatives
- وضعвадаʿаto putThe d is emphatic (ض) — "with a full mouth". "I put" is adaʿ, and the same word means "to suppose" — the English "I suppose" is built the same way
- كسرкасараto breakThe same root as maksuur — broken: the participle and the verb of one nest. Equipment that "went out of order" gets another verb
- بنىбанааto buildThe long aa is the trace of a weak root: banaa, yabnii — builds. From here mabna — a building — and binaaʾ — a structure
- كثيرкасиирmuchAfter it the noun stands in the singular with min: kathiir min an-naas — many people. Its partner qaliil means little
- قليلкалиилlittleThe partner of kathiir. "A little" is also it: shukran, qaliil — thank you, a little. The adverbial form qaliilan means "rarely, a bit at a time"
- كل شيء جيدкуль шайʾ джейидeverything is fineLiterally "every thing is good": kull — each, shayʾ — a thing. It calms about matters and about health alike
- ناعمнааʿимsoftFrom naʿiima — to bliss out: the soft is what feels good. A pillow, a carpet and bread from the oven are all naaʿim in their time
- صلبсульбhard (firm)The same word about character: "a hard man". The partner of naaʿim, and the verb "to harden" comes from it — that is how bread goes stale
- مبللмубаллальwetLiterally "moistened": from the verb "to wet". A pavement wet after rain and a wet towel are one word
- جافджафdryThe partner of muballal, and jaaf is also "harsh": they say it of words too. The desert is the land of dryness, and this root lives all through it
- رفيعрафииʿthinThe ayn at the end of the adjective stretches: rafiiʿa. Both "thin" and "fine, refined": a fine taste is a compliment that costs much
- عميقʿамиикdeepThe ayn at the start of the word — that squeezed throat. About water, about night, about a thought: the deep of night is al-layl ʿamiiq
- مستديرмустадиирroundFrom dawr — a circle: what has turned and become round. A round window, a round table, a round flatbread — it is everywhere
- إلى أين؟иля айна؟where to?Literally "to where": Arabic keeps ayna (where) and ila ayna (where to) strictly apart. The answer begins with ila
- في كل مكانфи куль макаанeverywhereLiterally "in every place": kull — each, makaan — a place. They say it of dust during renovation and of coffeehouses in the old city alike
- في أي مكانфи аййи макаанnowhereLiterally "in any place whatsoever": the Arabic "nowhere" holds on a double negation — laa plus fi ayyi makaan. The laa does the negating and the phrase follows it
- كل شيء تمامкуль шайʾ тамаамall is wellTamaam is "complete, in order": the same word in arithmetic means "exactly right". To "how are you?" it answers, and so does the familiar jayyid
- أحد عشرахад ʿашарelevenLiterally "one-ten": Arabic numbers from eleven to nineteen are pairs of words. The clock uses them too: at eleven o’clock is fi as-saaʿa ahad ʿashar
- اثنا عشرиснаа ʿашарtwelveLiterally "two-ten", and the "two" stands in a special case form: ithnaa. The dual does not hook onto numbers past ten — it lives only with pairs
- ثلاثة عشرсаляса ʿашарthirteenLiterally "three-ten". The numbers from thirteen to nineteen are built alike, and in speech both halves hold on to the same noun
- أربعة عشرарбаʿа ʿашарfourteenLiterally "four-ten": the same arbaʿa with the ayn in the middle. The longest of the -teen row: three syllables in the first half
- خمسة عشرхамса ʿашарfifteenLiterally "five-ten". Up to twenty the count runs in pairs, and each pair writes itself as two words — no one-word fusions here
- ستة عشرситта ʿашарsixteenLiterally "six-ten". The doubled tt in sitta is the same as in plain "six": the number family keeps together and sounds alike
- سبعة عشرсабʿа ʿашарseventeenLiterally "seven-ten". The ayn in sabʿa is that same squeezed throat: the numbers to ten already taught it to you, and here it is again
- ثمانية عشرсамаания ʿашарeighteenLiterally "eight-ten": long, but each half is known. At eighteen you get a driving licence and the vote in most Arab countries
- تسعة عشرтисʿа ʿашарnineteenLiterally "nine-ten" — the last pair before twenty. Then the system changes: the tens are built otherwise, and twenty is no longer a pair of words
- عشرونʿишруунtwentyNot a pair like eleven to nineteen but one word with -uun on the end. Twenty-five is khamsa wa-ʿishruun — "five and twenty": the smaller number comes after the bigger
- ثلاثونсалясуунthirtyThe tens end in -uun: the "three" is recognizable inside, but the form is its own. Thirty-three is thalaatha wa-thalaathuun — the smaller number after the bigger again
- أربعونарбаʿуунfortyThe same ayn in the middle as in "four": the ten keeps the root of its number. Fourteen and forty sound like one family
- خمسونхамсуунfiftyThe kh from the throat and -uun on the end: the same frame as every ten. In speech the final n sometimes gets eaten and you hear khamsuu
- ستونситтуунsixtyFrom sitta, six, with the doubling on the t. Spelling and sound agree here: the -uun on the end is always audible
- سبعونсабʿуунseventyThe ayn in the middle again: sab-ʿ-uun. The seventies as a decade is sabʿiniyyaat — a ten can become the name of an era
- ثمانونсамаануунeightyFrom thamaaniya, eight, interdental s on the spot: tongue between the teeth. The ten is one syllable longer than its number and loses nothing
- تسعونтисʿуунninetyFrom tisʿa, nine. The frame is the most even of all the tens: the root of the number plus -uun, and done
- مئةмиʾаhundredThe hamza in the middle is a break: mi-ʾ-a. After a hundred the noun stands in the singular: miʾa yuro — a hundred euros, no plural ending
- ألفальфthousandThe word you know from the name of the first letter — alif: written alike. A thousand euros is alf yuro, and the number, as always, comes before the money
- مليونмильуунmillionAn international word in an Arabic coat: milyuun. After it, as after a hundred and a thousand, the noun stays singular — the Arabic count saves on endings
- صفرсифрzeroThe world’s "cipher" and "zero" both grew from this word: the nought is an Arabic invention that gave its name to all the digits. A nil score and a phone number both use sifr
- الأولаль-аввальfirstThe doubled ll stretches: al-awwal. The feminine is uulaa — the first page, the first week; the ordinal agrees like an adjective
- الثانيас-сааниsecond (ordinal)From ithnaan, two: the same base as the name of Monday. After an ordinal the noun keeps the article: al-yawm ath-thaanii — the second day
- الثالثас-саалисthirdFrom thalaatha, three, with -is on the end. "The third floor" is at-taabiq ath-thaalith: the ordinal follows the noun and takes the article
- الأخيرаль-ахиирlastFrom akhir — an end: the last one is "the most ended". "In the end" is built on it too: fi al-akhir — in the end, the word a conclusion opens with
- كمкамhow muchIt opens the question and needs no plural ending: kam yuro? — how many euros. The familiar bi-kam and kam al-hisaab were its work; now the word stands alone
- زوجзавджpairOne word for a "pair" and a "spouse": husband is zawj, wife zawja — and they are also just "a pair". The dual is close by: two things not paired take the -aan form
- وحدةвахдаpiece (unit)From waahid — one: a piece is the "unit" of counting. In the shop they count wahda after wahda, and on the receipt it is heard more often than "piece"
- في المئةфи аль-миʾаpercentLiterally "of a hundred": a percent is a share of miʾa — the hundred you know from the numbers lesson. Market discounts are measured with it: ʿashara fi al-miʾa — ten percent
- كلкульeachIt stands before the noun with no article and pulls the singular: kul yawm — every day. The same word means "all" and "the whole": kull is the full sweep
- مَنманwhoA short word that calls for a person: man — who. It is written with the same letter as the preposition min — from; context and the vowel marks keep them apart
- لماذاлимаазаwhyLiterally "for what": the same maa as in ma ismuk, in the role of "that". The answer opens with li-anna — because: the why-and-because pair holds tight
- من أجل ماذاмин аджали маазаwhat forLiterally "for the sake of what": Arabic tells a cause (limaadha) from a purpose (min ajali maadha). The answer is built with the same min ajali: for the sake of this
- أيаййwhichIt agrees with what is asked about: ayy yawm — which day, ayyi saaʿa — at what time, literally "which hour". You have seen it already in fi ayyi saaʿa
- لمنлиманwhoseLiterally "to whom": possession is asked through the dative — liman haadhaa? — word for word "to whom is this?". The answer keeps the shape: lii — mine, laka — yours
- لا أحدля ахадnobodyLiterally "there is no anyone": the negation laa plus ahad — anyone. The laa does all the negating, and ahad does not change under it
- شيء ماшайʾ мааsomethingLiterally "a thing of some kind": shayʾ is a thing, maa is the same maa from the questions, now playing "-thing". Somebody — ahad maa — is built on the same scheme
- كلاهماкиляахумааbothLiterally "both of them two": kilaa is both, and -humaa is "they two", the dual form you know from humaa. Said of two without any counting: the word knows by itself that there are two
- لا أعرفля аʿрифI do not knowYou have heard it in the hint to laa: laa aʿrif — I do not know. The verb ʿarifa knows facts and people alike — one kind of knowing — and laa aʿrif is politer than a long explanation
- أشياءашьяаʾthingsThe plural of shayʾ — the very "thing" from "everything is fine". A broken form: the root is the same, the look is different — Arabic plurals are built like this
- المخاطرةаль-мухаатараriskFrom the verb "he risked": the risk is the very action frozen in a word. The same root in khatar — the danger you know
- خطة بديلةхутта бадиляa backup planLiterally "a substituting plan": badiil is what takes the place. From the same root comes tabdiil, a replacement — a backup plan is the first candidate to step in
- مصيبةмусиибаa misfortuneA weighty word: trouble, a stroke of bad luck, said with the intonation of "what can you do". A small hiccup an Arab would rather call masʾala, a little question — musiiba is kept for the real thing
- سببсабабa causeYou have already read bisabab, "because of": now the root stands alone. Sabab is a cause, a reason and a means at once — one word holds the whole path "from what — by means of what"
- نتيجةнатииджаa resultFrom the root "to follow": a result for Arabic is what followed the deed. The same logic in the exam result and in the outcome of the talks
- لذلكлизааликthereforeLiterally "for that": li, the familiar "for", plus dhaalik, "that". It stands at the head of the second half after the comma, and it translates exactly as "therefore"
- لأنли-аннаbecauseLiterally "because of the fact that": the preposition li has glued itself to anna, "that". No comma is needed before it — Arabic does not put one — and the tense of the verb does not shift
- بسبب ذلكби-сабаб зааликbecause of thatLiterally "by the cause of that": the familiar bisabab reaches after the demonstrative dhaalik. Colder than "therefore": it points at the culprit, not merely links the thoughts
- يتوقف علىйятааваккаку аляto depend onLiterally "stops upon": to depend for Arabic is to stand leaning on something. From the same root as the "stop" — and the preposition ʿala is obligatory; without it there is no phrase
- يوضح السببйюваадих ас-сабабto explain the causeLiterally "clarifies the cause": waadih is "clear", and an explanation for Arabic is a clearing up, not a story. The same root is in the boulevard — a wide street and a clear thought are equally "spread out in view"
- غايةгааяa goalThe cherished goal, the final point of striving — not the same as the form's gharad: there a purpose-reason, here a purpose-meaning. Ghaaya also lives in bi-ghaayat, "to the utmost", an intensifier of speech
- معنىмаʿнааmeaningLiterally "the going-along meaning": what walks beside the word. The question is asked honestly: maa maʿnaa haadhihi al-kalima? — what is the meaning of this word — the learner's first question
- استنتاجистинтиджяаджa conclusionLiterally "a drawing out": a conclusion for Arabic is what was pulled from the facts like water from a well. The same istin- pattern as in the interrogation — out of a person, too, one draws
- إمكانيةимкяанийяa possibilityFrom mumkin, "possible": a possibility for Arabic is an "it-might-be", a noun from the familiar word. Do not confuse it with a chance occurrence: an imkaaniyya is an option lying before you
- من الممكنмин аль-мумкинpossiblyLiterally "of the possible": the parenthetical stands first and continues through anna, "that". Arabic puts no comma after it, and the verb stays in the present
- مستحيلмустахиильimpossibleA participle of the verb "to become impossible": for Arabic the impossible is what has already been excluded. In speech it also sounds as an exclamation: mustahii! — no way!
- ضرورةдаруураa necessityFrom the root of "need": a necessity for Arabic is what the matter limps without. The turn laa daruura, "there is no need", is a ready polite refusal — memorise it whole
- إلزاميильзаамийmandatoryFrom the root "to bind": the obligatory for Arabic is what you are tied by — like English "bound to". Registration marked ilzaam is one they will not accept you without; it is not about mood
- سأضطر إلىса-адтарру иляI will have toLiterally "I will be forced to": Arabic has no separate "have to"; it takes the verb of compulsion with the future sa-. After it comes the preposition ila and a noun: one has to "to the work", not "work"
- مسموحмасмуухpermittedA participle of "to permit": permitted for Arabic is "the allowed", standing without a subject, like a sign. The opposite is mamnuuʿ — and this pair lives on every placard
- ممنوعмамнуульforbiddenA word from the placards: you have already read mamnuuʿ in the no-overtaking sign. It agrees with what is forbidden, and to a person one says it softer: laa yumkin, "not possible"
- خيارхийярa choiceThe same word as the cucumber: an Arab once chose the best from the garden bed, and the root kh-y-r means "the best". The context splits the senses, and the history stays inside the word
- بديلбадиильan alternativeLiterally "substituting": an alternative for Arabic is what takes the place. The same root in currency exchange — and in "the opposite one": both are about replacement
- شكшаккdoubtA two-letter skeleton with a long a: a short word that rules a whole phrase. The turn laa shakka, "without doubt", is a firm yes — that is how one answers when sure
- يشكйяшуккto doubtThe same root as shakk: an Arab doubts "in" someone — the preposition fi is obligatory. There is a second government, too — anna with a clause, "I doubt that..." — and it is the livelier one
- متأكدмутааккидsureA participle of "to make firm": the sure one for Arabic is "strengthened". The government is the same as doubt's — min: sure "of" the news, and laa before the verb denies the certainty
- من المستبعدмин аль-мустабаадunlikelyLiterally "of the excluded": what has already been crossed off the list of the probable. It sounds reserved and polite — that is how one refuses without saying "no"
- على الأرجحаля ль-арджахprobablyLiterally "on the most likely": arjah is the superlative of "to prefer". It stands first and asks for no comma — Arabic does without spare marks
- بالتأكيدби-т-таʾкиидdefinitelyLiterally "with assertion": the same root of truth as in haqiiqa. Note the transcription: bi-t-taʾkiid — the preposition bi has merged with the sun letter, and there is a hamza in the middle
- يبدو ليйябдуу лиit seems to meLiterally "seems to me": to whom it seems is the dative lii, and it is obligatory. The continuation always goes through anna, "that" — and the short yabduu can stand anywhere, even at the end
- في الواقعфи ль-вааʾиʿin factLiterally "in the actuality": from the same root "to happen" as waaqiʿa, an incident. It introduces a correction to what was said and takes no comma after itself
- أفترضафтаридto assumeThe d is heavy, emphatic: "aftarid"
- لست متأكداласту мутааккиданI am not sureA ready polite formula of disagreement: an Arab rarely says "no", he says lastu mutaakkidan — "I am not sure". A woman says lastu mutaakkida, and anna after it softens the dispute
- خبرةхибраexperienceA relative of khabar, the news item: experience for Arabic is the report life handed you. Khibrat al-ʿamal, work experience, you have already put into the CV — here the word stands alone
- حالةхааляa caseOne word for "case", "state" and "situation": only the context tells them apart. The turn fi haadhihi al-haala, "in this case", is a ready formula for any reasoning
- مثالмасаальan exampleFrom the root "to be like": an example for Arabic is what one compares with. Do not confuse it with an incident: a case-story and an example-pattern are different words in Arabic
- مثلاмасалянfor exampleThe same masaal in an adverbial turn: "being an example". It stands in the middle of the phrase and is not set off by commas — Arabic puts a comma only where nothing is clear without it
- فرقфаркa differenceFrom the verb "to divide": a difference for Arabic is what divides. The same root in "a detachment": divided people and the difference between them are one family of words
- مقارنةмукяарнаa comparisonA noun from the familiar verb "compares": a comparison for Arabic is a "bringing to one another". The turn "in comparison with" is a ready formula for prices
- يختلف عنйяхталифу ʿанto differThe verb "to be different" with the preposition ʿan, "from": the government is obligatory. You have met yahtalif in a dispute — there people diverge, here things do; the root is one
- مشابهмушаабихsimilarA participle of "to make like": the similar for Arabic is "made alike". The government goes through li, "to" — the preposition is obligatory
- تشابهташаабухa resemblanceA noun from the same root as "similar": a resemblance for Arabic is a mutual alikeness — both sides "made like" each other. You need the word right now: two languages are full of deceptive resemblances
- تغييرтагиирa changeA noun from the familiar yughayyir, "changes": a change for Arabic is a thing's "translation" into a new state — the same root as translation. The noun of action is easier than the verb: taghyiir fi... — a change in something
- أولاавваланfirstlyFrom "the first": an adverb with -an at the end — the adverb pattern you will meet again in "secondly" and "always". It stands as the first word and takes no comma after itself
- ثانياсааниянsecondlyThe pair to "firstly": the same adverb from "the second". The row continues without limit — "thirdly" next — and the whole queue rests on one pattern; learn the pattern
- قبل كل شيءкябля куль шайʾabove allLiterally "before every thing": the familiar qabla, kull and shayʾ gathered into one formula. It points at importance, not at sequence — "first" in time is a separate word
- بالإضافة إلى ذلكбиль-идаафа иля зааликin additionLiterally "with the adding to that": the familiar idaafa, belonging, here works as "an addition". A long turn, but it reads in three familiar pieces
- بالمناسبةбиль-мунаасябаby the wayLiterally "on the occasion": munaasaba is an occasion, and "by the way" for Arabic is "on the occasion that has come up". It stands first, with a comma, and opens any new topic
- بشكل عامби-шакль ʿааммin generalLiterally "with the general image": shakl is a form, an outline, and "in general" for Arabic is "with the general form". It sums up the particulars, like "on the whole"
- باختصارби-ихтисаарin shortLiterally "with a shortening": from the verb "to shorten". It draws the line under a long story and often sounds before one short conclusion — like the casual "in short"
- بكلمات أخرىби-калимаат ухрааin other wordsLiterally "with other words": kalimaat is "words", ukhraa is "other". It rewrites the thought more simply, and Arabic puts no comma after it
- الأهمаль-ахаммthe main thingThe superlative of the familiar "important": for Arabic the main thing is "the most important". It lives in the turn al-ahamm huwa... — "the main thing is..." — and drags a clause behind it
- في النهايةфи ан-нихяаяin the endThe familiar nihaaya, an end, under the preposition fi. It closes the reasoning with a final argument, not merely the order of events: "in the end, it all worked out"
- رغم أنрагма аннаalthoughLiterally "despite that": Arabic has no "although" conjunction — a preposition of concession plus anna. Arabic puts a comma neither before nor after; it is all in the intonation
- بالمقابلбиль-мукяабилin returnLiterally "in exchange": muqaabil is "facing", the same root as the interview — the face-to-face meeting. It stands in the second half and turns a minus into a plus
- بالعكسбиль-ʿаксon the contraryLiterally "with the reverse": ʿaks is the reverse side. The short laa, bil-ʿaks — "no, on the contrary" — is a ready answer, and after it comes either silence or the whole story from the start
- على الرغم منаля ар-рагм минdespiteLiterally "on the despite from": three prepositions in one turn, but it sounds like one word. It will not take a whole clause with a verb — for that there is raghama anna from this same lesson
- غير أنгайр аннаhoweverLiterally "other than what": ghayr is "other, different". The bookish "but": in speech one says laakin, and ghayr anna is kept for letters and newspaper disputes about the weather
- من جهةмин джихаon the one handLiterally "from a side": jiha is both flank and side, a root of "turning". The formula almost always calls for its pair, "on the other hand" — without it the reasoning hangs
- من جهة أخرىмин джиха ухрааon the other handThe pair to "on the one hand": the same side, only "other". The first word of the reasoning's second half — and the scales of opinion in Arabic always have two pans
- مع ذلكмаа зааликneverthelessLiterally "with that": the preposition maʿa, "with", has glued itself to the demonstrative dhaalik. It says the conclusion was not withdrawn: all the "althoughs" have sounded, and the decision stands
- بدلا من ذلكбядялян мин зааликinsteadLiterally "in exchange of that": badalan is the adverb of the same root as badiil, an alternative. It changes not the opinion but the deed: we will not go — instead we will read
- لا يهمля йяхиммit does not matterLiterally "it does not concern": an impersonal phrase without a subject, and the one who does not care hides in the ending: laa yuhimmni — "it does not matter to me". A short polite way to close the topic
- بالصدفةбис-сыдфаby chanceLiterally "with the chance": sadfa is what fell by itself. The preposition bi has merged with the sun letter — in the transcription you hear bis-sadfa, not bi-l-
- عمداʿамаданon purposeFrom ʿamd, "intent": on purpose for Arabic is "with intent", and it sounds with a reproach. "Especially for you" is a different thing — there one says haasran, "exclusively"
- فشلфашальfailureNo ta marbuta; the word is short and dull-sounding: fashal. Failure here is not a catastrophe but a result: faashil, "failed", stands beside it, and it is part of learning
- خطوة بخطوةхатва би-хатваstep by stepKhatwa, "a step", shares its root with khatt, "a line": a step and a line are both about a trace. The phrase is built as everywhere: step by step, only with the preposition bi, "with"
- ترتيب الخطواتтартииб аль-хатваатthe order of stepsLiterally "the arrangement of steps": tartiib comes from rattaba, "to arrange in order". There is no "actions" here: Arabic orders steps
- بالتفصيلбит-тафсиильin detailTafsiil is "a taking apart": in detail is "by parts". A synonym from before: fasl, a chapter in a book — the same root
- بكلماتي الخاصةби-калимаати аль-хассаin your own wordsLiterally "with my words, special ones": khaassa is "one's own". The note about other people's words had the same build — this one speaks of the speaker
- ببساطةби-басаатаsimply putBasaata is "simplicity": simply put is "with simplicity". The word before an important thought: Arabic, like anyone, first apologizes for the simplicity
- أعطني مثالاаʿтыни мисаалянgive an exampleAn example is not "cited" but "given": aʿtinii, "give me", was in the requests. Misaal, "example", is a relative of masalan, "for example": one word in different clothes
- أرني الطريقةарни ат-тариикаshow me howLiterally "show me the way": tariiqa, "a method", is from the recipe's tariiqat. There is no "how it is done" here: Arabic asks to show the way itself
- مفهوم؟мафхуум؟understood?A participle, "the understood": mafhuum? is literally "understood?". A one-word question, like "clear?" — and the answer is "clear": waadih
- الآن فهمتаль-аан фахамтуnow I understandAl-aan, "now", you had; fahamtu — understood — past about the instant. Arabic puts "now" first: time first, event second
- تشوّشتташавваштуI got confusedThe form ta-shaawash, from shawwash, "to mix up": the confused one is "mixed up". Where you say "I got lost", Arabic speaks of tangled threads — and that is more honest
- تذكّرтазаккараto rememberThe same root as memories: to remember is "to make it surface". The shadda in the middle lengthens: tadhak-kara, not tadhakara
- نسيнасийяto forgetA short verb: nasiya, "forgot", and that is all. The past is negated through maa: maa nasiitu — "did not forget". The word also lives in "it gets erased" — about things that fade
- نيةнийяan intentionFrom nawaa, "to intend": niyya is what is set up in the head. Whether by intention or by deed — Arabic tells: "by intention" and "by act"
- غيّر رأيهгаййяр раʾяхуto change one's mindLiterally "changed his opinion": raʾy, "opinion", is from "what do you think?". To change one's mind is not "to change a decision" but "to swap the opinion" — more honest about what happens
- كل شيء حسب الخطةкуль шай хасаб аль-хуттаeverything is going to planHasab means "according to": the preposition of order. Khutta, "a plan", is the singular of the "plans" a line above. The phrase calms the listener, like everywhere
- إن أمكنин амканаif possibleLiterally "if it became possible": amkana comes from mumkin, "possible". A soft connector for promises: I will come by, "if possible"
- ما قرّرت بعدма каррарту баадI have not decided yetMaa, "not", for the past, qarrartu, "decided", baʿd, "yet". The "not yet" of elsewhere Arabic assembles from three familiar pieces: "not decided yet"
- تغيّر كل شيءтагаййар куль шайeverything changedThe form ta-ghayyara — changed by itself: everything changes without anyone's hand. Against ghayyara, "changed", which has an agent. One verb, two roles
- إلى الأفضلиля аль-афдальfor the betterLiterally "to the better" — the preposition is "to", not "on": the direction is honest. The turn "it turned for the better" works with this same piece
- إلى الأسوأиля аль-асваʾfor the worseThe second half of the pair: aswaʾ, "worse", comes from suuʾ, "bad", familiar from "misunderstanding". The superlative of "bad" — and this is the worst
- ملكмалякаto belongLiterally "owns": Arabic expresses "to belong" through the one who owns — "the house is the possession of my brother". The king, malik, is the same root "owning" on a throne
- مستعارмустаʿаарborrowedLiterally "taken on loan": another person's pen is the one taken for a while — and Arabic says exactly that. The verb "to borrow" is of the same root
- مشتركмуштаракsharedA participle of sharika, "to take part": shared is "co-partaken" — and the partner of the last lesson is the same root. A joint account is hisaab mushtarak
- يدفعйадфуʿto pushThe same verb as "to pay" from the money lesson: yadfaʿ both pushes and pays. Where you "put in" money, Arabic "pushes" it forward — the logic is one
- يسحبйасхабto pullYou met it at the cash machine: yashab both pulls and withdraws money. The "withdraw" of cash is literally "to drag off" — built the same way
- يضربйадрибto hitA broad verb: to hit with a fist, strike a ball, pluck a string. The heavy d in the middle presses the tongue — the word sounds hard, like the act
- مترмитрa meterBuilt on the same Greek root as the European word, and heard at once. The number follows it: mitr waahid — "one meter"
- سنتيمترсантимитрa centimeterThe same Greek "centi-"; Arabic simply rewrote it in letters. On a clothes tag the length and width stand in exactly these "centimeters"
- كيلومترкилумитрa kilometerKilometers measure roads, not cloth: on the signs it is written "km". Speed is in them too — "kilometers per hour"
- لترлитрa literThe liter lives in the shop and the kitchen: oil and milk are measured with it. Two liters take the dual form — like "two days"
- غرامгираамa gramA deep g at the start, as in "tomorrow". Spices at the market are weighed in exactly these "grams" — by hundreds and thousands
- ثقلсикальweightLiterally "heaviness": wazn is taken by the phrases about losing and gaining weight. The verb "to be heavy", and "light" — khafiif — you know
- امتدادимтидаадlengthTuul is taken by a person's height; imtidaad is how far a thing stretches: the length of a road, of a bridge. From "to stretch"
- اتساعиттисааʿwidthʿArd is taken by the job offer; ittisaaʿ is how far a thing spreads to the sides. The adjective "wide", waasiʿ, you know
- ارتفاعиртифааʿheightThe verb "rose"; height is "how far it rose". A person's height is tuul — that word is taken
- عمقʿумкdepthDepth is "how deep": the adjective "deep". At the pool the depth is written in a number on the rim
- حواليхауаалиapproximatelyTaqriiban is taken by "about time"; hawaali is "about" a number. A relative of "to circle": about is around
- شبهшихalmostWorks like the prefix "semi-": it stands right before the word. "Almost quiet", "almost new" — the same build
- بالتمامби-т-тамаамin fullLiterally "with completeness": exactly, wholly, with nothing left over. "Precisely", bi-z-zabt, is yours — it is more about time and hitting the word
- في المعدلфи ль-муʿдальon averageMutawassit is taken by "of medium height"; muʿdal is the norm, the average level. "On average" here is "by the norm"
- ضِعفينдифʿайнtwice as muchLiterally "two folds": twice as much is difʿayn. Do not confuse with "weakness": here the i is long, and the sense is other
- عددʿададa numberRaqm is taken by the phone number; ʿadad is a count, a quantity, what one counts with. "The number of residents" is ʿadad as-sukkaan
- ربعрубʿa quarterA quarter is the fourth part: rubʿ saaʿa — "a quarter of an hour". The hour in Arabic is divided into quarters, as in "a quarter to"
- كيّلкаййаляto weighThe verb of "balance" is taken; kayyala is to measure and weigh at once. From kayl, "a measure": at the market rice is measured by the kayl
- زائدзааʾидextraExtra is over the need: "extra weight", "a spare room" — the same word. The addition to a sum is of the same root
- فارغфааригemptyEmpty is emptied: faragha — "to become free". An empty glass, a free evening — the same word
- تجنّبтаджаннабto avoidFrom janaba, "to be to the side": to avoid is "to keep to the side" of the harmful. Avoid smoke and fatty food — the body will remember
- معطىмуʿтаa factA fact is "what is given": already given, asking no dispute. You have met haqiiqa — "the truth"; muʿtaa is its piece in the table
- سؤالсуʾаальa question"Asks" is your verb; suʾaal is its noun. One question saves an hour of guessing
- مهمмухиммimportantImportant is muhimm: what the care cannot do without. "Very important" is heard at every meeting
- إيجابيийджябийpositivePositive is from "saying yes": an affirmative answer is a plus, not a minus
- سلبيсальбийnegativeNegative is from "taking away": a minus. The pair to "positive" — and a result can be negative
- بالنسبة إلىбин-нисба иляcompared toLiterally "in relation to": compared to is how one thing stands beside another. Cheaper compared to last year
- مماثلмуммаасильidenticalFrom "likeness": mumtaasil is exactly the same. Two identical doors — you cannot tell them apart
- ميزةмийзаan advantageAn advantage is miiza: from the "scales", yours. An advantage is the "outweighing" of one pan
- عيبʿайбa drawbackA drawback is ʿayb: what spoils the thing's face. Every deal has its advantage and its drawback — the scales swing between them
- عواقبʿаваагибconsequencesThe plural of "what follows": consequences are what "walk behind" the decision. One carries them a long time
- يراعيйюрааʿийto take into accountTo take into account is yuraaʿii: to keep in view, like a lantern. A good contract takes both sides into account
- غالباгаалибанmost likelyFrom ghalaba, "preponderance": most likely is "by the greater part". It stands at the head of the phrase
- بلا شكбиля шаккwithout doubtLiterally "without doubt": without doubt. "Doubts" is yours, and so is "doubt"
- احتمالихтимаальa probabilityA probability is ihtimaal: the possibility that one of two things happens. "The probability of rain" is ihtimaal al-matar
- تخمينтахминa guessA guess is takhmiin: a conjecture without a check. "By my guess" is bi-takhmiinii
- في الظاهرфи аз-захирapparentlyLiterally "in the visible": apparently — by what the eye has already seen. "The visible" is the opposite of the inner
- لا بد أنля будд аннit must be thatLiterally "there is no putting off, that": it must be that — one cannot do without it. "A delay" is budd; a sure conclusion does not come without it
- محالмахаальimpossible!"Impossible" is mahaal: the place where no road goes. The reply to incredible news — one word
- كحد أدنىка-хадд аль-аднаat leastLiterally "as the lowest boundary": at least. "A boundary", hadd, is yours from the minimum wage
- في كل الأحوالфи куль аль-ахваальin any caseAhwaal are "states, circumstances": in any case — at every turn they take. Call in any case
- للاحتياطлиль-ихтиятjust in caseLiterally "for the precaution": just in case. An umbrella in the bag in summer is "for the precaution"
- لوлоуif onlyIf about what never was: lau kunta — "if I were". The real "if", idaa, you met in the grammar
- بشرط أنби-шарт аннon condition thatLiterally "with the condition that": on condition that. "A condition", shart, is yours from the contract
- حتى لوхатта лоуeven ifEven if is a concession about the future: hatta lau with a past form, and the sense is about the future. Even if it rains — we go
- في هذه الحالةфи хазихи аль-хааляin that case"A case, a state", haala, is yours from "in this case". In that case — here is what now
- وإلاва-илляotherwise"And — otherwise": wa-illa — and if not, then... In the middle of a phrase it is a warning; at the start, a reservation
- حينهاхинахаthenThen — at that moment: hiinahaa stands after "if" and shows the consequence. "Then" as a conclusion is "in that case"
- لكيликейin order toIn order to — likay: the purpose follows. "He came to help" is jaaʾa likay yusaaʿid
- كأنкаʾаннas ifAs if is ka-ann: a comparison with what is not. The one who says "as if" knows everything — and knows little
- عوضا عنʿавадзан ʿанinstead ofLiterally "in exchange from": instead of. "An alternative", badiil, is yours; ʿiwad, "a replacement", is kin
- بشكل رئيسيби-шакль раʾисийmainlyLiterally "in the main shape": mainly. "A shape", shakl, is your word; raisiy is "chief", from the boss
- كقاعدةка-гааʿидаas a ruleLiterally "as a base": qaaʿida is "the foundation of a rule", the singular of "rules". As a rule, we answer fast
- معظمмуʿаззамmost"Most" is muʿazzam: the greater part. The remainder is "what remained" — that word you know
- استثناءистиснааʾan exceptionAn exception is istisnaaʾ: what was led out of the common row. Without exceptions there are no rules
- إلخильяхand so on"And so on" is ilakh, a shortening of "to the last". In lists it stands at the end, like a row of dots
- خلافا لـхыляфан лиunlikeLiterally "in a divergence from": unlike. "A disagreement", khilaaf, is your word from settling the dispute
- إلاилляexceptExcept is illa: everything except — set one aside. After a negation it works exactly as "except"
- ليس تماماляйса тамааманnot quiteNot quite is laysa tamaaman: neither yes nor no. "Is not" is a form other languages lack
- أكثر أو أقلактар ау агальmore or lessMore or less is made of ready parts: "more", "less", "or". About degree, not about number
- بصعوبةби-суʿубаwith difficultyLiterally "with the difficulty": with difficulty. "Hard" is yours; suʿuba is its noun
- يستحق التجربةйястаахигг ат-таджрибаit is worth tryingLiterally "deserves the trial": it is worth trying. "A duty" — and the trial is "deserved": so try
- كان يجبкян яджибshould have"Should have" is a reproach after the fact: kaana yajib — "it was due". One formula for everyone; it is not conjugated
- من الأفضل أنмин аль-афдаль аннit is bestLiterally "of the best, that": it is best. Polite advice: not "do it" but "of the best — that"
- أسوأ ما يمكنасваʾ ма йюмкинthe worstLiterally "the worst that can": the worst. "Worse" is from "bad", familiar to you
- في أقرب وقتфи аграб вактas soon as possibleLiterally "in the nearest time": as soon as possible. "Nearest" is yours from the nearest competitor
- عبثاʿабасанin vainIn vain is ʿabathan: an action with no yield, like children playing in the dust. Waited two hours — in vain
- يتغلب علىйятагалляб ʿаляto overcomeLiterally "turns over": to overcome is to lay the difficulty on the other side. "Preponderance" — the same as in "most likely"
- محاولةмухавалаan attemptAn attempt is muhaawala: from "tries", your verb. The first attempt rarely succeeds — and need not
- بمعنى آخرби-маʿнаа аахарthat isLiterally "with another meaning": that is. Say the same thought differently — and it falls into place
- تبيّن أنтабаяйана аннit turned out"It turned out" is tabayyana: became plain; "clarity" is bayyan. The hidden, after a check, comes out by itself
- نتيجة لذلكнатижа ли-зааликas a resultLiterally "in the wake of that": as a result. "The result" is yours; li-dhaalik is the arrow pointing back
- يؤدي إلىйюʾддии иляleads toLiterally "leads and delivers to": leads to. A road "leads" to the city — and so does a habit
- بفضلби-фадльthanks toLiterally "by the grace of": thanks to. "Grace" is fadl; thanks to the neighbors is bi-fadl al-jiiraan
- من المحاولة الأولىмин аль-мухаваль аль-ууляon the first tryLiterally "from the first attempt": on the first try. An exam passed on the first try is a rarity
- مئتانмиʾатаанtwo hundred"Hundred" itself stands in the dual here: miʾataan — one word, not two. The noun after a hundred does not change: miʾataan yuro is two hundred euros
- ثلاثمئةсалясумиʾаthree hundredLiterally "three-hundred": the familiar thalaatha loses its endings and glues onto miʾa into one word. Spoken without a pause, written the same way
- أربعمئةарбаʿумиʾаfour hundred"Four hundred" in one word, with the ayn audible in the middle — the same sign as in arbaʿa: arbaʿumiʾa
- خمسمئةхамсумиʾаfive hundredThe ending drops off: khamsumiʾa, no pause at the joint. The whole hundred lives in one word
- ستمئةситтумиʾаsix hundredFrom sitta, six, with the doubled t at the joint: sittumiʾa. You have heard the same doubling in sittuun — sixty
- سبعومئةсабʿумиʾаseven hundredFrom sabʿa, seven: the ayn in the middle does not go away — sabʿumiʾa. The throat pinches shut for a beat and lets go
- ثمانمئةсаманумиʾаeight hundredThe interdental s of thamaaniya stays in place: thamaanumiʾa. Tongue between the teeth — and eight hundred are ready
- تسعمئةтисʿумиʾаnine hundredTisʿumiʾa — nine hundred, the last hundred before the familiar alf, a thousand. Nine hundred ninety-nine, and the Arabic count is complete up to it
- الرابعар-раабиʿfourthFrom arbaʿa, four. The ordinal follows the thing and takes the article: at-taabiq ar-raabiʿ — exactly like the familiar "third floor"
- الخامسаль-хаамисfifthFrom khamsa, five, with a long aa: khaamis. Do not mix it up with al-khamiis, Thursday — that one is one vowel shorter
- السادسас-саадисsixthFrom sitta, six: saadis. No long vowels at all — the ordinal is shorter than its number
- السابعас-саабиʿseventhFrom sabʿa, seven: saabiʿ. The feminine adds an a on the end: saabiʿa — it agrees like an adjective
- الثامنас-сааминeighthThe interdental s at the start — the same as in thamaaniya. Thaamin, with no long vowels: a short word for the eighth place
- التاسعат-таасиʿninthFrom tisʿa, nine, but with a long aa: taasiʿ. This is the common pattern of the row’s tail: ʿaashira, the tenth, holds its vowel the same way
- العاشرаль-ʿааширtenthFrom ʿashara, ten: ʿaashir. The same root in "ten percent off" — ʿashara fi al-miʾa — heard in every market
- المئةаль-миʾаhundredthArabic built no separate word: it is the familiar miʾa with the article. After the tenth the row keeps assembling simply: al-khamsuun — the fiftieth
- أوауorOne "or" for every case: in a choice question and in a list. After a negation an Arab will more often say am — the same "or", but heard in an argument
- أيضاайзанtooIt stands right after the one who is "also". There is no short tag to hang on the end as a suffix — just put the word before the verb
- فقطфакатonlyIt stands before the one thing wanted: urid faqat shay — I want only tea. One word covers both "only" and "merely"
- بالفعلби-ль-фиʿльalreadyLiterally "in fact": already, really. It follows the one who acts — bil-fiil maftuuh is already open
- لا يزالля язаальstillLiterally "does not stop": still, going on. It comes after the subject like a verb: huwa la yazaal fi al-bayt — he is still at home
- أكثر من اللازمакхар мин аль-лязамtoo (excessively)Literally "more than required": too. The familiar jiddan is "very", with no judgement — this one carries "more than is good"
- معاмаʿанtogetherBuilt on the preposition maʿa — with. Two people, three, a crowd — the word is one: for "together" the number does not matter
- لا يجوزля яджуузnot allowedLiterally "it is not permitted": not allowed about rules and law. About impossibility an Arab says it differently — with the familiar yumkin
- يلزمйализимneed toAn impersonal "is needed": whoever needs it hides in a suffix. Close to the familiar yajib — "I must" — but yalzim is about the matter itself, not about a person’s duty
- حياةхайаатlifeThe same word names a person’s life and life in a city: hayaat fi al-madiina
- يريدйурийдto wantThe same verb as the familiar urid — I want — only in the dictionary form: yuriid — he wants
- يقدرйукадирto be ableTo be able as "to have it in one". The familiar yumkin — it is possible — and yastatiiʿ — to manage — are nearby; this verb is about the strength to cope, and ʿala follows it
- كلمةкалимаwordWhat a phrase is assembled from. A new word an Arab calls exactly that — kalima jadiida
- أمرамрmatterA matter as the thing one is busy with. Haadha amr lii — that is my business; the same word names an order too
- وسيلةвасииляmeans (a way)Close to the familiar tariiqa — a method — but wasiila is what one reaches the goal by: a means and a way at once
- من الصعبмин ас-саʿбhardLiterally "from difficulty": hard about a task. About movement they say bi-suʿuuba — with difficulty; about a task — this way
- كيкайso thatYou have met the long form likay — in order that; kay is its short sister. The meaning is one, the syllable fewer
- إذاидааifThe condition after idaa stands in the past even when the future is meant — yet the sentence reads exactly like "if you go to the market, buy bread". No "would" is needed
- طالماтаальмааas long asYou know baynamaa — while; taalmaa is "for as long as", from taala — to last. As long as the water stays clean, drink
- بما أنби-маа аннsince (given that)Literally "with the fact that": since, given that — the matter is already underway, so carry it through. What follows is the conclusion: a request or advice
- فقط لكيфакат ликейjust toYou have "only" — faqat — and "so that" — likay: put them together and you get "just to". He does it not because he wants to but only in order to
- وبالتاليва-би-т-таалиsoYou have lizaalik — therefore; wa-bi-t-taali is "and along the track of that": so. The conclusion after a long sentence
- بينбайнbetweenTwo things at the sides, joined by "and" — wa. Between the house and the garden is bayn and both of them
- نحوнахвaround (approximately)You have met hawaali — approximately; nahw is the same "about" for time and number. The word itself also means "toward"
- بدلا منбадалан минinstead ofFrom the familiar badiil — an alternative: instead of is "in exchange of". Swapping coffee for tea? This is the word
- ضدдиддagainstBoth against and opposite: against an idea, against an opinion. Two people face to face is the same dispute
- بدونбидуунwithoutYou have already built "without an appointment" — biduun mawʿid; here the word stands on its own. The thing follows right after, no extra words
- من أجلмин аджльforAjal — a term, a deadline — you have met; min ajl puts the same word to other work: for the sake of. Food for the children is "food for the sake of the children"
- عنʿанaboutOne ʿan covers both "about" and "on the subject of" — Arabic does not split them. After it the thing takes the article: about the book, about the city
- بعدбаʿдafterThe baʿd you have seen inside "after work" — finally its own card. For time after something: the thing follows right away, with no preposition
- أثناءаснааʾduringLiterally "inside the time of": during the meal, during the flight. Your pharmacy word saydaliyya plugs straight in after it
- بسببби-сабабbecause ofSabab — the cause — you know; because of is "by cause of". Rain, a traffic jam, tiredness — all of it follows bi-sabab
- حولхауляaroundThey sit around the fire, walk around the house. You can hear it inside hawaali — approximately: the same word at the root
- خلالхилаальin (after a while)The same dual as in "two steps" — khatawatayn — appears in "within two days". Khilaal is also the crescent of the moon: a bend of time
- من الداخلмин ад-даахильfrom insideThe partner of "inside" — fi ad-daakhil: swap fi for min and you look from within. A car clean from the inside is said exactly so
- بالقرب منби-ль-карб минnearbyClose is qariib — you know it; "in the nearness of" is bil-qurb. After it comes "from what": min al-funduq
- مشكلةмушкиляproblemYou have met la mushkilah — "no problem", literally "there is no problem" — here is the noun itself. The word sounds bigger than a snag, but an Arab says it about small things too
- جداджидданveryThe word you have been assembling in examples since the first lessons — now a card of its own: jiddan boosts a quality — lathiidh jiddan, very tasty. It follows the adjective
- مساعدةмусааʿадаhelpA noun from the verb saaʿada — to help — which you have met: Arabic nouns of action grow from the verb on the same root. Shukran ʿala al-musaʿada — thanks for the help — you have seen already
- يوجدйуджадthere is (to exist)What someone has goes through ʿandi; what exists somewhere goes through yujad — literally "is found". In live speech often simply hunaaka — "there" — does the job
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How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
نعم (наам) — yes. Short and firm. In conversation an Arab often answers not with yes but by repeating the verb: "do you like it?" — "I like it".
لا (ля) — no. The same word negates the present tense: laa aʿrif — I do not know. The past is negated by ma — two particles for two tenses.
جيد (джейид) — fine. The standard answer in full: ana bikhayr, shukran — I am well, thank you — or a short jayyid. From the root "to be good".
سيئ (саййиʾ) — bad. The doubled y is held long and the word is cut off by a hamza at the end: say-yi-ʾ. The partner of jayyid, and just as common in an answer.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “yes” in Arabic?
Short and firm. In conversation an Arab often answers not with yes but by repeating the verb: "do you like it?" — "I like it"
- How do you say “it is possible” in Arabic?
An impersonal "it is possible": it has no subject at all. "Can I pay by card?" is built on exactly this word
- How do you say “I do not need it” in Arabic?
Literally "I do not want": urid you know from the cafe. The polite refusal at the market and in the shop; softer — start with shukran
- How do you say “size” in Arabic?
From the verb "to measure". About clothes and shoes they say miqaas, not "number": "what is the size?" is maa al-miqaas?
- How do you say “new” in Arabic?
About a thing and about fresh news alike: khabar jadiid — a new piece of news. The feminine is jadiida
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Yes, no, good, bad, very. The small change of a language — and no sentence assembles without it.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “yes” in Arabic?
«نعم», read “наам”. Short and firm. In conversation an Arab often answers not with yes but by repeating the verb: "do you like it?" — "I like it". It is one of 308 words in the set “basic words” — the rest are in the table above.
How many basic words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 308 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.