Home and things in Arabic
197 words in Arabic on the topic “home and things”: بيت — house, شقة — apartment, سخّن — to warm, مسكن — housing.
197 words on the topic
- بيتбейтhouseThe house as one’s own home; a free-standing building is mabna. Bayt is also a line of verse: poetry is an Arab’s second home
- شقةшаккаapartmentThe shadda qq is held long: shaq-qa. The word lives in every rental listing
- سخّنсахханаto warmThe doubled khkh — the word warms itself: sakh-kha-na. "I warm" is usakhkhinu, and tea is reheated with exactly it
- مسكنмасканhousingFrom the verb "to live" — sakana — which you know. A word of listings and documents; in conversation one says bayt or shaqqa
- غرفةгурфаroomThe gh is the gargled one (غ), as in ghaadan — tomorrow. A two-room apartment is shaqqa bi-ghurfatayn, literally "with two rooms", in the dual
- مطبخматбахkitchenFrom the verb "to cook": the prefix ma- turns the action into a place. In a rental listing the kitchen stands in the list apart from the rooms
- حمّامхаммаамbathroomThe doubled mm. The hammam of the Turkish baths took its name from this very word. Hammaam is the bath, the bathhouse and the hotel toilet at once
- شرفةшурфаbalconyFrom shuuf — look: from the balcony one looks at the street. They will understand "balcony" too, but in the listings it is shurfa
- طابقтаабикfloor (storey)The t is emphatic. In Egypt the ground floor is taabiq ardii — "of the earth" — and awwal is already the floor above it; elsewhere the count runs as in English
- مصعدмисʿадliftFrom the verb "to rise". They will understand "lift", but the button in the building says miʿsad. The phrase al-miʿsad maksuur — the lift is broken — is heard often
- درجдарджstaircaseOne word for the step and the staircase. In a building without a lift one lives with this word daily
- طاولةтаавилаtableThe second half of the furniture trap: taawila is the table, kursiyy the chair. The same taawila also means a data table — a rectangle is a rectangle
- كرسيкурсиchairThe first half of the trap: kursiyy is the chair, the table is taawila. Two chairs are kursayn: the dual with -ayn on the end
- سريرсариирbedIn a hotel the bed in the list is sariir, and a single room is ghurfa bi-sariir waahid. You know how to sleep — naama; the bed is what one sleeps on
- خزانةхизаанаwardrobeFrom the root "to store". The same word names a treasury and a safe; in an apartment khizaana is the wardrobe, built-in or not
- نافذةнаафизаwindowThe n after the article doubles — a sun letter: an-naafida, not al-naafida. Through the window one looks, through the door one enters, and the words do not get mixed
- بابбабdoorA short word of two letters, and it lives in the names of the old city gates: Damascus has seven of them, and each is Baab such-and-such
- مفتاحмифтаахkeyFrom the same verb as maftuuh — "open": the key is the thing one opens with. To lose the key is trouble in any language, and Arabic is no exception
- مصباحмисбаахlampA kin of the familiar sabaa h — morning: the lamp is what makes morning in a room. The kerosene lamp in a village is called by the same word
- ماء ساخنмаʾ саахинhot waterSaakhin — hot — is the same word about tea and about the weather. Hotels promise hot water round the clock, and it is checked with exactly this word
- كهرباءкахрабааelectricityAn "amber" word: electricity was named after amber that attracts — as in the European languages, from the Greek elektron. The power bill is hisaab al-kahrabaa
- زبالةзибааляtrashBoth the trash and the trash bin — context tells. The bin is sallat az-zibaala, literally "the basket of trash": salla you know
- تنظيفтанзифcleaningFrom the verb "to clean". The same word names the cleaning of a house and of streets; household chemicals "for cleaning" carry exactly it
- غسيلгасиилlaundry (washing)The gh is gargled (غ). The washing machine is gassaala, from the verb "to wash": the machine is "the washing one". After the wash the laundry hangs on the balcony — the picture of every Arab city
- صحونсухуунdishesA plural: one plate is sahn, the dishes as a whole are suhuun. "Do the dishes" an Arab says with the same verb as "do the wash"
- منشفةминашафаtowelFrom the verb "to wipe". The bath towel is big, the kitchen one small, and the word is one; a bathroom does not go without it
- صابونсаабунsoapThe sapon of chemistry is a descendant of this word: the foam of soap gave its name to a whole class of compounds. At the bath they ask simply: saabuun min fadlik
- جارджарneighbourTwo neighbours are jaraan: the dual you already know. An Arab proverb says one chooses the neighbour before the house
- صاحب الشقةсаахиб аш-шаккаlandlordLiterally "the friend of the apartment": saahib is both a companion and an owner. One takes his signature together with the keys
- إيجارииджарrentFrom the verb "to hire". Monthly rent is iijaar shahriyy, and in the listing this pair of words stands on the first line
- عقدʿакдcontractLiterally "a knot": a contract is what ties two together. The marriage contract is named by the same word — not a metaphor but the same document
- عربونʿарбунdepositLiterally "an earnest". It is paid when the rental contract is signed and returned at move-out, if the apartment is whole and cleaned
- فاتورة المرافقфатуурат аль-мараафикutility billLiterally "the bill of services": water, power, trash collection. It comes once a month and is paid at the bank or in the app
- إصلاحисляахrepairFrom the verb "to mend". The same word names a reconciliation: fixing an apartment and fixing relations is one verb. The repairman is muslih — "the one who sets right"
- مزعجмузʿиджnoisyFrom the verb "to disturb": the Arabic "noisy" is "it bothers". A complaint to the neighbour is filed with exactly this word, and night quiet in the buildings is taken seriously
- لا يعملля яʿмальdoes not workFrom aʿmal — I work: the same verb as a person’s. About a machine and about a person they say it alike; context tells them apart
- تعطّلтаʿаттальbroke downA form with a doubled t: ta-ʿat-tal — it went out of order by itself. Of a person it is not said: the verb is only about machines and plans
- سرّبсаррабаto leakLiterally "makes seep through". The tap in an Arab bathroom is hanafiyya, and the phrase al-hanafiyya tusarrib — the tap is leaking — is the first reason to call a repairman
- اتصل بالمصلحиттасиль би-ль-мусляхcall a repairmanLiterally "connect with the repairman": ittasil is both "phone" and "get in touch", a verb from "connection". Muslih is the repairman, the same as in repair
- متى تأتون؟матаа таатуун؟when will you come?Mataa — when — is the question word for time. The ending -uuna speaks to a group; with one person the verb changes its ending, the question does not
- لا أستطيع الفتحля астатыиʿ аль-фатхI cannot open itAstatiiʿ is "I am able": after it the action stands as a noun, al-fath is "the opening". The door will not yield — say this and they will help
- الحديقةаль-хадиикаgarden (park)A garden, a park and a lawn with swings: any green place for walking is hadiiqa. The garden by the house and the city park both stay this word
- فرنфурнstoveThe stove, the oven and the bread oven are one furn — context tells. Fresh bread is baked in it twice a day
- ثلاجةсалладжаfridgeThe doubled ll — thal-laaja. The first letter is interdental: tongue between the teeth. In hot countries it works at its limit, and its breakdown is the event of the day
- مقبسмакбисsocketFrom the verb "to stick in": the socket is "what one sticks into". A short word — and it is worth looking for it on the skirting board, not in the dictionary
- سلكсалькwireBoth a wire and a cable: sal k is what gets pulled. The s is emphatic, the k short — the word sounds tauter than its object
- كرتونкартуунbox (carton)The international cardboard dressed in Arabic: the box is kartuun. Heavy or light — thaqiila or khafiifa, the airport words
- سطحсатхroofBoth the roof and the flat rooftop one goes out onto in the evenings: sa th. In Arab towns the roof is the summer drawing room, and the word is seen in every courtyard
- جدارджидарwall (outer)The wall is jidaar: the outer, stone one. From the same root "a barrier", while the fence is siyaaj from another nest — the material tells
- غرفة النومгурфат ан-наумbedroomLiterally "the room of sleep": the bedroom needs no separate word for an Arab — it is a ghurfa with a purpose. Nawm is sleep, and the verb "to sleep" is of the same root
- فناءфинааʾyard (courtyard)The yard is finaaʾ: a hamza on the end, a break of the vowel. In the old houses it is a tiled courtyard with a tree, and it outlives all the furniture
- سقفсакфceilingThe ceiling is saqf: both the ceiling of a room and roofing in general. An ear-trap with sath — the roof: the difference is one letter, and the sense is a floor lower
- بوابةбаабаgateThe same baab as the boarding gate: the gate is a big door. The gate is bigger than the door only in size, not in the word
- سياجсийаджfenceThe fence is siyaaj: from the verb "to enclose". Not high, more often metal, and its word is heard in the rental listings
- مرآبмираабgarageFrom the verb "to park": the garage is miraab — the place of standing. In conversation one also says kaaraaj, the international word, but on the doors the own one stands
- صندوق البريدсундуук аль-бариидmailboxLiterally "the box of the post": both words you know — sunduuq and bariid. In Arabic the box is always a sunduuq — the last word of the phrase decides
- قبوкабуbasementThe basement is qabuu: a short word with a long uu on the end. What did not fit into the apartment is kept there, and old things outlive new ones
- أغسل الصحونагсиль ас-сухуунto do the dishesLiterally "I wash the dishes": the same ghasl verb that washed the clothes — Arabic does not split washing, the object does. The dishes are suhuun, a plural, like in English
- كنسканасаto sweepTo sweep is kanasa: the short word of the street cleaner. The broom is maknasa — and the mi- prefix makes the tool here, as in miftaah
- غسل الملابسгасль аль-маляабисto do the laundryLiterally "the washing of the clothes": for an Arab the laundry is a kind of washing. The same root as the laundrette, maghsala — and the nest closes
- كوىкауааto ironTo iron is kawaa: a short word whose vowel stretches. The iron is mikwa, from the same nest — the pair is obvious
- أعدّ العشاءаʿадда аль-ʿашааto cook dinnerLiterally "prepared the dinner": ʿadda is to prepare in the wide sense, not necessarily on the fire. ʿAshaa is the dinner, and in an Arab home it is late
- يخرج القمامةйухридж аль-камаамаto take out the trashLiterally "leads the trash out": an Arab "leads out" the trash rather than carrying it. The qadhaama is a city word, and its containers are separate
- مكنسة كهربائيةмакнаса кяхрабийяvacuum cleanerLiterally "an electric broom": that is how an Arab sees the vacuum — a broom, only with a wire. Both words you have met, and they are assembled with no "for" at all
- فرشاةфаршааbrushThe brush is furshaa: for hair, clothes and walls — one. The toothbrush for an Arab is also a furshaa — the word is simpler than it seems
- دلوдалуbucketThe bucket is dulu: a short word with a stressed u on the end. Water is carried in it, and for the garden it is still a tool, not a retro item
- مكوىмиккуаironFrom the same kawaa — to iron: the iron is mikwa. The doubled kk is audible, and it is hot — saakhin, the word from the kitchen
- ساعدсааʿадаto helpThe same verb as in "helps us": Arabic does not split "help" and "assist". One word for a friend and for a stranger
- أغلق البابаглик аль-баабclose the doorThe command form of "closed" — the same root as mughlaq, "shut": aghliq — close. Politer with min fadlik at the end
- افتح النافذةифтах ан-наафизаopen the windowThe command form of "opened" — the same root as miftaah, the key: iftaḥ — open. In the heat the window is opened early, and this request is heard every day
- أعطنيаʿтыниgive meLiterally "give me": the ending -nii has stuck right onto the verb, and it is not to be separated. You have already asked for water with this phrase — now it is in the dictionary
- بهدوء من فضلكби-хадууʾ мин фадликquieter, pleaseLiterally "with calm, please": huduuʾ is quietness and peace at once. The child is sleeping — say exactly this, and they will turn down more than the voice
- يستأجر شقةйастаʾджиру шаккатанto rent an apartmentLiterally "takes an apartment for hire": from the familiar ijaar, rent. The renter is mustaʾjir — the same root lives in renting a car
- يؤجّر شقتهйуʾаджжиру шаккатахуto rent out an apartmentThe same root as "rents", only the other way round: yuʾajjir hands the place over. English "rent" covers both sides with one word; Arabic keeps two
- عقد الإيجارʿакд аль-иджаарa leaseThe familiar ʿaqd, a contract, here about rent. It holds the mudda, the term, and both signatures
- الإيجارаль-иджаарthe rentThe same ijaar with the article: al-ijaar is the payment itself. "How much is the rent?" is asked as kam al-ijaar — the word has been yours for a while
- مدة الإيجارмуддат аль-иджаарthe lease termLiterally "the duration of the lease": mudda is a term, from the verb "it lasted". A year with renewal is "a year with the renewal" — both halves are familiar
- الوسيط العقاريаль-васиит аль-ʿакаарийa real estate agentLiterally "an immovable middleman": a wasiit is the one who stands in the middle. The same root is in "middle", wasat
- معاينة الشقةмуʿаайанат аш-шаккаan apartment viewingLiterally "the inspection of the apartment": muʿaayana comes from the verb "checked with his own eyes". Dozens come to one viewing in a big city
- شقة مفروشةшаккат мафрушаa furnished apartmentLiterally "a spread apartment": mafruusha comes from the verb "he spread bedding". Furnished for an Arab means the bedding is already laid
- يدخل الشقة الجديدةйадхуль аш-шакка аль-джадидаto move inLiterally "enters the new apartment": moving in for an Arab is entering. The familiar verb dakhala, "entered", leads into a house and into a city alike
- يغادر الشقةйугхаадиру аш-шаккаto move outLiterally "leaves the apartment": yughaadir shares its root with "migration". Arabic keeps leaving a place and moving out as two strict separate words
- الانتقالаль-интикаальa moveFrom the verb "he transferred": a move is intiqaal. The same root carries things, blood through the body and the meanings of words
- ينتقل إلى بيت جديدйантахиль иля бейт джадидto move houseLiterally "passes into a new house": the familiar bayt with the label "new". They move ila — the preposition of direction, as in "to the airport"
- الحمّالаль-хаммаальa moverFrom the verb "he carried": a mover, hammaal, is a porter. The same root as "download": a file is "carried" too, and the mover carries boxes
- يغلّفйугаллифуto packLiterally "he wrapped": to pack is to wrap, like a book in a cover. The cover, ghildaaf, is of the same root
- يفرغ الصناديقйуфригу ас-сунадиикto unpackLiterally "empties the boxes": to unpack for an Arab is to pour out. The familiar sunduuq stands here in the plural: as-sunaadiik
- عنوان جديدʿунваан джадидa new addressThe familiar ʿunwaan, an address, with the familiar jadid. A change of address is filed right away, like everywhere
- نقل الأغراضнакль аль-аграадmoving your belongingsLiterally "the transport of belongings": naql is from the same verb as the move. Aghraad are your things — and the same word means "goals"
- يستقرйастакырруto settle inLiterally "makes himself steady": to settle in is to get a firm footing in the place. The same root is in the "headquarters" — makar, the point where one stopped
- يعتاد على المكانйаʿтааду аля аль-маканto get used to the new placeLiterally "gets used to the place": yaʿtaad comes from ʿaada, "he repeated". A habit for Arabic is repetition — the word is honest
- الأثاثаль-асаатfurnitureAthaath is a collective word with no singular. A furniture store is matjar athaath — and both words are familiar
- الأريكةаль-ариикаa sofaA sofa is ariika, a word from old reception rooms where guests sat along the walls. You sit ʿala it — the same preposition
- كرسي بذراعينкурсий би-драаʿайнan armchairLiterally "a chair with two arms": Arabic describes an armchair honestly — it has armrests. The familiar kursi, a chair, stands cheaper without arms
- رفّраффa shelfRaff is a shelf, with a doubled f. A bookshelf is raff al-kutub — and you already know both halves
- سجادةсаджжаадаa carpetA carpet is sajjaada, a soft doubled word, like the pile. A Persian carpet is the pride of an Arab home
- مرآةмираатa mirrorMiraa is a mirror, from the verb "he saw". The rear-view mirror in a car says the same pair, and one letter divides it from the "garage"
- ستارةситаараa curtainFrom the verb "he closed": a curtain, sitaara, is what you close with. Sheer and thick are one sitaara — only the label tells them apart
- وسادةвисаадаa pillowA pillow is wisaada, from the same root as "middle", wasat. It is laid in the middle of the bed — the name remembers
- لحافлихаафa blanketA blanket is lihaaf, from the verb "he wrapped himself up". A duvet will be the same word, thinner: "a small blanket"
- ثرياсураййаa chandelierSurayya is a chandelier — the same word as the Pleiades constellation and a common woman's name. A chandelier for an Arab is a little sky under the ceiling
- طلاءтиляаʾpaintTilaaʾ is paint, from the verb "he coated". Walls and fingernails are painted with it — the object tells, not the word
- يطلي الجدرانйатлий аль-джидраанto paint the wallsThe same verb as in "paint": yatlii applies a coat. The walls here are plural, judraan, and the singular jidaar is already familiar
- ورق الحائطварак аль-хааʾитwallpaperLiterally "the paper of the wall": wallpaper for an Arab is paper glued on. The familiar waraqa, a sheet, here without the ending: waraq is paper in general
- بلاطбилаатtileBilaat is an old word, from floorboards and palace floors. In the bathroom and in the kitchen it is one and the same word
- مفكмифаккa screwdriverFrom the verb "he unscrewed": a screwdriver is mifakk, "the unscrewer". The mi- prefix makes tools again, as with the key
- مثقابмискаабa drillFrom the verb "he drilled": a drill is mithqaab. Drilling in the evening in an apartment block is not done — the neighbours say so everywhere
- أنبوبанбуубa pipeAnbuub is a pipe: a short word with a long oo. The water one is anbuub al-maaʾ — both halves are familiar
- احترق المصباحихтарак аль-мисбаахthe bulb burned outLiterally "the lamp burned": burnt out for an Arab is "burned", like a bonfire. The familiar misbaah, a lamp, goes out and flares up with the same verb
- التدفئةат-тадфийаheatingFrom the verb "he warmed": heating is tadfiya. A heater is mudaffaa — both words come from one root of warmth
- يجدد الشقةйуджаддиду аш-шаккаto renovate the apartmentLiterally "renews the apartment": renovation for an Arab is renewal. Jaddada comes from the familiar jadid: the old becomes new again
- عدّادʿаддаадa meter (device)From the verb "he counted": a meter is ʿaddaad. Electricity, water and the steps on the phone are all counted with an ʿaddaad
- قراءة العدّادкирааʾат аль-ʿаддаадthe meter readingLiterally "the reading of the meter": readings for an Arab are what was "read" off the meter. The familiar verb "read" stands in the root
- فاتورة الماءфатуурат аль-мааʾthe water billThe familiar fatuura, a bill, here for water. You have already asked for maaʾ with a familiar phrase — now it arrives in a bill
- فاتورة الكهرباءфатуурат аль-кахрабааʾthe electricity billThe same fatuura, only for the familiar kahrabaaʾ, electricity. It comes once a month, and the sum on it can sting
- قطعوا الماءкатаʿу аль-мааʾthe water was cut offLiterally "they cut the water": to switch off for an Arab is to cut, as with credit. An impersonal "they" — the one who cut it is not named
- حاوية القمامةхаавийат аль-камаамаa garbage binLiterally "a container of garbage": haawiyya comes from the verb "it contained". The familiar qamaama, garbage, rides along as in the phrase about taking it out
- مدخل العمارةмадхаль аль-ʿимаараthe building entranceLiterally "the entrance of the tower house": an imaara is an apartment building as a whole. Madkhal is from the same verb "entered" as "moved in"
- انترفونинтарфунan intercomAn international word in an Arabic wrapper: interfon. You ring it with the familiar verb "phoned", and the button is the same
- ضجيج الجيرانдаджиийдж аль-джираанnoise from the neighboursLiterally "the din of the neighbours": dajiij is noise and racket at once. The familiar jaar, a neighbour, stands here in the plural: jiraan
- قواعد البيتкавааʾид аль-бейтhouse rulesLiterally "the foundations of the house": rules are qawaaʾid — the same word as grammar rules. House and language stand on one root
- فرن المطبخфурн аль-матбахthe ovenLiterally "the kitchen's oven": the same furn as the stove, only with a clarification. In the Arab kitchen the oven is part of the whole, and the words are not split
- ميكروويفмикировиивthe microwaveAn international word in Arabic spelling, like the mini bar: microwave reads as mii-crow-veev. The spelling is honest — two clicks of the keyboard
- مبشرةмибашшараa graterA participle of bashshara, "to scrape off": a grater is "the scraper", it takes the cheese off in layers. A relative of the "bringer of glad news": both words about what opens outward
- مغرفةмиграфаa ladleFrom gara fa, "to scoop": the same root as the word for a dipper. One letter divides it from ghurfa, "a room" — and mixing them is not worth it: soup is not kept in a room
- غطاءгитааʾa lidFrom ghatta, "to cover": a lid is what has covered. The same word for an awning, a hubcap and a car roof: everything "thrown on top"
- لوح التقطيعлаух ат-тактиʿa cutting boardLiterally "the board of cutting": for Arabic the board is not an object but an action. Lawh, a board, is the same as in signs and in the school board
- مريلةмариляan apronFrom maraal, "to shield the back": the apron is named not for what it guards in front but for what is not seen. On it one most often embroiders the kitchen owner's name
- مفرشмуфрашa tableclothA participle of "to spread": a tablecloth is "the spread thing". The same root as the brush: both spread something over a surface
- خلاطхаллятa blenderFrom khalata, "to mix": a blender is "the mixer", and the English word is of the same trade. In the Arab kitchen it produces mango smoothies
- علبة الطعامʿульбат ат-таʿаамa lunch boxLiterally "a box of food": the lunch box in Arabic is honest in two words. Ulba, a box, is the same as a tin of preserves and a box of sweets
- مشطмиштa combOne word for the hair comb and the trellis comb of a vineyard: both "comb". The hairbrush is told apart: furshaa is the one with bristles
- موسмаусa razorFrom maasa, "to pass the edge over": a razor is what "passes". The barber's shop here is makhzan al-maus — literally "the razor store" — and one goes there before Friday
- شامبوшамбуshampooThe same word as everywhere: shampoo in Arabic spelling is shaambu. For dry hair — li-sh-shaʿr al-yaabis — and that is the label on every bottle
- مقصмиккасscissorsFrom qassa, "to cut": scissors are "the cutter", and the hairdresser's sits around the same word. Qass ash-shaʿr, the haircut, you have already read: one root
- إبرةибраa needleOne word for the sewing needle, the syringe and the compass needle: everything thin and sharp is ibra. The needle's eye in Arabic is ʿayn — "eye": the geometry is one
- خيطхайтthreadThe same word means the thread of an argument and the thread of a currency: khayt is anything pulled taut. The seamstress says khayt abyad — a white thread — and your knot is tied
- يرميйярмийto throw awayFrom ramy, "a throw": to throw away is to toss like a stone — no one looks after it. The trash bin in Arabic is salla — of the same gesture: tossed and gone
- يخزنйяхзинto storeFrom khizna, "a storehouse": to store is to keep in the treasury. Khaziina, "treasurer", is of the same root: storing in Arabic always has an owner
- غسالةгхаасиляthe washing machineA participle of gasala, "to wash": ghaasila is "the washer". Arabic names appliances by what they do — and appoints nobody a "machine" here
- غسالة الصحونгхаасилят ас-сухуунthe dishwasherThe same ghaasila, only of suhuun, "dishes": one word for both appliances, the second noun tells them. Suhun, plates, you know from "wash the dishes" of the first wave
- فريزرфриизерthe freezerAn international word in Arabic spelling, like the mini bar: friizer. The freezer is told from the refrigerator by the verb: there it is "frozen", here merely cold
- مروحةмирухаa fanFrom raha, "a light wind": a fan is "the breeze maker", a relative of the guest who "leaves with a breeze". The word is the same as the palace fan: the appliance inherited the luxury
- مدفأةмидфааʾa heaterFrom dafʾ, "warmth": a heater is "the warmer", and the same word covers the fireplace. In speech it is also called by its type — the heat sprayer among them
- مجفف الشعرмуджаффиф аш-шаʿрthe hair dryerLiterally "the dryer of hair": the hair dryer is named by its work, not its sound. Without ash-shaʿr it is already a laundry dryer — the two dryers share one word and one second noun
- كابل التمديدкяабиль ат-тамдиидan extension cordLiterally "the cable of stretching": tamdiid comes from madda, "to pull". The extension cord does not "lengthen" — it "pulls" the current further: the mechanics in Arabic are literal
- مفتاح الإضاءةмифтаах аль-идааʾаthe light switchLiterally "the key of the light": the switch does not switch off — it "unlocks" the lighting. Miftaah, "a key", is the same as the door's: one mechanics
- برغيбаргиa screwA word from the Turkish workshop: bargi is "the twisted one", a relative of the spiral. The screw in Arabic turns, while the nail, mismar, is simply "driven in"
- مفتاح إنجليزيмифтаах инджилизиa wrenchLiterally "an English key": the wrench in Arabic is "English", as the knife is "Swiss" elsewhere. The full set is "a big English key" — the master's heavy one
- كماشةкамаашаpliersFrom kamasha, "to pinch": pliers are "the pincher", kin to the crab that pinches. A word with a sound: k-m-sh — and that is just how it pinches
- شريط عازلшаррит ʿазильinsulating tapeLiterally "the isolating tape": ʿaazil, "the one who fences off", is a relative of the loneliness you know. The tape in Arabic is the "fencer-off" of current: strict physics in the word
- غراءгирааʾglueFrom gharra, "to stick": glue is "sticking", and the same word in the paper "coated" one. Glue in Arabic is a honeyed word: gharra — and the sweet thing stuck
- شريط لاصقшаррит лясикtapeLiterally "the sticking tape": laasiq is a relative of the plaster: both "stick". The double-sided one is "with two faces"
- حبلхабльa ropeA word of the sea and of the house: habl is both the hawser and the clothesline. The same root as the umbilical cord: rope in Arabic is connection in the literal sense
- يلصقйюлсикto glueFrom lasika, "to stick": the strengthened form makes — "makes stick". To come off is yanzaʿ: the prefix changes, and the glue gives up
- يلفйюлаффto wind upFrom laffa, "to wrap": to wind up is to wrap, like the turban that is truly wrapped. The same verb winds the plot of a film: yulaaff — to twist the story
- يأخذ المقاسйяʾхуз аль-микаасto measureLiterally "takes the size": measuring in Arabic is not calculation but taking a measurement, as a tailor does. Mqaas, "size", you know from clothes: here it is taken off the wall
- يصلح بنفسهйюслих би-нафсихиto fix with his own handsYuslih, "repairs", comes from islaah, the repair you already had. "With his own hands" Arabic does not mention: "he fixes himself" — bi-nafsihi, "with himself"
- دشдашa showerA new word, but short and easy: the shower is dush, and in the sports centers it lives beside the pool. The European word will not be understood — say it the Arabic way
- منبّهмунаббихthe alarm clockFrom nabbakha, "to wake with a bark": the alarm clock is "the bark that wakes". It is set in the evening and rings in the morning
- ترمومترтирмумитрa thermometerLike the European word, only Arabic. It shows the "heat" — temperature, a word you know
- محمّصةмухаммисаa toasterFrom hammasa, "to roast": a toaster is a "roastery" for bread. The slice out of it is "roasted"
- آلة خياطةаалят хийаатаa sewing machineAala is "a machine, an appliance in general"; khiyaata is "sewing". A sewing machine is "a machine of sewing" — and the tailor stands nearby
- أساسасаасthe foundationLiterally "the base": the foundation. In the plural it is also figurative: the foundations of the craft, of the language
- تشطيباتташтыбаатthe finishingThe final works: plaster, tile, paint. Arabic keeps no separate word for the English "finishing" — this plural covers it
- يخفضйухфидto lowerBrings down: lowers a blind, a price, a voice. One motion "down" for everything — as in the English "cut the price"
- يحركйухаррикto move (a thing)Moves a thing: a table, a wardrobe, an armchair. The partner of the familiar yataharrak — to move oneself: he moves — yataharrak, he moves a thing — yuharrik
- يفلتйуфликтto dropLiterally "lets out of the hand": dropped — the thing slipped out by itself, by accident. "To throw" is on purpose; this is when it escapes the hand
- يلتقطйалтакытto pick up (from the floor)Picks up from the floor: a pen, a coin, a sheet of paper. The familiar rafaʿa — to raise — is about motion upward; here one picks up what fell
- ينشرйаншурto hang (laundry)Literally "spreads out and hangs": hangs the laundry, a towel, clothes on hangers — that is how laundry dries. The familiar yaʿalliq — to hang on a nail — is about a picture
- يرفع عن الرفйарфаʿ ʿан ар-раффto take down (from a shelf)The familiar rafaʿa — to raise — you know: to take off the shelf is "to raise from the shelf". Yuziil — to remove — takes away for good; this one just takes
- يطويйатвиto foldFolds, bending: paper, a shirt, a map. One motion "in half" — and that is how a letter gets folded too
- يفردйафридto spread outLiterally "unrolls": spreads out a blanket, a map, a carpet — to full length. The partner of yatwii: what got folded gets spread out
- ينزعйанзаʿto unwrapLiterally "pulls off": unwraps a bundle, pulling the wrapping off — the same motion takes off a lid and pulls out a nail
- يُدخِلйудхильto let inLets in: the one who knocked, a guest, a cat. The partner of yadkhul — enters: who enters by himself, that one is let in
- يُخرِجйухриджto let outLets out: the cat into the garden, air from a tyre, a film onto the screens. The partner of yakhruj — goes out: who goes out by himself, that one is let out
- يفتحйафтахto openOpens: a door, a window, a book, a shop. Maftuuh — "open" — you have seen on the signs: the same root
- يغلقйугликto closeCloses: a door, a window, a book, a shop. The partner of yaftah: what was opened gets closed. Mughlaq on the sign is "closed"
- يقفلйукфильto lockLocks with a lock: a door, a car, a drawer. Qunful — the lock — is the same root, and miftaah — the key — comes from "to open": the key is literally "the opener"
- يُطلق القفلйутлик аль-кунфульto unlockLiterally "lets the lock go": unlocks. The partner of yuqfil: locked — yuqfil, unlocked — yutliq, the lock is "released"
- يُشعل النورйушʿиль ан-нурto switch on the lightLiterally "lights the light": an Arab lights the light like a fire — one word for a match and a switch. Nuur — light — you know
- يُطفئ النورйутфиʾ ан-нурto switch off the lightLiterally "puts out the light": one verb for a candle and a chandelier. The partner of yushaʿʿil: what got lit gets put out
- يضغطйадгхитto pressPresses: a button, a key, a pedal. The same word about pressure — daghṭ: to press is "to apply pressure"
- يُدير المقبضйудиир аль-микбадto turn the handleLiterally "makes it turn": turns the handle. Miqbad is a door handle; he turns it the way one turns a steering wheel — miqwad
- يطرقйатрукto knockKnocks at a door: taraq — a knock — is the same word. After it comes ʿala: he knocks on the door, just like the English on
- يقرع الجرسйакраʿ аль-джарасto ring the doorbellLiterally "strikes the bell": at an Arab’s door one rings by striking. Ittasa-la — to phone — is another thing
- عتبةʿатабаthresholdThe wooden strip under the door that everyone trips over. The figurative "on the threshold of winter" an Arab says with the same word
- مقبض البابмакбад аль-баабdoor handleLiterally "the grip of the door": from the verb "to grip". The handle of a suitcase and of a cabinet is a miqbad too
- قفلкафльdoor lockThe lock as a mechanism, not as a fortress. The verb "to lock" grows from here, and the caps-lock key on a keyboard is also a qaf l
- جرس البابджарас аль-баабdoorbellLiterally "the bell of the door": jaraas is a bell and a bell-push at once — at a door, on a bicycle, at school. You hear it — and go to open
- حافة النافذةхафат ан-наафизаwindowsillLiterally "the edge of the window": Arabic built no separate word. Haafat is the edge of anything: a table, a roof, a cup
- تسترтустарblind (window cover)Sitaara — a curtain — is taken, and tustar is the cloth let down over the window whole, like blinds. From the same root
- ضوء الليلдауʾ аль-лайльnight lightLiterally "the light of the night": a weak lamp burning all night by a child’s bed. Nuur — light — you know; daw is its soft cousin
- حوضхаудsink (basin)Any large bowl with water: a sink, a pool, a drinking trough. Maghsala is taken by the laundry, so the basin in the bathroom is hawd
- بانيوбаньюbathtubIt came from Italian together with the bathtub itself and lives through all Arabic speech — recognized at once. The full bookish form is hawd al-istihmaam, "the basin of bathing"
- مرحاضмирхаадtoiletAn honest name: from the root "the place one goes to". In a hotel and in an apartment it is the same word, said without ceremony
- خرطومхартуумhoseThe same word means an elephant’s trunk: an Arab saw one flexible tube. Without it the garden does not get watered in the heat
Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet
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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.
- البيت كبيرаль-бейт кябирThe house is big
- الشقة كبيرةаш-шакка кябираThe apartment is big
- سخّنت الشايсахханат аш-шайShe warmed the tea
- المسكن الجديد كبيرаль-маскан аль-джадид кябирThe new housing is big
- الغرفة كبيرةаль-гурфа кябираThe room is big
- المطبخ هناك والغرفة هناаль-матбах хунаака ва-аль-гурфа хунаThe kitchen is there and the room is here
What is worth knowing about these words
بيت (бейт) — house. The house as one’s own home; a free-standing building is mabna. Bayt is also a line of verse: poetry is an Arab’s second home.
شقة (шакка) — apartment. The shadda qq is held long: shaq-qa. The word lives in every rental listing.
سخّن (саххана) — to warm. The doubled khkh — the word warms itself: sakh-kha-na. "I warm" is usakhkhinu, and tea is reheated with exactly it.
مسكن (маскан) — housing. From the verb "to live" — sakana — which you know. A word of listings and documents; in conversation one says bayt or shaqqa.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “house” in Arabic?
The house as one’s own home; a free-standing building is mabna. Bayt is also a line of verse: poetry is an Arab’s second home
- How do you say “balcony” in Arabic?
From shuuf — look: from the balcony one looks at the street. They will understand "balcony" too, but in the listings it is shurfa
- How do you say “wardrobe” in Arabic?
From the root "to store". The same word names a treasury and a safe; in an apartment khizaana is the wardrobe, built-in or not
- How do you say “trash” in Arabic?
Both the trash and the trash bin — context tells. The bin is sallat az-zibaala, literally "the basket of trash": salla you know
- How do you say “landlord” in Arabic?
Literally "the friend of the apartment": saahib is both a companion and an owner. One takes his signature together with the keys
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Room, key, water, electricity. You will need them on your first day in a rented flat.
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 “house” in Arabic?
«بيت», read “бейт”. The house as one’s own home; a free-standing building is mabna. Bayt is also a line of verse: poetry is an Arab’s second home. It is one of 197 words in the set “home and things” — the rest are in the table above.
How many household words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 197 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.