Some Old Arabic Phrases and Expressions during Islamic Times Featuring also a `List of Arabic tribes' and `Poetry'

The Grand Vizier

English to Arabic A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Arabic to English A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Z

English to Arabic

A) approval, expression of = aferîm alcoholic drink, as of date juice = lagmi all = kull Allah knows it = Allah bjarif Allah destroy you = Allah inhalak Allah help you (your brain), that you won't loose it all = Allah jisallim aklak America, old word for = jenijduna angel of death = melek el môt antichrist = deddschal as you like = ze ma terid author = muëllif

B) bag, made of goat skin = ketshikesselery baskets, on camel = tachtirewãns Basra, old word for = Bassora bed of stones = ferß el hadshar bedouins = bedwan believers, faithful = muaminin belly = batte belt = hawk bend down as in prayer = rikat blame, a terrible = shi makruh blood brother = rafîk brain, Allah help you (your brain) that you won't loose it all = Allah jisallim aklak bravo = ahsant brother in law = silf bird(s), a certain species = aßfur book, the = el Katib book, holy = kurãn box = sandyk burden bearer = hammãle

C) camel = umbrausha camel = hedshin camel (particular type of camel) = hedshuãn camels = hushuhn camel, type of = bisharin hedshin caravan, a robber = gum chest (furniture) = sandyk christian = naßar church = kilisse cellar like place to stay = serdãb come (where do you come from) = intu gaijin min eh come here = ta'al company commandant = jusbashi cook, a = ashdshi corporal = onbashi cloth, a delicate satin = kisua cloth (cloth worn on head) = marameh clothing, holy = asîs kumåsh clouds, rain = ghayth club (weapon) = nebbût coat (overcoat) = haik concern, that doesn't = haida ma bichnussi count on me = di aleje ma tiftikirsh cup, drinking from a coffee = findshan

D) dagger (a curved d.) = dshanbîje damned as in sons of the d.) = beni kür daughter (singular) = bint daughter (as of her mother, a different expression for wife) = bent al amm daughters = benãt daughters of paradise = benãt el dshennet day (as in `have a good d.) = nehãraksa'îd day (as in `have a good and blessed day') = nehãrak sa'îd mubãrak day (as in `the d. of judgment) = jôm el guma deed (as in `necessary d.') = wadshibãt deluge = toufan desert (as in `rocky d.') = warr detachment (members of a d.) = ferkah devil = deddshal, shejtan diplomat (meant as a pun on a d.) = muameleti dúweli ashua disaster (as in `oh such a d.) = ja, musihbe, ia faza disrespect, (expression of d.) = tfu alekh doctor = hekim doctor (a magic d.) = dsherra dog (as in `you d., you here?') = ja kelb do it (as in `that doesn't d. it, it doesn't do it under any circumstances) = haida ma bisir, ma bisir abadan do that (as in `you can't d. that') = mustahil donkey rider = hammar drink ( as an alcoholic d. of date juice) = lagmi drum = darabukka dwellers (in the countryside) = fellachins

E) eagle = nisr earth (ground, on the ground) = el ard earthquake = selßele east = shark eggs = bêd Egypt = Masr elder, (as in `village e.') = kjaja elephant = fihl end (as in `the e.', `day of the e.') = el achiret Euphrates River = el frat excellent = kuwajjis exchanger (as in `money e.') = sarrãf excuse me = samihni

F) faithful (as in `f. believers') = muaminin father = abu father (as in `there comes f.') = bigi abu feel (as in `I f. quite a bit like you') = memnuhn feud (as in `blood f.') = ssar figs = indshir fire (as in `holy f.') = mukkadas atesh flea (sand f.) = barruht flowers = ashar foot prints = asãr fox (desert f.) = fenek Friday = jom el guma friend (as in `blood brother') = rafïk

G) gardener = bostandshi gate keeper = bawwãl get help = imdad arajyn get ready for prayer = hai alal felah get up = kalam, kalkynis get up to be ready for prayer = haj'ala's-salã get up all you believers = hai alas salah go (command) = jalla go (as in `let's g.' or `g. ahead') = neruh god (as in `merciful g.') = ja latif god (as in `god is god and Mohammed is his prophet') = rassuhl Allah god's gift = ata Allah gold (as in `piece of g.') = dabah gone (as in `he is g.') = imshi good (exclamation) = tajjib good (as in `happy good night') = leilatek saa'ide good (as in ` have a g. and blessed day') = nehãrak sa'ïd we mubãrak good morning = sabakha bilkheer goose = wazzi gone = ruh grace = amahn great = akbar great (as in `the g.') = el kabir ground, earth = el ard guest = musãfir guest house = lokanda guide, commercial = delîl gun powder display (to welcome someone) = bahruda

H) hare = arnab hated = maskhuteh have a good day = nehãrak sa'ïd he is gone = imshi head cloth = marameh hell (where the devil lives) = dshehenna help = meded hero = behluwan holy fire = mukkadas atesh Holy Spirit = er Ruh holy water = mukkadas ßu holy things (bought for Mecca) = asês kumãsh home (as in `thanks, I am at h.') = baija hamdulillah hotel (old type h.) = han house = bêt house of Allah = beith Allah house (set aside for women to live in) = harem how do you mean = badija arm

I) I am ... so and so ... = imi I don't know = mush'arif it is so = na'am jakessa impossible = ma jimkinsh inn = han

J) jakal = ibn awã Jerusalem the holy = el kuds esh sherif Jesus, the Lord Jesus = isa jeweler = dshewherdshi judge, the = el kadi judgment (as in `the day of j.') = jôm el achir

K) know (as in `I don't k.') = mush'arif

L) lady (with authority) = khanum leader = khabir let's go = neruh lieutenant = mülasim light of the moon = nur el kama line (as in `stand in l.') = szyraji kylinis linen bag = ketentshuwali loathsome = maskhuteh lord = sihdi, effendi Lord Jesus = Hasrat I Isa

M) magician = sahhar map = charta marker (as in `pile of stones as a m.') = g'aïr marriage = sawadsh master = sihdi, effendi matches (as in `box of m.') = kibritat matter (as in `that is ok, it doesn't m.') = ma alesh may god give you a hundred mornings = miht sabah mayor = wekil mean (as in `how do you m.') = badija arm meadow = merdsh medicins = ilatshlar meeting of the elders = dshemma merchant = basirgian messenger = safir messengers = sufara Messiah = mahdi Monday = jôm et tnên money exchanger = sarrâf moon (as in `light of the m.') = nur el kamar mosque of Mecca = el haram mosquito = barrash muslim spiritual ruler = mahdi muslim holy place at Mecca = kaaba

N) name (as in `what is your n.') = ismak eh name (as in `in the n. of the all merciful God') = bismillah errachmahn errachihm Napoleon, old reference to N. = sultan el kebihr Nazarener = Naßar newspapers = gasetalar new world (old word for America) = jenijdunja nothing, that is = malesh now = dilwakt

O) oasis = uah ocean (as in `waterless sea or ocean') = bahr bela ma of course = ma'luhm off ( as in `gone off') = ruh official, campsite = sheik el urdi offical, city = müeßarrif offical, village = sheik el beled Old Testament = tewrat overcoat, a long bedouin = haïk overturned, the = mudjelibe

P) Padisha (as in `in the shadow of the P.') = giögeda padishanün palace = seraj paradise = dshennet passport = ferman peace (as in `on you be p.') = alaikum as salam peace be on you = salam alaikum physician = hekim pile (as in `p. of stones as a marker') = gmaïr pistols = tabandshãt plaster (as in `mythological source of Abraham's plaster') = el madshem prayer, get ready for = hai alal felah prayer, get up to be ready for prayer = haj 'ala 's-salã prevent (as in `Allah help to p. that from happening') = rhemallah present rifle (military command) = salam dur prison = sindan put the rifles down = silahlari jere kojyn

Q) quick = kawahm quiet, be = uskut

R) rabbit = arnab rain = ghayth Ramses the Great = Ramesses al Akbar renting (as in `someone r. out camels') = dewedshi repel (`to repel') = dara rest (as in `midday r.') = kef rifle (as in `present r.') = salam dur rifle, old type = tüfenk right = sagha right (as in `you are r.' or `quite r.') = tamahm robbers = haramîje robber caravan = gum rocks (as in `sea of r.' or `rocky desert') = warr run away = koshun

S) Sabbath = jôm es Sabt sailors = tayfa sand storm deathly desert = samum sargent = tshaush satin (as in `delicate black satin cloth') = kisua scholar singular = alim scholars plural = ulema scholars = talibs school (as in `higher s. of learning') = medresse sea, (as in `s. of rocks') = warr sea stones (as in `pile of s. as a marker') = gmaïr seal official = mühür section (as in `chapter') = sura, plural suwar ship (as in `small sailing s. or vessel') = sandal shut up = tut aghysi silence = uskut sister in law = silfe someone who has been in Mecca = hadshi songbird, a = bulbul son of lightening = ibn as sa'ika sorry (as in `I am so s.') = o jazik spear a = dsherid spirits = dshinns spy, a = dshaßuslar Sri Lanka (as in `the old Ceylon') = Selan Dib staff sargent = kologassi stand in line = szyraji kylinis stand still = rahat durun stick (as in `a short curved s. to direct camels') = metrek stone (as in the `stepping s. of Abraham') = mekãm-Ibrahim stone (as in `a s. from Allah from heaven') = hajar min `Allah' stones = hadshar stones (as in `a bed of s.') = ferß el hadshar stones (as in `pile of s. as a marker') = gmaïr stop, wait = wakkif stop that = ichlas sun light = nur esh shems surprise, expression of = mashalla surprise another expression of = tshok shej sword = seif sword (as in `preserved s. of Mohammed') = dsu 'l-fikãr

T) take = chod track = darb tooth ache = dish aghrissi testimony (as in `for a holy t.') = ikrå billisån thanks to Allah = elhamdulillah thank you (as in `I t. you') = kattar cherak that (as in `t. won't work' or `you can't do t.') = mustahil that is terrible (a blame) = shi makruh throne (as in `the t. of God') = el Kurs throw (as in `t. yourself down in prayer') = rikat tick (as in the insect) = el bakk too bad = hazreta trail (as in `a t. of foot prints') = ethar tribe = firka Tripolis city of = Tarabulus turn right = sagha dön

U) unbeliever = giaur, kafirun understand (as in `I don't u. you') = ma fihimtish unity, divine = tawhid

V) vengeance (as in `blood v.') = thar verse = sura very well = kuwajjis vessel (as in `a small sailing v.') = sandal village elder = kjaja village official = sheik el beled

W) wait = wakkif wait a little (while) = istanna shuwaje watch out = challi balak water = ma water (as in `holy w.') = mukkadas ßu welcome = marhaba welcome (as in `you are w. to me') = hababek west = garb what do you want = di eh 'aizihn where do you (pl.) come from = intu gaijin min ehn who are you = mehn hua who are you = min inte who are you, pl. = min antum who is there = min di widow = ermile wife = ghoze wife a formal expression for a `muslim w.' = bint amm wolf = dîb women (as in `house set aside for w.') = harem work (as in `that won't w.') = mustahil wound, infected = ghura writer = muëllif

Y) you are right = tamahm