Did you know that more than 350 million people speak Arabic as their native language? And although Arabic is an official language in over 20 countries, middle eastern people all share the Arab culture and its natural appreciation for beauty.
This fondness for beautiful things is reflected in middle eastern art forms and the language itself. As an Arabic language learner, you’ll notice that native speakers are expressive when talking about the beauty of everyday things.
Thus, learning the different ways to say beauty in Arabic is important since it will enable you to compliment others, give opinions about scenery and art, or even describe the weather.
We’ll share some of the different words for beautiful in Arabic to help you achieve the right conversational tone in this post. So, keep reading for some pro tips!
Jamiil (جميل)
The most common word for beautiful in Arabic is jamiil جميل, which you can use to describe people or objects. So, you can feel confident using it to talk about someone’s personality and appearance. You may even see lip fillers in this area advertised using this word!
Of course, you use jamiil جميل as an adjective for masculine nouns and jamiilah جميله for feminine nouns.
Helw (Øلو)
The word Helw Øلو means sweet, but it is also used in many dialects of Arabic to talk about someone or something beautiful. If you want to use the feminine form of this word, you should say Helwah Øلوه.
And, if you are learning Egyptian Arabic, you can add emphasis by adding the word awi أوي. Thus, saying Helwah awi Øلوه أوي would mean that something is very beautiful.
Enta Wasiim (أنت وسيم)
Arabic speakers say enta wasiim أنت وسيم to compliment people, specifically males. It means “you are handsome”. It’s a phrase from modern standard Arabic, but people use it in spoken Arabic quite often.
Munawwar Ed-dinya Kolaha (منور الدنيا كلها)
This phrase translates to “you light up the whole world”. Of course, if you are going to compliment a female, you should change it to munawwarah منورة.
While it may surprise some language learners, it’s more socially acceptable for men to use this phrase to compliment other men than to flatter women. It’s basically a warm greeting and a way to congratulate someone on their appearance.
Amar (قمر)
The word ‘amar قمر directly translates to “the moon” but it’s one of the most common words that Arabic speakers use to call a person beautiful.
It’s especially common in Egypt, where you may also hear someone say ‘amar arba’tashar قمر اربعتاشر’. This means ‘”moon of the 14th”, which is when it’s fullest in the Islamic Calendar. So if someone looks flawless, you can compliment them with this phrase.
It’s Time to Practice Talking About Beauty in Arabic!
Now that you know how to talk about beauty in Arabic, it’s time to practice what you learned. Of course, you should avoid using some of these more intimate compliments with strangers and instead save them for close acquaintances. But, feel free to talk about beautiful things and people as often as possible!
Would you like to learn more interesting tips that can help you immerse into a new culture as you travel? If so, be sure to browse more language and travel posts!Â
