فن
fann/fann/
The English word "art" is فن (fann) in Arabic.
فن refers to the expression of creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture. You can use the plural form فنون to refer to the arts in general, and the specific phrase فنون جميلة is used to denote the fine arts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe something as being artistic or related to art, you use the adjective فني.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /fann/.
Did you know?
- The word فن was borrowed into Arabic from the Classical Persian word پَنْد, which originally meant a 'knack' or a 'trick'.
- The adjective فني (artistic) is frequently used in technical contexts, such as 'technical specifications', because of the word's historical link to specialized skill.
- In many Arabic dialects, if you call someone a فنان (artist), you might actually be complimenting their cleverness or their ability to handle a tricky situation, rather than their painting skills.
Examples in context
- أين أقرب معرض فني؟Where's the nearest art gallery?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of an art gallery using فن.Tatoeba #373005 by saeb, translation #27265 by CK
- الحبّ ليس مجرّد شعور بل هو فنّ أيضا.Love is not just a feeling, but also an art.This sentence uses فن to describe love as an art.Tatoeba #7238405 by OsoHombre, translation #1240878 by Scott
- هذا فن.This is art.This sentence is a simple way to identify something as فن.Tatoeba #11896806 by dididodo, translation #8910092 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry فن, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries فن, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
