Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| حَقِيبَة | ḥaqība | feminine | |
| جَيْب | jayb | masculine | |
| كِيس | kīs | feminine, masculine | |
| كيس | kīs | /kiːs/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| جنطة | janṭa | Gulf Arabic, masculine | |
| شَنْطَة | šanṭa | Hijazi Arabic, feminine | |
| خنشة f ميكا plastic bag | ḵanša | Moroccan Arabic | |
| شنطة | šanṭa | South Levantine Arabic, feminine |
The term used for "bag" in Arabic depends heavily on whether the container is structured or flexible. Use حَقِيبَة for structured items like handbags, briefcases or suitcases. Use كِيس for flexible containers such as plastic bags, paper bags or sacks. Note that جَيْب refers to a pocket in clothing rather than a standalone bag.
Which one should you use?
حَقِيبَة is the standard term for structured luggage like a handbag or suitcase. In contrast, كِيس refers to flexible sacks or plastic bags. While جَيْب may occasionally be translated as a small bag in specific contexts, it primarily means a clothing pocket.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several regional variations exist: شنطة is a common colloquial term for a bag in Hijazi and South Levantine Arabic. In the Gulf region, جنطة is used for a bag or suitcase. In Moroccan Arabic, خنشة refers to a bag or sack. In Egyptian Arabic, the masculine form كيس is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
حَقِيبَة is a feminine noun. جَيْب and كيس (the Egyptian variant) are masculine. كِيس (the standard form) can be both masculine and feminine. جنطة and شَنْطَة are masculine and feminine respectively.
How do you pronounce it?
ḥaqība
Did you know?
- The word جَيْب for 'pocket' is used in Arabic to describe a 'pocket of air' or a 'pocket of resistance' in military and geographical contexts, similar to English but using a word that literally means 'clothing pocket'.
- The term كِيس traces back to the Akkadian word kīsum, which specifically referred to a leather bag used for carrying weights and silver.
Examples in context
- لم يكن عند كلوديو كيس.Claudio didn't have a bag.This sentence shows the use of the form كيس.Tatoeba #12000405 by dididodo, translation #11689000 by Amastan
- وُضِعت جُثّة ليلى في كيس.Layla's body was put in a bag.This sentence uses the form كيس.Tatoeba #6104245 by OsoHombre, translation #6097406 by OsoHombre
- كان ياني يحمل كيسا للتبضع.Yanni was carrying a shopping bag.This sentence illustrates the use of the form كيس for a shopping bag.Tatoeba #11644824 by dididodo, translation #9949916 by Amastan
- أُريدُ شِراءَ حَقِيبَةٍ مُلَوَّنَةٍ لِلسَّفَرِ.I want to buy a colorful bag for traveling.
- قَمْتُ بِشِرَاءِ كَيْسٍ جَديدٍ لِلتَّسْوُقِ.I bought a new bag for shopping.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bag” translations and entries كيس, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كيس, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
