مَخْدَع
maḵdaʕmasculine
The English word "bedroom" can be translated into Arabic as مَخْدَع (maḵdaʕ) or غُرْفَةُ نَوْم.
Meaning: room in a house where a bed is kept for sleeping (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مَخْدَع | maḵdaʕ | masculine |
| غُرْفَةُ نَوْم | ḡurfatu nawm | feminine |
Both terms refer to a room in a house where a bed is kept for sleeping.
What does it mean word for word?
The common phrase غُرْفَةُ نَوْم is a compound noun. It consists of غُرْفَة (room) and نَوْم (sleep), literally meaning "room of sleep".
Which one should you use?
مَخْدَع is a more literary or formal term for a bedroom, whereas غُرْفَةُ نَوْم is the more common way to say it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the common phrase غُرْفَةُ نَوْم is غُرَفُ النَّوْم. If you are using the formal term, the plural of مَخْدَع is مَخادِع.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of مَخْدَع is maḵdaʕ.
Did you know?
- The root of the formal word مَخْدَع comes from a verb meaning 'to deceive' or 'to hide'. This implies that a bedroom is a private sanctuary where one is hidden away from the view of others.
- The word غُرْفَة (room) comes from the root meaning 'to scoop' or 'to hollow out', suggesting a space that has been excavated or carved out from a larger whole.
- In some traditional Arabic house designs, the 'bedroom' was not a single room but a series of partitioned spaces to ensure maximum privacy for the family.
Examples in context
- يوجد في المنزل غرفة نوم كبيرة.There is a large bedroom in the house.
Example conversation
Nour and Youssef are showing a guest around a traditional house.
- نور Nourيوسف، هل هذا هو المَخْدَعُ؟Youssef, hal hadha huwa al-makhda'?Youssef, is this the bedroom?
- يوسف Youssefنعم يا نور، هذا هو.Na'am ya Nour, hadha huwa.Yes Nour, this is it.
- نور Nourإنه مَخْدَعٌ هادِئٌ وجميلٌ.Innahu makhda'un hadi'un wa jamil.It is a quiet and beautiful bedroom.
- يوسف Youssefأنا سعيدٌ لأنّه أعجبكِ.Ana sa'idun li-annahu a'jabaki.I am glad that you like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bedroom” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
