لحم بقر
lahm baqar
The Arabic word for beef is لحم بقر (lahm baqar).
لحم بقر refers to the meat of a cow or cattle. In many contexts, if the specific type of meat is already understood, you can simply use the word لحم (meat) instead of specifying لحم بقر.
Meaning: meat (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of لحم (meat) and بقر (cow/cattle).
Which one should you use?
While لحم بقر is the default form, the adjective form لحم بقري is also used to mean beef. The form لحم البقر is another way to express the concept.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is typically used as an uncountable noun, similar to how 'beef' is used in English.
How do you pronounce it?
lahm baqar
Did you know?
- The shift in meaning for لحم from 'bread' to 'meat' occurred because of different diets and agriculture in the Fertile Crescent compared to the Arabian Peninsula.
- In some traditional contexts, the phrase لحم can be used metaphorically to describe the 'substance' or 'core' of an argument or story.
- In Arabic, the word بقر is a collective noun, which means it can refer to a single cow or a whole herd of cattle without changing its form.
Examples in context
- أعدّ سامي طبيخ لحم بقر.Sami prepared a beef stew.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use لحم بقر in the context of a meal.Tatoeba #6966402 by OsoHombre, translation #6320978 by OsoHombre
- أريد طبق لحم بقري، من فضلك.I would like a plate of beef, please.
- هل لديكم أطباق لحم البقر؟Do you have any beef dishes?
- أريد شراء لحم بقر طازج.urīdu shirā' laḥm baqar ṭāzaj.I want to buy fresh beef.
Example conversation
Omar and Maryam are ordering food at a restaurant.
- عمر Omarماذا تريدين أن تطلبي يا مريم؟Madha turidina an tatlubi ya Maryam?What do you want to order, Maryam?
- مريم Maryamأريد شطيرة لحم بقر من فضلك.Uridu shatirat lahm baqar min fadlak.I want a beef sandwich, please.
- عمر Omarهل تريدين الجبن معها؟Hal turidina al-jubn ma'aha?Do you want cheese with it?
- مريم Maryamنعم، من فضلك يا عمر.Na'am, min fadlak ya Omar.Yes, please, Omar.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بقر, لحم, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
