فتاة سوداء
fatāt sawdā'
The English phrase "black girl" is translated into Arabic as فتاة سوداء (fatāt sawdā').
This phrase refers to a girl who has dark skin or is of African descent.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of fatāt (girl) and sawdā (black/dark-skinned).
Which one should you use?
While فتاة سوداء is a descriptive term used to emphasize the deep black color of a girl's skin, فتاة سمراء is a common, neutral and polite alternative. For a more formal and detailed description, you can use فتاة ذات بشرة سمراء, which means "a girl with dark skin". In casual settings, the informal expression بنت سمرة is used among peers and the phrase واحدة سمراء is an informal way to say "a black-skinned girl" in some dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase واحدة سمراء is used in some dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase فتاة سوداء, the adjective sawdā (black) is in the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun fatāt (girl).
How do you pronounce it?
fatāt sawdā'
Did you know?
- Arabic has a specific range of words for 'dark' and 'black' that distinguish between the color of a crow, the color of night, and the color of human skin.
- In classical Arabic literature and music, calling a woman samrā is a romantic trope used to signal beauty and elegance, similar to how 'fair' was used in old English poetry.
- The term samrā can be used to describe anyone from a tan Middle Eastern person to a person of African descent, making it a broad cultural umbrella term for 'dark-skinned'.
Examples in context
- تلك فتاة سوداء لطيفة.tilka fatat sawda' latifa.That is a kind black girl.
- رأيت فتاة سوداء في الحديقة.ra'aytu fatat sawda' fi al-hadiqa.I saw a black girl in the park.
- هي فتاة سوداء جميلة جداً.hiya fatat sawda' jamila jiddan.She is a very beautiful black girl.
Example conversation
Omar and Sarah are talking about a new classmate.
- عمر Omarهل تعرفين الطالبة الجديدة؟hal ta'rifīna al-tālibah al-jadīdah?Do you know the new student?
- سارة Saraنعم، هي فتاة سوداء من نيجيريا.na'am, hiya fatāt sawdā' min nayjīriyā.Yes, she is a black girl from Nigeria.
- عمر Omarتبدو لطيفة للغاية.tabdū latīfah lil-ghāyah.She seems very kind.
- سارة Saraأوافقك الرأي يا عمر.uwāfiquka al-ra'y yā 'umar.I agree with you, Omar.
