Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| أسود | ʔaswad | /ʔas.wad/ | Hijazi Arabic |
| أَسْوَد | ʔaswad | masculine | |
| سَوْدَاء | sawdāʔ | feminine | |
| سُود | sūd | plural | |
| اسود | eswid | /is.wad.da/ | Egyptian Arabic |
| كحل | kḥal | Moroccan Arabic | |
| سود | swad | Moroccan Arabic |
The term is primarily used as an adjective to describe the color black (absorbing all light). It can also function as a noun meaning the color black itself. In some contexts, it is used as a noun to refer to a dark-skinned person.
Which one should you use?
The form of the word changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use أَسْوَد for masculine nouns, سَوْدَاء for feminine nouns and سُود for plural nouns.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word اسود is used. In Moroccan Arabic, you may encounter the form سود or the word كحل. In Hijazi Arabic, the form أسود is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective follows these patterns: أَسْوَد is the masculine form, سَوْدَاء is the feminine form and سُود is the plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ʔas.wad/. It has two syllables: ʔas-wad.
Did you know?
- In certain cultural contexts, referring to a 'black heart' using قلب أسود is a common idiom used to describe a person who is spiteful or envious.
- In classical poetry, the word أسود can be used to describe the pupils of the eyes, emphasizing depth and beauty rather than just a shade of color.
- The word كحل used for 'black' in Morocco is the same word for kohl, the ancient mineral eyeliner used across North Africa and the Middle East.
Examples in context
- علمنا أحمر و أسود.Our flag is red and black.This sentence is useful for describing the colors in a flag using أسود.Tatoeba #6984141 by OsoHombre, translation #6984042 by aln
- شعر ذاك الولد أسود.That boy has black hair.This sentence is useful for describing hair color using أسود.Tatoeba #376364 by saeb, translation #68205 by CK
- شعر ذاك الفتى أسود.That boy's hair is black.Tatoeba #1593991 by Amastan, translation #68214 by CK
- اللون الأسود يرمز عادةً للغموض والسلطة.The color black usually symbolizes mystery and authority.
- الملابس السوداء دائمًا تُضفي لمسة أنيقة على مظهرك.Black clothes always add a stylish touch to your appearance.
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Layla and Ahmed are talking about a new car.
- ليلى Laylaشوفي السيارة الجديدة، لونها أسود.shufi as-sayyara al-jadida, lonha aswad.Look at the new car, its color is black.
- أحمد Ahmedجميلة مرة، بس بتلم الغبار.jamila marra, bas bitlam al-ghubar.It's very beautiful, but it collects dust.
- ليلى Laylaصح، بس الأسود دايمًا فخم.sah, bas al-aswad dayman fakham.True, but black is always elegant.
- أحمد Ahmedفعلاً، اختيار ممتاز يا ليلى.fe'lan, ikhtiyar mumtaz ya Layla.Indeed, an excellent choice, Layla.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black” translations and entries أسود, اسود, كحل, سود, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
