ولد
walad/wa.lad/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The English word 'boy' is translated into Arabic as ولد (walad). Wiktionary also lists فَتًى (fatan) and غُلَام (ḡulām).
Meaning: male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ولد | walad | /wa.lad/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| فَتًى | fatan | masculine | |
| غُلَام | ḡulām | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a male child. Depending on the context, ولد can also be used to mean 'son', such as when someone refers to 'their boy'.
Which one should you use?
ولد is the standard and most common way to say 'boy'. In contrast, فَتًى is a literary or poetic term that often implies a young man with vigor or youth. غُلَام is a classical or formal term that can refer to a young boy or, in historical contexts, a page or servant.
Is it said differently in some regions?
ولد is specifically noted as a form used in Egyptian Arabic.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of ولد is أولاد.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /wa.lad/. It consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The Arabic word ولد is a linguistic relative of the Hebrew word יֶלֶד ('yeled').
- The term غُلَام once described a specific class of elite slave-soldiers in the Abbasid and Mamluk empires, moving far beyond the meaning of a simple 'boy'.
- In some regional dialects, calling a man ولد can be a way to describe him as naive or inexperienced, regardless of his actual age.
Examples in context
- يا لك من ولد جميل!You're such a cute boy.Tatoeba #372503 by saeb, translation #16447 by CK
- كل ولد عنده دراجة.Each boy has a bike.Tatoeba #375758 by saeb, translation #37500 by Eldad
- ماثيو ولد من المنزل المقابل.Matthew is the boy from the house opposite.Tatoeba #11636524 by dididodo, translation #11579092 by Amastan
- هذا ولد جميلThis is a handsome boy
- أريد أن ألتقي بغُلامٍ وديعI want to meet a polite boy
- هل تعرف الشاب الذي رأيته في المدرسة؟Do you know the guy I saw at school?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar and Layla are talking about a new neighbor.
- عمر Omarشفتي الولد الجديد اللي ساكن جنبنا؟Shofti el walad el gedid elli saken ganbenna?Did you see the new boy living next to us?
- ليلى Laylaلا، هو ولد صغير؟La, hoa walad soghayar?No, is he a small boy?
- عمر Omarأيوه، ولد عنده خمس سنين.Aywa, walad ando khamas sneen.Yes, a boy who is five years old.
- ليلى Laylaأكيد هو ولد شاطر.Akid hoa walad shater.I'm sure he is a clever boy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries ولد, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ولد, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
