شُجَاع
šujāʕ
The English word brave is translated into Arabic using the adjective شُجَاع (šujāʕ). Wiktionary also lists جَرِيء (jarīʔ) and جَسُور (jasūr).
Meaning: strong in the face of fear (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| شُجَاع | šujāʕ |
| جَرِيء | jarīʔ |
| جَسُور | jasūr |
Arabic uses different adjectives to describe bravery depending on whether you are referring to moral strength, social boldness or intense physical valor.
Which one should you use?
شُجَاع is the standard term for being brave in a physical or moral sense. جَرِيء carries a nuance of being bold, daring or even cheeky and audacious in social situations. جَسُور is a more intense, literary term used to describe someone who is exceptionally bold or undaunted by danger, often translated as courageous, valiant or intrepid.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun for the concept of bravery is شُجَاعَة (šujāʕa), while الشجاعة refers to 'the bravery'.
How do you pronounce it?
šujāʕ
Did you know?
- The concept of bravery in Arabic literature is often deeply tied to 'muru'a', a traditional code of virtue that encompasses more than just courage, including generosity and chivalry.
- The adjective جَرِيء shares a root with the word for 'to run' or 'to flow', suggesting that boldness is an active, forward-moving energy.
- The noun شُجَاعَة is often paired with the word for 'wisdom' in Arabic proverbs to suggest that bravery without intellect is merely recklessness.
Examples in context
- أنت شجاعYou are brave.
- هو جَسُورHe is brave.
- أحتاج إلى الشجاعة الآنI need bravery now.
- هُوَ طِفلٌ شُجَاعٌ جِدًّا.huwa tiflun shuja'un jiddan.He is a very brave child.
- الْجُنْدِيُّ كَانَ شُجَاعًا فِي الْحَرْبِ.al-jundiyyu kana shuja'an fi al-harb.The soldier was brave in the war.
- أَنْتِ امْرَأَةٌ شُجَاعَةٌ.anti imra'atun shuja'atun.You are a brave woman.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a firefighter's heroic actions.
- سارة Saraهَلْ رَأَيْتَ كَيْفَ أَنْقَذَ الطِّفْلَ؟hal ra'ayta kayfa anqadha al-tifl?Did you see how he saved the child?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، كَانَ رَجُلًا شُجَاعًا جِدًّا.na'am, kana rajulan shuja'an jiddan.Yes, he was a very brave man.
- سارة Saraأَنَا أَحْتَرِمُ هَذَا الشَّجَاعَ.ana ahtarimu hadha al-shuja'.I respect this brave man.
- عمر Omarنَحْنُ بِحَاجَةٍ إِلَى أَبْطَالٍ مِثْلِهِ.nahnu bi-hajatin ila abtal mithlihi.We need heroes like him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brave” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
