دَلْو
dalwmasculine
The English word bucket is translated into Arabic using دَلْو (dalw). Wiktionary also lists سَطْل (saṭl) and جَرْدَل (jardal).
Meaning: container (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| دَلْو | dalw | masculine |
| سَطْل | saṭl | masculine |
| جَرْدَل | jardal | masculine |
The term refers to a container.
Which one should you use?
The form دَلْو is the classical or more formal term for a bucket, often used in literary contexts. The form سَطْل is a very common way to say bucket in many modern Arabic dialects and standard speech. The form جَرْدَل is a common colloquial term used in several Levantine and Egyptian dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The broken plural of the formal form دَلْو is دِلاء.
How do you pronounce it?
dalw
Did you know?
- The colloquial term جَرْدَل is believed by some linguists to have roots in Turkish influence, reflecting the Ottoman Empire's long history in Egypt and the Levant.
- In certain poetic contexts, the word دَلْو is used metaphorically to describe the 'drawing' or 'extracting' of knowledge or secrets from a person.
- In some traditional rural regions, the دَلْو was historically made of leather and shaped like a bag rather than the rigid plastic cylinders used today.
Examples in context
- هذا دَلْوٌ جديد.hādha dalwun jadīd.This is a new bucket.
- أحتاجُ إلى دَلْوٍ كبيرٍ.aḥtāju ilā dalwin kabīrin.I need a large bucket.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bucket” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
