مشغول
mashghūl
The English word "busy" is translated to Arabic as مشغول (mashghūl).
The word is used to describe someone who is engaged or preoccupied with a task. When you want to specify that someone is busy with a particular thing, you follow the adjective with the preposition بـ (bi).
Meaning: engaged or preoccupied (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
مشغول is a passive participle derived from a root meaning to occupy or to engage, literally meaning occupied, distracted or busy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the subject: use مشغولة for a feminine subject and مشغولون for a masculine plural subject.
How do you pronounce it?
mashghūl
Did you know?
- In certain poetic contexts, the root of مشغول is used to describe a heart that is 'occupied' or 'enchanted' by love.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, even if you are مشغول, it is often considered polite to listen to a caller for a moment before saying you are too busy to talk.
- The verb 'to occupy' used in the root of مشغول can also be used in a legal or formal sense to mean 'to take possession of' a space or an object.
Examples in context
- إنه مشغول بشيء ما.He is busy doing something.This sentence shows how to use مشغول to describe being busy with something.Tatoeba #372516 by saeb, translation #290073 by sacredceltic
- الكل مشغول ما عداي.Everybody is busy except me.This sentence uses مشغول to describe a group of people being busy.Tatoeba #1586292 by Amastan, translation #262462 by CK
- أخبر توم بأني مشغول.Tell Tom that I'm busy.This sentence uses مشغول to communicate your own state of being busy.Tatoeba #5604888 by Safa_Alfulaij, translation #5590923 by CK
- أنا مشغول جدًا اليوم.I am very busy today.
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ahmed calls Sarah to ask if she can talk.
- أحمد Ahmedمرحباً سارة، هل أنتِ مشغولة الآن؟Marhaban Sarah, hal anti mashghoula al-aan?Hello Sarah, are you busy now?
- سارة Saraنعم، أنا مشغولة جداً في العمل.Na'am, ana mashghoula jiddan fil-amal.Yes, I am very busy at work.
- أحمد Ahmedآسف، هل أنتِ مشغولة طوال اليوم؟Asif, hal anti mashghoula tawal al-yawm?Sorry, are you busy all day?
- سارة Saraلا، سأكون أقل انشغالاً في المساء.La, sa-akoun aqall inshighalan fil-masa.No, I will be less busy in the evening.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
