حَلْوَى
ḥalwāfeminine
The English phrase 'candy' is translated into Arabic as حَلْوَى (ḥalwā). If unsure, use حَلْوَى. Wiktionary also lists حَلْوَى سُكَّرِيَّة (ḥalwā sukkariyya).
Meaning: piece of candy (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حَلْوَى | ḥalwā | feminine |
| حَلْوَى سُكَّرِيَّة | ḥalwā sukkariyya | feminine |
حَلْوَى is used to refer to a piece of candy.
What does it mean word for word?
The word حَلْوَى is derived from a root meaning 'sweetness' and literally refers to a 'sweet thing' or 'sweetness'.
Which one should you use?
While حَلْوَى can refer to various sweets or desserts, حَلْوَى سُكَّرِيَّة specifically emphasizes the sugary, confectionery nature of the candy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egypt, candy is often referred to as حلويات.
How does it change in a sentence?
حَلْوَى is a feminine noun, which affects the adjectives used to describe it.
How do you pronounce it?
ḥalwā
Did you know?
- The English word 'halva' refers to a specific dense confection, but it is actually a loanword derived from the Arabic حَلْوَى, which generally means any sweet.
- The word حَلْوَى shares the same root as the word for 'sweet' or 'beautiful', meaning that in Arabic, a 'sweet' taste and a 'sweet' appearance are linguistically linked.
- In some Levantine dialects, the word for candy is actually 'bonbon', borrowed from French, rather than the classical حَلْوَى.
Examples in context
- جلبت معي حلوى من صندوق الهدايا.I brought candy from the gift box.
- لدينا بعض الحلوى في الثلاجة.We have some candy in the fridge.
- الأطفال في مصر يحبون تناول الحلويات بعد العشاء.Children in Egypt love to have sweets after dinner.
- أشتريت حقيبة مليئة بالحلوى للاحتفال بالأعياد في الخليج.I bought a bag full of candy to celebrate holidays in the Gulf.
- هَذِهِ حَلْوَى لَذِيذَةٌ جِدًّا.hadhihi halwa ladhidha jiddan.This is a very delicious candy.
- أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ حَلْوَى.uridu an ashtariya halwa.I want to buy candy.
- هَلْ عِنْدَكَ بَعْضُ الْحَلْوَى؟hal 'indaka ba'du al-halwa?Do you have some candy?
Example conversation
Youssef and Sarah are at a small grocery store.
- يوسف Youssefهَلْ نَشْتَرِي بَعْضَ الْحَلْوَى؟hal nashtari ba'da al-halwa?Shall we buy some candy?
- سارة Saraنَعَمْ، أَنَا أُحِبُّ الْحَلْوَى.na'am, ana uhibbu al-halwa.Yes, I love candy.
- يوسف Youssefأَيُّ نَوْعٍ مِنَ الْحَلْوَى تُفَضِّلِينَ؟ayyu naw'in min al-halwa tufaddilin?Which kind of candy do you prefer?
- سارة Saraأُفَضِّلُ الْحَلْوَى بِالْفَاكِهَةِ.ufaddilu al-halwa bil-fakiha.I prefer fruit candy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “candy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
