عِلْكَة
ʕilkafeminine
Chewing gum in Arabic is expressed as عِلْكَة (ʕilka). Wiktionary also lists لُبَان (lubān).
Meaning: flavoured preparation for chewing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عِلْكَة | ʕilka | feminine |
| لُبَان | lubān | masculine |
The term refers to a flavored preparation intended for chewing.
Which one should you use?
عِلْكَة is the most common term used in modern daily conversation, whereas لُبَان serves as a more classical or formal way to refer to chewing gum.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word عِلْكَة is a feminine noun. Its plural form is عِلْكَات (ʕilkāt).
How do you pronounce it?
ʕilka
Did you know?
- In some Levantine dialects, calling someone an عِلْكَة is a colorful way to describe a person who is 'clingy' or stubbornly difficult to shake off, much like stuck gum.
- While لُبَان refers to modern gum, it is also the name for the ancient resin that was once more valuable than gold in the trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula.
- The word لُبَان is often used in the context of 'spiritual cleansing' because the resin is burned as incense to ward off negative energy.
Examples in context
- عندك علكة؟Do you have chewing gum?
- عاوز/عاوزة علكةI want chewing gum.
- أُريدُ عِلْكَةً بِطَعْمِ النَّعْنَاعِ.urīdu 'ilkatan bi-ṭa'mi an-na'nā'i.I want peppermint chewing gum.
- هَذِهِ الْعِلْكَةُ لَذِيذَةٌ جِدًّا.hādhihi al-'ilkatu ladhīdhatun jiddan.This chewing gum is very delicious.
Example conversation
Yusuf and Sarah are walking to class together.
- يوسف Youssefسارة، هل تريدين عِلْكَة؟Sarah, hal turidina ilka?Sarah, do you want some chewing gum?
- سارة Saraنعم من فضلك يا يوسف.Naam min fadlika ya Yusuf.Yes please, Yusuf.
- يوسف Youssefتفضلي، هذه بنكهة الفراولة.Tafaddali, hadhihi bi-nakhat al-farawla.Here you go, this is strawberry flavored.
- سارة Saraشكراً لك، إنها لذيذة!Shukran laka, innaha ladhidha!Thank you, it is delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chewing gum” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
