سَاعَة
sāʕafeminine
The English word clock is سَاعَة (sāʕa) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists ساعة (sāʕa) and مݣانة (magāna).
Meaning: instrument to measure or keep track of time (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| سَاعَة | sāʕa | feminine | |
| ساعة | sāʕa | /saː.ʕa/ | Egyptian Arabic, feminine |
| مݣانة | magāna | Moroccan Arabic, feminine |
The word سَاعَة is a generic term for any type of clock or instrument used to measure and track time.
What does it mean word for word?
While the word refers to a clock, it also literally means an hour.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word is written as ساعة and pronounced sāʕa, typically without the short vowel markings found in Modern Standard Arabic. In Moroccan Arabic, the word مݣانة is used for a clock or watch.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the word is سَاعَات, which can mean clocks or hours.
How do you pronounce it?
sāʕa
Did you know?
- The word سَاعَة is used in the Quran to refer to 'The Hour', which is the specific moment of the Day of Judgment.
- In Moroccan Arabic, the word مݣانة for clock is actually a loanword derived from the Spanish word 'máquina', meaning 'machine'.
- Because سَاعَة can mean 'an hour', it is also used idiomatically to describe a single, fleeting 'moment' in time.
Examples in context
- اشتريت لها ساعة.I bought her a clock.Tatoeba #419546 by saeb, translation #1454222 by raghebaraby
- ابتعتُ لهُ ساعة.I bought him a clock.Tatoeba #3661872 by Safa_Alfulaij, translation #3661850 by MTC
- يجب أن تقوم بإعادة ضبط الساعة الرقمية.You must reset the digital clock.
- في الغرفة توجد ساعة حائطية كبيرة.There is a large wall clock in the room.
- أين يمكنني أن أجد ساعة للمطبخ؟Where can I find a clock for the kitchen?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clock” translations and entries ساعة, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
