قِرْش
qiršmasculine
The English word "coin" can be translated into Arabic using قِرْش (qirš). Wiktionary also lists عُمْلَة (ʕumla) and سِكَّة (sikka).
Meaning: (currency) a piece of currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| قِرْش | qirš | masculine |
| عُمْلَة | ʕumla | feminine |
| سِكَّة | sikka | feminine |
In Arabic, different words are used to distinguish between a single physical coin, the general concept of money and the technical medium of minted coinage.
Which one should you use?
The term قِرْش refers specifically to a single piece of currency or a single coin. In contrast, عُمْلَة is a general term used for "currency" or "money" as a concept, such as when speaking about foreign currency. The term سِكَّة is a more technical word that refers to coinage or the physical medium of minted coins.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun قِرْش has the plural form قِروش.
How do you pronounce it?
qirš
Did you know?
- The word قِرْش literally means 'shark' in modern Arabic. Depending on the context, you could be talking about a small piece of change or a large predator of the sea.
- The term سِكَّة for 'minted coinage' comes from the same root used to describe the physical act of 'striking' or 'hammering' metal.
- While قِرْش is used for 'coin', it is also the name of a 'piastre', a specific historical unit of currency used across much of the Middle East.
Example sentences for Arabic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Omar and Nour are looking for change for a vending machine.
- عمر Omarهل معكِ أي قِرْش يا نور؟Hal ma'aki ayy qirsh ya Nour?Do you have any coin, Nour?
- نور Nourلا، ليس معي الآن.La, laysa ma'i al-aan.No, I don't have one right now.
- عمر Omarأبحث عن قِرْش في حقيبتي.Abhathu 'an qirsh fi haqibati.I am looking for a coin in my bag.
- نور Nourوجدت واحداً أخيراً!Wajadta wahidan akhiran!You finally found one!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
