عَادَ
ʕāda
The English phrase 'come back' can be translated into Arabic as عَادَ (ʕāda) or رَجَعَ.
Meaning: (''intransitive'') To return to a place (verb)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| عَادَ | ʕāda |
| رَجَعَ | rajaʕa |
Both forms mean to return to a place. In casual speech, you might also encounter the phrase روح وارجع, which literally means 'go and come back' and is used among friends.
Which one should you use?
عَادَ is more formal and is commonly used in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and literature, whereas رَجَعَ is a common way to express 'come back'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine Arabic, رجع is a common word for 'come back'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense form of the formal verb عَادَ is يَعُودُ (he returns / he is returning).
How do you pronounce it?
ʕāda
Did you know?
- In poetic Arabic, the idea of 'returning' or 'coming back' is often used as a metaphor for death, describing the soul returning to its Creator.
- In many Arabic cultures, when someone says they are 'returning' from a trip, they often use the phrase الحمد لله على السلامة to welcome them back, which means 'praise be to God for your safety'.
- The formal verb عَادَ can also mean 'to visit', specifically in the context of visiting a sick person, known as عيادة المريض.
Examples in context
- روح وارجع بسرعة.Go and come back quickly.
- اروح أجي في الأسبوع الجاي.I'll go and come back next week.
- عَادَ الطَّالِبُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ.ʿāda aṭ-ṭālibu ilā al-madrasati.The student returned to the school.
- عَادَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ بَعْدَ الْعَمَلِ.ʿāda ar-rajulu ilā al-bayti baʿda al-ʿamali.The man returned home after work.
- مَتَى عَادَ السَّائِحُ إِلَى بَلَدِهِ؟matā ʿāda as-sāʾiḥu ilā baladihi?When did the tourist return to his country?
Example conversation
Youssef is asking Nour about her brother's return from a trip.
- يوسف Youssefهَلْ عَادَ أَخُوكِ مِنَ السَّفَرِ؟hal ʿāda akhūki min as-safari?Has your brother returned from his trip?
- نور Nourنَعَمْ، عَادَ الْيَوْمَ.naʿam, ʿāda al-yawma.Yes, he returned today.
- يوسف Youssefهَذَا جَيِّدٌ جِدًّا.hādhā jayyidun jiddan.That is very good.
- نور Nourأَنَا سَعِيدَةٌ لِأَنَّهُ عَادَ.anā saʿīdatun li-annahu ʿāda.I am happy because he returned.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come back” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
