قَدِمَ
qadima
In Arabic, the phrase 'come' can be expressed through several forms depending on the dialect and context. If unsure, use قَدِمَ (qadima). Wiktionary also lists وَصَلَ (waṣala) and وصل (wiṣil).
Meaning: to arrive, to appear (verb)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| قَدِمَ | qadima | |
| وَصَلَ | waṣala | |
| وصل | wiṣil | Egyptian Arabic |
| جا | jā | Hijazi Arabic |
The verb can be used to describe the act of arriving, appearing.
Which one should you use?
The form قَدِمَ is used for the general sense of coming or arriving, whereas وَصَلَ specifically emphasizes the act of reaching a destination.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Hijazi dialect, جا is used to mean 'came'. In Egyptian Arabic, the form وصل is the common way to say 'arrived' or 'came'. In Levantine Arabic, the word تعال is used in an informal context to mean 'come'.
How do you pronounce it?
qadima
Did you know?
- In certain cultural contexts, if you ask someone 'where did you come from?', you might unintentionally be asking about their genealogical lineage or tribal origins rather than their recent travel route.
- In Egyptian Arabic, وصل is frequently used in the phrase 'وصلت الفكرة', which literally means 'the idea arrived' but is used to mean 'I get it'.
- In many Arabic cultures, when someone says وصلت ('I have arrived'), it is common for the listener to respond with الحمد لله ('Praise be to God') to acknowledge the safe journey.
Examples in context
- ما الذي جاء بك إلى هنا؟What made you come here?This sentence uses the form جا to ask about the reason for someone's arrival.Tatoeba #374017 by saeb, translation #25291 by CK
- جاءت أسرة فاضل إلى المدينة.Fadil's family has come to town.This sentence uses the form جا to describe a family arriving in a town.Tatoeba #5896479 by OsoHombre, translation #5895562 by OsoHombre
- ما الذي جاء بك إلى هنا باكراً هكذا؟What made you come here so early?This sentence uses the form جا to ask why someone arrived so early.Tatoeba #507417 by saeb, translation #38687 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are discussing a new colleague at the office.
- زياد Ziadهل قَدِمَ الموظف الجديد اليوم؟Hal qadima al-muwazzaf al-jadid al-yawm?Did the new employee arrive today?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، لقد قَدِمَ قبل ساعة.Na'am, laqad qadima qabla sa'ah.Yes, he arrived an hour ago.
- زياد Ziadمن أي مدينة قَدِمَ؟Min ayyi madina qadima?From which city did he come?
- ليلى Laylaقَدِمَ من مدينة دبي.Qadima min madinat Dubai.He came from Dubai city.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come” translations and entries وصل, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
