طبخ
ṭabaḵa/tˤa.ba.xa/
The Arabic word for cooking is طبخ (ṭabaḵa).
The word refers to the skill of preparing food or the general act of cookery.
Meaning: one's ability to prepare food, cookery (noun)
Which one should you use?
While طبخ refers to the act or skill of cooking, the related word طباخ refers to the person who performs the cooking (a cook or chef).
How do you pronounce it?
The three-syllable word is romanized as ṭabaḵa.
Did you know?
- The Arabic root for 'cooking' ط ب خ is a cognate of the Hebrew word טבח, which means 'to slaughter' or 'to butcher'.
- In several Arabic dialects, saying someone is 'cooking' طبخ can imply they are manipulating a situation or plotting in secret.
- Depending on the region, an Arabic speaker might use طبخ for home cooking but adopt French-influenced terms when discussing professional 'haute cuisine'.
Examples in context
- سأشتاق إلى طبخك.I'll miss your cooking.This sentence is useful for expressing how much you will miss someone's طبخ.Tatoeba #394030 by saeb, translation #17071 by CK
- أحب الطبخ.I love cooking.
- هل تعرف كيف تطبخ؟Do you know how to cook?
- أنا أطبخ في المنزل.I cook at home.
- الطبخ هو هوايتي المفضلة.Cooking is my favorite hobby.
- مهارة طبخها رائعة حقاً.maharatu tabkhiha ra'i'atun haqqan.Her cooking skill is truly wonderful.
Example conversation
Noor and Omar are eating dinner together.
- نور Nourهل أعجبك طبخي يا عمر؟Hal a'jabaka tabkhi ya Omar?Do you like my cooking, Omar?
- عمر Omarنعم، طبخك لذيذ حقاً.Na'am, tabkhuki ladhidh haqqan.Yes, your cooking is really delicious.
- نور Nourشكراً جزيلاً لك.Shukran jazilan lak.Thank you very much.
- عمر Omarأنتِ ماهرة في المطبخ.Anti mahira fil-matbakh.You are skilled in the kitchen.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry طبخ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries طبخ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
