How to Say "Cowboy" in Arabic

رَاعِي بَقَر

rāʕī baqarmasculine

The English word cowboy is رَاعِي بَقَر (rāʕī baqar) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists رَعَوِيّ الْبَقَر (raʕawiyy al-baqar) and بَقّار (baqqār).

Meaning: person who tends cattle (noun)

Ways to say it

The term refers to a person who tends cattle. The term رعاة الأبقار may be more suitable when referring specifically to cattle herders.

The phrase رَاعِي بَقَر literally means 'shepherd of cows', where راعي means cowherd or herder and البقر refers to cattle.

While رَاعِي بَقَر is a descriptive phrase for a cowherd, بَقّار is a more concise, single-word noun for the same profession.

rāʕī baqar

While رَاعِي بَقَر describes the job, Arabic speakers often use the English loanword 'cowboy' when referring specifically to the American cultural icon wearing a hat and boots.
The term رَاعِي is used for any animal herder, but in a poetic or religious context, it is also the word used for a spiritual leader or shepherd of people.
In Arabic, the root of رَاعِي is shared with words meaning 'guardian' or 'caretaker', suggesting that herding cattle is viewed as a protective duty rather than simple labor.

هُوَ رَاعِي بَقَر مُجْتَهِدٌ.
Huwa rā'ī baqar mujtahid.
He is a hardworking cowboy.

Ziad is telling Sarah about his uncle's job.

سارة Sara

مَاذَا يَعْمَلُ عَمُّكَ يَا زِيَاد؟
Mādhā ya'malu 'ammuka yā Ziyād?
What does your uncle do, Ziad?
زياد Ziad

عَمِّي رَاعِي بَقَر فِي الْقَرْيَةِ.
'Ammī rā'ī baqar fī al-qaryah.
My uncle is a cowboy in the village.
سارة Sara

هَلْ هَذِهِ وَظِيفَةٌ صَعْبَةٌ؟
Hal hadhihi wadīfatun sa'bah?
Is this a difficult job?
زياد Ziad

نَعَمْ، هِيَ وَظِيفَةٌ مَتْعِبَةٌ جِدًّا.
Na'am, hiya wadīfatun mut'ibah jiddan.
Yes, it is a very tiring job.

Sources

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