Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مَجْنُون | majnūn |
| مَخْبُول | maḵbūl |
| مَسْعُور | masʕūr |
| أَحْمَق | ʔaḥmaq |
The term مَجْنُون is the most common way to refer to someone who is clinically insane or mentally deranged.
Which one should you use?
While مَجْنُون is the general term for being insane or mad, other forms carry different nuances. أَحْمَق describes someone who is foolish or lacks judgment rather than someone with a clinical mental illness. مَسْعُور literally means 'rabid' and is used to describe someone acting in a frenzied, violent or uncontrollable manner.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine dialects, مَجْنُون is often used informally to convey the same meaning as in Modern Standard Arabic.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a female, you use the feminine form مَجْنُونَة by adding a 'tāʾ marbūṭa' to the end of the masculine adjective. The masculine plural form of the word is مَجْنُونُون.
How do you pronounce it?
majnūn
Did you know?
- In Arabic, the word for 'paradise', جَنَّة, also comes from the same root as مَجْنُون. It refers to a garden so lush that its foliage 'hides' or covers the ground and the people within it.
- The word for 'genie' or 'spirit', جِنّ, shares the same linguistic root as مَجْنُون. This reflects an ancient belief that madness was caused by spirits hiding within or possessing a person.
- The famous 7th-century poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah was nicknamed مَجْنُون ليلى, or the 'Crazy Lover of Layla', after he lost his mind due to unrequited love.
Examples in context
- أعتقد أنه مجنونI think he is crazy
- هو مريض عقليًاHe is mentally ill
- أنا أعتقد أنه مضطرب العقلI believe he is mentally disturbed
- هو مهبول وما يملك عقلHe's crazy and doesn't have a brain
- هي مجنونةShe is crazy
- في بعض الحالات، يجب نقل المريض العقلي إلى المستشفىIn some cases, the mentally ill patient should be transferred to the hospital
- اسكت يا رجل، إنت مهبولShut up, man, you are crazy
- هذا الرجل مَجْنُون.hadha al-rajul majnun.This man is crazy.
- هل أنتَ مَجْنُون؟hal anta majnun?Are you crazy?
Example conversation
Layla and Ziad are discussing a dangerous stunt someone performed.
- ليلى Laylaهل رأيت ما فعله؟hal ra'ayta ma fa'alah?Did you see what he did?
- زياد Ziadنعم، إنه مَجْنُون حقاً.na'am, innahu majnun haqqan.Yes, he is truly crazy.
- ليلى Laylaزياد، هذا التصرف خطير.Ziad, hadha al-tasarruf khatir.Ziad, this behavior is dangerous.
- زياد Ziadأوافقكِ الرأي يا ليلى.uwafiquki al-ra'y ya Layla.I agree with you, Layla.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crazy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
