غُرَاب
ḡurābmasculine
The Arabic word for crow is غُرَاب (ḡurāb). Wiktionary also lists زَاغ (zāḡ).
Meaning: any bird of the genus Corvus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| غُرَاب | ḡurāb | masculine |
| زَاغ | zāḡ | masculine |
The term refers to any bird belonging to the genus Corvus.
Which one should you use?
The standard term for a crow in Modern Standard Arabic is غُرَاب, while زَاغ is another masculine form used for the same bird.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Gulf Arabic, you can use the term غُرَاب to refer to a crow.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both غُرَاب and زَاغ are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
ḡurāb
Did you know?
- The crow is famously associated with the story of Cain and Abel in Islamic tradition, as it was a crow that taught humanity how to bury the dead.
- In some Arabic dialects, calling someone a غُرَاب can be a way to suggest they are bringing bad luck or 'black' news, following the bird's dark plumage.
- In Arabic poetry, the crow is often a symbol of separation and sorrow, frequently used to personify the act of crying or lamenting.
Examples in context
- هناك غراب في الشجرة.There is a crow in the tree.
- شفت شحرور على السطح.I saw a crow on the roof.
- رأيت غُرَابًا أسودَ في الحديقة.ra'aytu ghurāban aswada fī al-hadīqa.I saw a black crow in the garden.
- هذا غُرَابٌ كبيرٌ جدًا.hādhā ghurābun kabīrun jiddan.This is a very large crow.
- طَارَ غُرَابٌ فوق المنزل.ṭāra ghurābun fawqa al-manzil.A crow flew over the house.
Example conversation
Omar and Maryam are sitting on a park bench observing nature.
- عمر Omarانظري يا مريم، هناك غُرَابٌ على الشجرة.unẓurī yā Maryam, hunāka ghurābun 'alā al-shajara.Look Maryam, there is a crow on the tree.
- مريم Maryamنعم، إنه غُرَابٌ جميل.na'am, innahu ghurābun jamīl.Yes, it is a beautiful crow.
- عمر Omarهل هو غُرَابٌ ضخم؟hal huwa ghurābun dhakhm?Is it a huge crow?
- مريم Maryamيبدو كذلك يا عمر.yabdū kadhalika yā 'Umar.It looks like it, Omar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
