دِيسِمْبِر
disimbirmasculine
The English word December is translated into Arabic as دِيسِمْبِر (disimbir). Wiktionary also lists دِيسَمْبِر (disambir) and كَانُون الْأَوَّل (kānūn al-ʔawwal).
Meaning: twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar (name)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| دِيسِمْبِر | disimbir | masculine |
| دِيسَمْبِر | disambir | masculine |
| كَانُون الْأَوَّل | kānūn al-ʔawwal | masculine |
This term refers to the twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar.
What does it mean word for word?
The term كَانُون الْأَوَّل literally means the first Kanun, referring to the first month of the Kanun seasonal cycle.
Which one should you use?
The term كَانُون الْأَوَّل is used in the Levant and Iraq, whereas disimbir is more common in Egypt and the Maghreb.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egypt, people commonly use the term شهر ديسمبر to refer to December. In the Gulf countries, the term ديسمبر is predominantly used. In the Levant and Iraq, the term كَانُون الْأَوَّل is used.
How do you pronounce it?
disimbir
Did you know?
- In the Levant, the word كَانُون also refers to a traditional clay brazier used for heating homes during the cold winter months of December and January.
- The usage of كَانُون الْأَوَّل is a linguistic remnant of the Aramaic language, which was spoken in the region long before the spread of Arabic.
- In the Levant, the months are numbered as part of a series, which is why December is called 'the first' of the Kanun months.
Examples in context
- في شهر ديسمبر ستحتفل الشركة بذكرى تأسيسها.In December, the company will celebrate its anniversary.
- سَأُسَافِرُ فِي دِيسِمْبِر.sa'usāfiru fī dīsimbir.I will travel in December.
- هَلْ سَتَكُونُ هُنَا فِي دِيسِمْبِر؟hal satakūnu hunā fī dīsimbir?Will you be here in December?
Example conversation
Sarah and Ziad are talking about their vacation plans.
- سارة Saraمَتَى سَتَزُورُ عَائِلَتَكَ يَا زِيَاد؟Matā satazūru ʿā'ilataka yā Ziyād?When will you visit your family, Ziad?
- زياد Ziadسَأَزُورُهُمْ فِي شَهْرِ دِيسِمْبِر.Sa-azūruhum fī shahri dīsimbir.I will visit them in December.
- سارة Saraهَذَا وَقْتٌ رَائِعٌ لِلسَّفَرِ.Hādhā waqtun rāʾiʿun li-s-safar.That is a great time for traveling.
- زياد Ziadنَعَمْ، أَنَا أُحِبُّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ.Naʿam, ana uḥibbu hādhā ash-shahr.Yes, I love this month.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “December” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
