How to Say "Devil" in Arabic - How To Say Guide

شَيْطَان

šayṭānmasculine

The English phrase "devil" is translated into Arabic as شَيْطَان (šayṭān). Wiktionary also lists إِبْلِيس (ʔiblīs).

Meaning: evil creature (noun)

Ways to say it

“devil” in Arabic
Arabic	Romanization (Wiktionary)	Note
شَيْطَان	šayṭān	masculine
إِبْلِيس	ʔiblīs	masculine

The word شَيْطَان can be used both to refer to the specific Devil and as a generic term for any malevolent spirit or demon.

While šayṭān is a generic term for any devil or demon, إِبْلِيس is the specific proper name of the fallen angel/the chief devil.

In Egyptian Arabic, devil can be expressed as Sheytan.

The broken plural of šayṭān is شَيَاطِين.

šayṭān

In many Arabic dialects, the word شَيْطَان is used to describe a child who is mischievous or hyperactive, rather than truly evil.
The root of شَيْطَان is believed to come from a word meaning 'to be distant' or 'to deviate', referring to the devil's distance from the mercy of God.
While إِبْلِيس is the name of the primary devil, the word is thought to be derived from a root meaning 'to despair', as he is the one who has lost all hope.

Omar and Layla are watching a scary horror movie together.

عمر Omar

هَذَا الْفِيلْمُ يُصَوِّرُ شَيْطَانًا مُرْعِبًا.
hādhā al-fīlmu yuṣawwiru shayṭānan mur'iban.
This movie depicts a terrifying devil.
ليلى Layla

نَعَمْ، إِنَّهُ شَيْطَانٌ مُخِيفٌ جِدًّا.
na'am, innahu shayṭānun mukhīfun jiddan.
Yes, it is a very scary devil.
عمر Omar

أَنَا أَخَافُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ فِي الْقِصَصِ.
anā akhāfu min kulli shayṭānin fī al-qiṣaṣ.
I am afraid of every devil in stories.
ليلى Layla

لَا تَقْلَقْ يَا عُمَرُ، هَذَا مُجَرَّدُ خَيَالٍ.
lā taqlaq yā 'Umar, hādhā mujarradu khayāl.
Don't worry, Omar, it is just fiction.

Sources

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