How to Say "Disabled" in Arabic

معاق

mueaq

The English word 'disabled' is translated into Arabic as معاق (mueaq).

The term معاق is used to describe someone having a disability.

Meaning: having a disability (adj)

Which one should you use?

To express the opposite, or the concept of being non-disabled, you can prefix the word with the negation particle غير to form غير معاق.

The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it describes.

mueaq

If you want to be even more respectful in a formal or poetic sense, you might use the term ذوي الهمم, meaning 'people of determination'.
The grammar of معاق is based on a passive participle, which literally frames the state as something that has been 'done' to the person.
In many modern Arab contexts, the term معاق is increasingly viewed as stigmatizing or outdated. Many people now prefer the phrase ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة, which translates to 'people of special needs'.

إنها الإجابة التي رددها كل صغير وكبير، غني وفقير، ديمقراطي وجمهوري، أسود، أبيض، لاتيني، مواطن أمريكي أصلي، مثلي، عادي، معاق، غير معاق؛ إنهم أمريكيون وجهوا للعالم رسالةً تقول أننا لم نكن أبداً مجرد خليطٍ من ولايات جمهورية وأخرى ديمقراطية: لقد كنا، ولا زلنا، وسنكون الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
This sentence shows the use of معاق in a list of diverse groups of people.
Tatoeba #376787 by saeb, translation #347742 by U2FS
الأشخاص ذوو الإعاقة يستحقون المساواة في جميع المجالات.
People with disabilities deserve equality in all areas.
صديقي مُعَاق لكنه يتمتع بروح مدهشة.
My friend is disabled, but he has an amazing spirit.
هذا الشخص معاق حركياً.
hadha al-shakhs mu'aq harakiyan.
This person is physically disabled.

Maryam and Youssef are discussing building accessibility.

مريم Maryam

يوسف، هل هذا المبنى مجهز للشخص المعاق؟
Youssef, hal hādhā al-mabnā mujahhaz lil-shakhṣ al-muʿāq?
Youssef, is this building equipped for a disabled person?
يوسف Youssef

نعم، هناك مصعد ومنحدر خاص.
Naʿam, hunāka miṣʿad wa-munḥadar khāṣ.
Yes, there is an elevator and a special ramp.
مريم Maryam

هذا رائع، صديقي معاق ويحتاج لذلك.
Hādhā rāʾiʿ, ṣadīqī muʿāq wa-yaḥtāj li-dhālik.
That is great, my friend is disabled and needs that.
يوسف Youssef

سيكون من السهل عليه الدخول إذن.
Sayakūn min al-sahl ʿalayhi al-dukhūl idhan.
It will be easy for him to enter then.

Sources

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