كلب
kalb/kalb/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The Arabic word for dog is كلب (kalb). Wiktionary also lists كَلْب (kalb) and چلب (čalb).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| كلب | kalb | /kalb/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| كَلْب | kalb | masculine | |
| چلب | čalb | Gulf Arabic |
The word refers to the animal known as a dog.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Gulf Arabic, the word is pronounced or written as چلب. In Egypt, كلب is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
كلب is a masculine noun. To refer to a female dog, use the feminine form كلبة. To refer to multiple dogs, use the plural form كلاب.
How do you pronounce it?
kalb
Did you know?
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, calling someone a كلب is a severe insult rather than a simple observation of an animal.
- The word for rabies in Arabic, كَلَب, is closely linked to the word for dog, كلب, likely because dogs were the primary carriers of the disease.
- In Arabic literature, the dog is often portrayed as a symbol of lowliness, contrasting with the falcon or horse which symbolize nobility.
Examples in context
- لدي كلب و قطة.I have a dog and a cat.This sentence is useful for expressing possession of a dog (using the form كلب).Tatoeba #442999 by saeb, translation #441581 by CK
- أهذا كلب توم ؟Is that Tom's dog?This sentence is useful for asking about ownership of a dog (using the form كلب).Tatoeba #9073806 by alkhaldy, translation #6664521 by CK
- كان لدى سامي كلب.Sami had a dog.This sentence is useful for describing past possession of a dog (using the form كلب).Tatoeba #6975090 by OsoHombre, translation #6806463 by OsoHombre
- يَوجَدُ كَلْبٌ في الحَديقةِ.There is a dog in the garden.
- 160 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar and Nour are walking in a park.
- عمر Omarبصي، في كلب صغير هناك.Bossi, fi kalb saghir honak.Look, there is a small dog over there.
- نور Nourيا خبر! هو كلب لطيف أوي.Ya khabar! Huwa kalb lateef awy.Oh my! He is a very cute dog.
- عمر Omarتفتكري ده كلب حد من الجيران؟Teftekari da kalb had men el geran?Do you think this is a neighbor's dog?
- نور Nourممكن، بس مفيش حد معاه.Momken, bas mafish had ma'ah.Maybe, but there is no one with him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries كلب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كلب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
