بطة
baṭṭa/batˤ.tˤa/Egyptian Arabic, feminine, singulative
The English word duck is translated into Arabic as بطة (baṭṭa). Wiktionary also lists بَطَّة (baṭṭa) and بط (baṭṭ).
Meaning: aquatic bird of the family Anatidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| بطة | baṭṭa | /batˤ.tˤa/ | Egyptian Arabic, feminine, singulative |
| بَطَّة | baṭṭa | feminine | |
| بط | baṭṭ | Egyptian Arabic, collective, masculine | |
| بَطّ | Gulf Arabic |
The term refers to the aquatic bird of the family Anatidae.
Which one should you use?
The form بطة is a singulative feminine noun used when referring to one specific duck. In contrast, the form بط is a collective noun used to refer to the species in general or a group of ducks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, both بط and بطة are used, with بط being a common way to refer to duck as a category or a group. The form بَطّ is also used in Gulf Arabic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form بَطَّة is the singulative feminine form used to refer to a single duck. The form بط acts as a collective noun to refer to a group of ducks or the species as a whole.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /batˤ.tˤa/. It has two syllables: baṭṭa.
Did you know?
- While بطة refers to a single bird, in some Arabic dialects, calling someone a بطة can be a playful or affectionate way to describe someone who is chubby or cute.
- The word بط might not be uniquely Arabic, as it is thought to be a 'wanderword' that shares an ancient origin with the Old Armenian word բադ (bad), meaning 'duck'.
- The term بطة is grammatically feminine, even when referring to a male duck.
Examples in context
- أطلق سامي النّار على بطّة.Sami shot a duck.This sentence demonstrates the use of the form بطTatoeba #7141157 by OsoHombre, translation #6127722 by OsoHombre
- أحبّ البطَّة الصغيرة.I love the little duck.
- في بطة بتعوم في النيل.fi batta bit'oum fel nil.There is a duck swimming in the Nile.
Example conversation
Ziad and Leila are walking by a pond in a park.
- زياد Ziadبصي يا ليلى، في بطة هنا!bossi ya Leila, fi batta hena!Look Leila, there is a duck here!
- ليلى Laylaيا خبر، شكلها جميل أوي.ya khobor, shaklaha gamil awi.Oh wow, it looks very beautiful.
- زياد Ziadتفتكري البطة دي جعانة؟teftikari el-batta di ga3ana?Do you think this duck is hungry?
- ليلى Laylaممكن، خلينا نأكلها شوية عيش.momken, khallina na'aklaha shwayyet 3esh.Maybe, let's feed it some bread.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duck” translations and entries بطة, بط, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بط, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
