Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| اِسْتَمْتَعَ | istamtaʕa |
| تَمَتَّعَ | tamattaʕa |
| اِنْبَسَطَ | inbasaṭa |
The verb اِسْتَمْتَعَ is used to mean deriving pleasure or satisfaction from something, while اِنْبَسَطَ is used more broadly to describe a person's state of being happy or enjoying themselves.
Which one should you use?
اِسْتَمْتَعَ (istamtaʕa) focuses on the act of deriving pleasure from something, whereas اِنْبَسَطَ (inbasaṭa) describes a person's mood or state of being happy and relaxed. تَمَتَّعَ (tamattaʕa) is another form provided for the concept of enjoyment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When addressing someone directly to tell them to 'enjoy', you can use the formal versions استمتِع for a male or استمتِعي for a female. In informal settings, you use اِستمتِع for a male or اِستمتِعي for a female. The term اِنْبَسَطَ is a colloquial way to express that someone is having a good time or is in a pleasant mood.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb اِسْتَمْتَعَ (istamtaʕa) is a Form X verb, which often implies a reflexive or intensive engagement with an action. To say 'to enjoy something', you must use the preposition بِـ (bi-) after the verb, forming the construction اِسْتَمْتَعَ بِـ.
How do you pronounce it?
istamtaʕa
Did you know?
- If you wish to say 'enjoy your meal' to a friend, you might say صَحْتَيْن, which literally means 'two healths'. The idea is to wish the person double the wellness through their food.
- The verb اِنْبَسَطَ (inbasaṭa) literally means 'to be spread out' or 'to expand', like a piece of cloth or a map. It is used metaphorically to describe a person's heart or mood being 'unfolded' or wide and relaxed.
- The root of the verb اِسْتَمْتَعَ also produces the word مَتَاع, which refers to luggage or worldly possessions. This implies a conceptual tie between the things we own and the pleasure we derive from them.
Examples in context
- استمتِع بالحفلة!Enjoy the party!
- تمتَّع بالرحلة إلى القاهرة!Enjoy your trip to Cairo!
- اِسْتَمْتَعَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ كَثِيرًا.istamta'a bil-qira'ati kathiran.He enjoyed reading very much.
- اِسْتَمْتَعَ بِالْوَقْتِ فِي الْعُطْلَةِ.istamta'a bil-waqti fil-'utlah.He enjoyed the time during the holiday.
- اِسْتَمْتَعَ بِالْأَطْعِمَةِ فِي الْمَطْعَمِ.istamta'a bil-at'imati fil-mat'am.He enjoyed the food at the restaurant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enjoy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
