عين
ʕén/ʕajn/Egyptian Arabic, feminine
The Arabic word for eye is عين (ʕén). Wiktionary also lists عَيْن (ʕayn) and عنيين (ʕenén).
Meaning: organ (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| عين | ʕén | /ʕajn/ | Egyptian Arabic, feminine |
| عَيْن | ʕayn | feminine | |
| عنيين | ʕenén | Egyptian Arabic, dual, feminine | |
| عينين or عيون | ʕīnēn | South Levantine Arabic, plural |
While primarily referring to the organ of sight, عين can also mean a water spring or the essence/core of something depending on context.
Which one should you use?
In Egyptian Arabic, the form عين is used, while in South Levantine Arabic, the plural form عينين or عيون is used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, you may use عين for the singular or عنيين for the dual form. In South Levantine Arabic, the plural is expressed as عينين or عيون.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer specifically to a pair of eyes, the dual form عينين is used. In Modern Standard Arabic, the most common plural form for 'eyes' is عيون.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ʕén.
Did you know?
- In Arabic, the word عين can refer to a spy or a secret agent. This usage stems from the idea that a spy acts as the 'eye' of a leader or organization.
- The Arabic phrase for 'the evil eye' uses عين to describe a malicious glare believed to cause bad luck. To ward it off, people often use a blue bead or a hand-shaped amulet called a 'Hamsa'.
- The term عين is a cognate of the Hebrew word 'ayin', as both descend from the same Proto-Semitic root.
Examples in context
- كان عين ليلى مسودّة.Layla had a black eye.This sentence uses عين to describe a black eye.Tatoeba #6810891 by OsoHombre, translation #6086111 by OsoHombre
- كانت عين فاضل مسودّة.Fadil had a black eye.Tatoeba #6810889 by OsoHombre, translation #5883077 by OsoHombre
- كان سامي قرّة عين أمّه.Sami was the apple of his mother's eye.This sentence uses عين to express the idiom 'the apple of one's eye'.Tatoeba #6712833 by OsoHombre, translation #6709879 by OsoHombre
- ما أجمل عيونكHow beautiful your eyes are!
- يا عينيOh, my eyes!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youssef notices something in Layla's eye.
- يوسف Youssefفي حاجة في عينك يا ليلى.Fi haga fi einik ya Layla.There is something in your eye, Layla.
- ليلى Laylaبجد؟ أنا مش شايفة حاجة.Begad? Ana mesh shayfa haga.Really? I don't see anything.
- يوسف Youssefغمضي عينك وأنا هشيلها.Ghamadi einik wa ana hasheelha.Close your eye and I will remove it.
- ليلى Laylaشكراً يا يوسف، راحت خلاص.Shukran ya Youssef, rahat khalas.Thank you Youssef, it's gone now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eye” translations and entries عين, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries عين, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
