هَدَف
hadafmasculine
The most common word for goal in Arabic is هَدَف (hadaf), the result you are trying to achieve. If unsure, use هَدَف. Wiktionary also lists مَقْصَد (maqṣad) and غَايَة (ḡāya).
Meaning: result one is attempting to achieve (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| هَدَف | hadaf | masculine |
| مَقْصَد | maqṣad | masculine |
| غَايَة | ḡāya | feminine |
هَدَف is the most common and versatile word for a goal. It is used for life objectives and plans and also for a goal in sports such as football.
Which one should you use?
هَدَف is the everyday word. مَقْصَد (maqṣad) suggests a destination or a specific intended aim and is found more in formal or literary writing. غَايَة (ḡāya) means a final aim or a supreme purpose and has a more philosophical, lofty tone than هَدَف.
Is it said differently in some regions?
هدف is used across the Arab world, including the Gulf.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
هَدَف is masculine, so adjectives describing it are masculine too. Its plural is أَهْدَاف (ahdāf), goals. غَايَة is feminine and takes feminine adjectives. To score a goal is سَجَّلَ هَدَفًا.
How do you pronounce it?
It is read hadaf, two short syllables.
Did you know?
- The phrase سَجَّلَ هَدَفًا uses the verb 'to record', meaning that scoring a goal is literally 'recording a goal' in the books.
- The root of هَدَف is linked to the ancient Arabic word for a mark or target used in archery, meaning the 'goal' was originally a physical object to be hit.
- The plural أَهْدَاف follows a specific broken plural pattern common in Arabic, where the internal structure of the word changes rather than just adding a suffix.
Examples in context
- لَقَد وَصَلوا إلى هَدَفَهُم.They reached their goal.هَدَفَهُم means their goal, here the goal they reached.Tatoeba #1938761 by Asma, translation #389168 by CK
- لَقَد حَقَقوا هَدَفَهُم.They achieved their goal.هَدَفَهُم again means their goal, this time one they achieved.Tatoeba #1938760 by Asma, translation #389169 by CK
- أنا أملك هدفًا كبيرًا في حياتي.I have a big goal in my life.
- الهدف من هذا المشروع هو تحقيق النجاح.The goal of this project is to achieve success.
- نحتاج إلى تحديد الأهداف المناسبة لتحقيق النجاح.We need to set appropriate goals to achieve success.
- عندي هدف كبير في الحياة.I have a big goal in life.
- تلك الفكرة كانت هدفي الرئيسي.That idea was my main goal.
- رح نحقق الهدف مع بعض.We will achieve the goal together.
- هَذَا هُوَ هَدَفِي الأَسَاسِيّ.hādhā huwa hadafī al-asāsī.This is my primary goal.
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are discussing their career plans.
- زياد Ziadمَا هُوَ هَدَفُكِ فِي العَمَلِ؟mā huwa hadafuki fī al-'amal?What is your goal at work?
- ليلى Laylaأُرِيدُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مُدِيرَةً.urīdu an akūna mudīratan.I want to be a manager.
- زياد Ziadهَذَا هَدَفٌ طَمُوحٌ جِدًّا.hādhā hadafun ṭamūḥun jiddan.That is a very ambitious goal.
- ليلى Laylaشُكْرًا لَكَ يَا زِيَادُ.shukran laka yā ziyād.Thank you, Ziad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goal” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
