عمل رائع
‘amal rā’i‘
The English phrase "great job" can be translated into Arabic as عمل رائع (‘amal rā’i‘).
عمل رائع is used to express praise for a job well done or to offer congratulations. While it is a direct way to say "great job", you may also use the verb أحسنت to compliment a person's actions directly.
Meaning: well done, congrats! (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of عمل, meaning "work" or "job" and رائع, meaning "wonderful" or "great".
Which one should you use?
عمل رائع is a noun phrase used to describe the quality of the work itself. In contrast, the word أحسنت is a direct compliment addressed to a person for their action.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because عمل is a masculine noun, the adjective رائع must also be in its masculine form.
How do you pronounce it?
‘amal rā’i‘
Did you know?
- The adjective رائع comes from a verb that originally meant to 'cause dismay' or 'to strike with terror'. Using it to mean 'wonderful' implies that the work is so impressive it is almost overwhelming.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, praising a person's 'great job' too explicitly can sometimes be seen as attracting the 'evil eye'.
- In some Levantine dialects, you might hear عاشت إيديك which translates to 'may your hands live' to express appreciation for a job well done, especially regarding cooking or manual work.
Examples in context
- Ahmed, ممتاز!Ahmed, Excellent!
- Layla, أحسنت العمل!Layla, Well done!
- هذا عمل رائع حقاً.hadha 'amal ra'i' haqan.This is truly a great job.
Example conversation
Yousef is praising Layla for her drawing.
- يوسف Youssefانظري إلى هذه اللوحة، عمل رائع يا ليلى!Undhuri ila hadhihi al-lawha, amal ra'ie ya Layla!Look at this painting, great job Layla!
- ليلى Laylaشكراً جزيلاً يا يوسف.Shukran jazilan ya Yousef.Thank you very much, Yousef.
- يوسف Youssefلقد أبدعتِ في الألوان.Laqad abda'ti fil alwan.You were creative with the colors.
- ليلى Laylaأنا سعيدة لأنها أعجبتك.Ana sa'ida li'annaha a'jabatka.I am happy that you liked it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries رائع, عمل, CC BY-SA 4.0.
