قف
qif
To say 'halt' in Arabic, use قف (qif).
The phrase is used to indicate stopping, whether the interruption is temporary or permanent.
Meaning: to stop either temporarily or permanently (verb)
Which one should you use?
While قف is a way to express the command to halt, توقف is another formal way to say 'halt' that is frequently used in official or professional settings.
How do you pronounce it?
qif
Did you know?
- The word وقف is used in Arabic grammar to describe the mandatory or optional pause a reciter must make when reading the Quran to avoid changing the meaning of a verse.
- While قف is a direct command, using it in a social setting without a title can sound jarringly aggressive, as it is primarily used by authorities or in high-tension situations.
- While قف is a direct command, the related word وقفة can refer to a 'stand' or a 'pause' in a poetic sense, often used in literature to describe a moment of deep reflection.
Examples in context
- يجب عليك التوقف هنا.You must halt here.
- قف هنا فوراً.Qif huna fawran.Stop here immediately.
Example conversation
Ziyad is walking too fast and Maryam wants him to wait.
- زياد Ziadأنا ذاهب إلى المتجر الآن.Ana dhahib ila al-matjar al-aan.I am going to the store now.
- مريم Maryamقف يا زياد! لقد نسيت مفاتيحك.Qif ya Ziyad! Laqad nasita mafatihaka.Stop, Ziyad! You forgot your keys.
- زياد Ziadأوه، شكراً جزيلاً يا مريم.Oh, shukran jazilan ya Maryam.Oh, thank you very much, Maryam.
- مريم Maryamلا داعي للشكر، تفضل.La da'iya lil-shukr, tafaddal.No need to thank me, here you go.
