قلب
arz/qa.la.ba/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The English word heart is قلب (arz) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists قَلْب (qalb) and فُؤَاد (fuʔād).
Meaning: an organ (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| قلب | arz | /qa.la.ba/ /qal.la.ba/ |
Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| قَلْب | qalb | masculine | |
| فُؤَاد | fuʔād | masculine |
قلب refers to the physical organ, but it is also used metaphorically to describe the essence, soul or character of a person.
Which one should you use?
قَلْب is the standard word for both the physical and emotional heart, whereas فُؤَاد is a more intense and poetic term used in classical literature to describe the heart as the seat of deep emotion or passion.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word for heart is قلب.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the dual form (two hearts), قلب becomes qalban in the nominative case or qalbayn in the accusative/genitive case.
How do you pronounce it?
The Egyptian form قلب is pronounced /qa.la.ba/ with 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The Arabic word قلب shares a root with the verb 'to turn' or 'to flip'. This suggests that the heart is viewed as something that can change or flip its emotions and inclinations rapidly.
- In Arabic, describing someone as having a 'white heart' means they are pure, innocent and kind, rather than referring to a physical color.
- To describe someone as 'cold-hearted', Arabic uses the word قاسي, which literally means 'hard' or 'stony', rather than 'cold'.
Examples in context
- أقول ذلك من قلبي.I say this from my heart.This sentence demonstrates using قلب to express sincerity.Tatoeba #376398 by saeb, translation #33525 by AlanF_US
- آن لديها قلب حنون.Ann has a kind heart.This sentence shows the use of قلب when describing a person's character.Tatoeba #1573583 by Amastan, translation #66841 by CN
- لديك قلب بارد جدّا.You have a very cold heart.This sentence shows how قلب can be used to describe an emotional state.Tatoeba #5930996 by OsoHombre, translation #5895491 by OsoHombre
- قلبه ينبض بالحب.His heart beats with love.
- قلبك حنون.Your heart is kind.
- قلبه حنون.His heart is kind.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nour and Omar are discussing a medical check-up.
- نور Nourالدكتور قال إن قلبك سليم يا عمر.Ad-doktor qal in qalbak salim ya Omar.The doctor said that your heart is healthy, Omar.
- عمر Omarالحمد لله، كنت قلقان على قلبي.Al-hamdu lillah, kunt qalaqan 'ala qalbi.Thank God, I was worried about my heart.
- نور Nourلا تقلق، ضربات القلب عندك طبيعية.La taqlaq, darabat al-qalb 'andak tabi'iyya.Don't worry, your heartbeats are normal.
- عمر Omarشكراً يا نور، أنا ارتحت الآن.Shukran ya Nour, ana irtaht al-an.Thank you, Nour, I feel relieved now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heart” translations and entries قلب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قلب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
