عسل
ʕásalEgyptian Arabic, masculine
Honey in Arabic is عسل (ʕásal). Wiktionary also lists عَسَل (ʕasal) and شَهْد (šahd).
Meaning: sweet substance produced by bees (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عسل | ʕásal | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| عَسَل | ʕasal | masculine |
| شَهْد | šahd | masculine |
| عْسل | ʕsəl | Moroccan Arabic, masculine |
The word is used to refer to the sweet substance produced by bees.
Which one should you use?
While عسل refers to the substance itself, شَهْد specifically refers to honey in its honeycomb form or the sweetness of honey.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word is used with a specific stress pattern عسل (ʕásal) to denote the substance. In Moroccan Arabic, the middle vowel is often dropped or shortened, resulting in the form عْسل (ʕsəl).
How do you pronounce it?
ʕásal
When do people say it?
In an affectionate and informal context, one might use the phrase يا عسل to address someone. Another common way to address a female individual affectionately is to use حبيبتي, meaning "my love" or "my dear".
Did you know?
- In traditional Arabic medicine and culture, honey is often mentioned in the Quran as having 'healing for people', giving the word a spiritual connotation beyond simple nutrition.
- In many Arabic dialects, calling someone عسل doesn't just mean they are sweet, but specifically that they are charming or funny.
- In classical Arabic poetry, honey is often used as a metaphor for words that are beautifully composed and easy to listen to.
Examples in context
- في عسل كتير في البرطمان ده.fi 'asal kteer fel bartaman da.There is a lot of honey in this jar.
- ممكن تشتري عسل من السوبر ماركت؟momken teshtari 'asal mel supermarket?Can you buy honey from the supermarket?
Example conversation
Omar and Sarah are in the kitchen preparing tea.
- عمر Omarيا سارة، فين العسل بتاعنا؟Ya Sarah, fen el-'asal beta'na?Sarah, where is our honey?
- سارة Saraموجود في الدولاب فوق.Mawgood fel dolab foq.It is in the cupboard above.
- عمر Omarشكرًا، أنا عايز أحط عسل في الشاي.Shukran, ana 'ayez ahott 'asal fel shay.Thanks, I want to put honey in the tea.
- سارة Saraبالهنا والشفا يا عمر.Bel-hana wel-shifa ya Omar.Enjoy your drink, Omar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “honey” translations and entries عسل, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
