شِيشَة
šīšafeminine
In Arabic, hookah is referred to using شِيشَة (šīša). Wiktionary also lists نَارْجِيلَة (nargīla) and أَرْكِيلَة (ʔargīla).
Meaning: pipe (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شِيشَة | šīša | feminine |
| نَارْجِيلَة | nargīla | feminine |
| أَرْكِيلَة | ʔargīla | feminine |
Which one should you use?
شِيشَة is the most common term used in daily conversation across many Arabic dialects. In contrast, نَارْجِيلَة is specifically common in Levantine dialects, such as in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, while أَرْكِيلَة is the standard way to refer to a hookah in Egyptian Arabic.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term النرجيلة (al-Nargila) is commonly used in Egypt, Syria and other Levantine countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this word are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
šīša
Did you know?
- The word نَارْجِيلَة is derived from نارجيل, which is the Arabic word for 'coconut'. This refers to the coconut shells that were traditionally used as the base for the water pipe.
- In some Levantine contexts, offering a نَارْجِيلَة to a guest is a sign of hospitality and a way to signal that the host wants the guest to stay and converse for a long time.
- In some Arabic dialects, the word شِيشَة can also be used as a slang term for a small glass bottle, demonstrating how the word's meaning can shift based on context.
Examples in context
- رح نروح على المقهى ندخّن شيشةLet's go to the café and smoke shisha
- أُريدُ شِيشَة.urīdu shīsha.I want a hookah.
- هَلْ هُنَاكَ شِيشَة؟hal hunāka shīsha?Is there a hookah?
Example conversation
Sarah and Omar are at a cafe.
- سارة Saraهَلْ نَطْلُبُ شِيشَة؟hal naṭlubu shīsha?Shall we order a hookah?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، فِكْرَةٌ رَائِعَةٌ.na'am, fikratun rā'i'a.Yes, that is a great idea.
- سارة Saraأَنَا أُحِبُّ الشِّيشَةَ هُنَا.anā uḥibbu ash-shīsha hunā.I love the hookah here.
- عمر Omarأَنَا أَيْضًا.anā ayḍan.Me too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hookah” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
