Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| حار | ḥārr | /ħaːrr/ | Hijazi Arabic |
| سَاخِن | sāḵin | ||
| حَارّ | ḥārr | masculine | |
| سخن | suḵn | Egyptian Arabic |
Arabic uses different words for "hot" depending on whether you are describing thermal heat or spiciness. حَارّ is commonly used to describe the weather or food that is spicy and pungent. In contrast, سَاخِن is used to describe the thermal temperature of objects, such as food or water.
Which one should you use?
While both حَارّ and سَاخِن can mean hot, they are not interchangeable. Use سَاخِن strictly for thermal heat. Use حَارّ when referring to the weather or for describing spicy food.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Egyptian dialect, the standard way to say "hot" is سخن. In Hijazi Arabic, the form حار is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine adjective حَارّ changes to the feminine form حَارَّة to agree with feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ḥārr.
Did you know?
- In some Arabic cultures, describing food as حار is not just a description of heat but a way to compliment the boldness and strength of the seasoning.
- The root of سخن is also found in Aramaic as שחן, showing that this specific term for heat predates the spread of many modern Arabic dialects.
- The distinction between حار and سخن is so strict that calling a hot cup of coffee حار in some regions might be interpreted as saying the coffee tastes spicy.
Examples in context
- لم الجو حار هكذا؟Why is it so hot?This sentence is useful for using حار to describe the weather.Tatoeba #376296 by saeb, translation #38789 by CK
- الجو حار جداً، صحيح؟It's very hot, isn't it?Tatoeba #398451 by saeb, translation #37876 by CK
- إن الطقس حار للغاية.It's too hot.Tatoeba #459374 by saeb, translation #267106 by CK
- برة بتغلي!It's boiling outside!
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nour and Ahmed are walking outside during the afternoon.
- نور Nourالجو حار مرة يا أحمد.al-jaw harr marra ya Ahmad.The weather is very hot, Ahmed.
- أحمد Ahmedصح، أنا كمان حاسس بالحر.sah, ana kaman hasis bil-hurr.True, I feel the heat too.
- نور Nourخلينا ندخل مكان بارد.khallina nadkhul makan barid.Let's go inside somewhere cool.
- أحمد Ahmedفكرة ممتازة، يلا.fikra mumtaza, yalla.Great idea, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot” translations and entries حار, سخن, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries حار, سخن, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
