عِيسَى
ʕīsāmasculine
Jesus is translated into Arabic as عِيسَى (ʕīsā) or يَسُوع. Wiktionary also lists يَسُوع m or (yasūʕ).
Meaning: religious figure (name)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عِيسَى | ʕīsā | masculine |
| يَسُوع m or | yasūʕ |
These terms are used to refer to the religious figure Jesus.
Which one should you use?
عِيسَى (Isa) is the name used in the Quran and is the standard way to refer to Jesus in an Islamic context. In contrast, يَسُوع (Yasūʕ) is the name used by Arabic-speaking Christians to refer to Jesus.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Levant, عِيسَى is commonly used for both formal and informal situations. In the Levant, some Muslims may also use the term المسيح. In Egypt, some Coptic Christians may use يَسُوع in religious settings or within their communities.
How do you pronounce it?
ʕīsā
Did you know?
- The name يَسُوع is phonetically closer to the original Aramaic name 'Yeshua' than the Quranic عِيسَى is.
- Arabic has a unique way of showing reverence by adding the phrase عليه السلام ('peace be upon him') after mentioning عِيسَى.
- Because عِيسَى is a distinct Quranic name, it is a very popular given name for Muslim boys across the Middle East.
Examples in context
- يعمل عيسى كمعلم.Isa works as a teacher.
- عِيسَى نَبِيٌّ مَشْهُورٌ.ʿĪsā nabiyyun mashhūrun.Jesus is a famous prophet.
- تَعَلَّمْتُ عَنْ عِيسَى فِي الْمَدْرَسَةِ.Taʿallamtu ʿan ʿĪsā fī l-madrasati.I learned about Jesus in school.
- ذِكْرُ عِيسَى فِي الْكِتَابِ.Dhikru ʿĪsā fī l-kitābi.The mention of Jesus is in the book.
Example conversation
Ziad and Nour are discussing a history book in a library.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ قَرَأْتِ عَنْ عِيسَى؟Hal qaraʾti ʿan ʿĪsā?Did you read about Jesus?
- نور Nourنَعَمْ، كَانَ شَخْصِيَّةً مُهِمَّةً.Naʿam, kāna shakṣiyyatan muhimmatan.Yes, he was an important figure.
- زياد Ziadأَنَا أُحِبُّ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ.ʾAna uḥibbu hādhā l-kitāba.I love this book.
- نور Nourوَأَنَا أَيْضاً.Wa-ʾana ayḍan.And me too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Jesus” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
