نُكْتَة
nuktafeminine
The usual Arabic word for a joke, a short funny story, is نُكْتَة (nukta). Other words for an amusing tale are طُرْفَة and نَادِرَة. If unsure, use نُكْتَة. Wiktionary also lists لَطِيفَة (laṭīfa).
Meaning: amusing story (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| نُكْتَة | nukta | feminine |
| طُرْفَة | ṭurfa | feminine |
| نَادِرَة | nādira | feminine |
| لَطِيفَة | laṭīfa | feminine |
نُكْتَة is the everyday word for a joke that someone tells to make people laugh. It is a feminine noun.
Which one should you use?
طُرْفَة (ṭurfa) and نَادِرَة (nādira) both suggest a witty anecdote or a rare, amusing story and sound more literary. لَطِيفَة (laṭīfa) can also name a pleasant witticism. For the act of joking around, the related verb is مَزَحَ.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All four nouns are feminine, so adjectives that describe them take feminine endings.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as nukta, with a short u in the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the verb مَزَحَ when you need the noun. It means to joke or kid around, not a joke you tell.
Did you know?
- The word نُكْتَة (nukta) is actually related to the word for a 'small dot' or 'point' in Arabic script. This suggests that a joke is seen as a sharp, precise point of wit.
- The verb مَزَحَ used for joking is closely related to the word for 'playing' or 'sport'. This frames joking as a form of social play rather than just storytelling.
- In traditional Arabic literature, a collection of لَطَائِف (plural of لَطِيفَة) served as a genre of 'pleasantries' designed to entertain and educate simultaneously.
Examples in context
- سَمِعْتُ نُكْتَةً جَدِيدَةً اليَوْمَ.samitu nuktatan jadidatan al-yawm.I heard a new joke today.
- هَذِهِ نُكْتَةٌ مُضْحِكَةٌ جِدًّا.hadhihi nuktatun mudhikah jiddan.This is a very funny joke.
- أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَحْكِيَ نُكْتَةً.uridu an ahkiya nuktatan.I want to tell a joke.
Example conversation
Yusuf and Nour are chatting during a break.
- يوسف Youssefيا نور، اسمعي هذه النُكْتَة.Ya Nour, isma'i hadhihi al-nuktah.Nour, listen to this joke.
- نور Nourأنا أسمعك يا يوسف، تفضل.Ana asma'uka ya Yusuf, tafaddal.I am listening, Yusuf, go ahead.
- يوسف Youssefلماذا ينام السمك في البحر؟Limadha yanam al-samak fi al-bahr?Why do fish sleep in the sea?
- نور Nourهذه نُكْتَة سخيفة حقاً!Hadhihi nuktah sakhifah haqqan!This is a really silly joke!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joke” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
