كباب
kabāb
The Arabic word for kebab is كباب (kabāb).
كباب refers to a kebab dish. In the Levant region, شيش طاووق (shish tawooq) refers specifically to chicken kebab.
Meaning: dish (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Gulf region, the term كباب is widely used.
How do you pronounce it?
kabāb
Did you know?
- While كباب is the general term, the specific chicken version شيش طاووق uses a word for 'skewer' borrowed from Turkish.
- The term كباب has traveled from Arabic into Persian and Turkish before becoming a global English loanword.
- The term likely originates from the ancient Akkadian verb kabābu, which means 'to burn'.
Examples in context
- هَل تُحِبُّ الكَبَاب؟Do you like kebab?
- أَنا أُفَضِّلُ الكَبَابَ بِالدَجَاجِI prefer chicken kebab.
- أريد طلب كباب دجاج.urid talab kebab dajaj.I want to order chicken kebab.
- هل جربت كباب اللحم من قبل؟hal jarrabta kebab al-lahm min qabl?Have you tried meat kebab before?
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- زياد Ziadماذا تريدين أن نأكل اليوم؟madha turidina an na'kul al-yawm?What do you want us to eat today?
- ليلى Laylaأنا أشتهي كباب مشوي.ana ashtahi kebab mashwi.I am craving grilled kebab.
- زياد Ziadفكرة رائعة، لنذهب إلى المطعم.fikra ra'i'a, linadhhab ila al-mat'am.Great idea, let's go to the restaurant.
- ليلى Laylaحسناً، أنا جائعة جداً.hasanan, ana ja'i'a jiddan.Okay, I am very hungry.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كباب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
