أَهْل
ʔahlmasculine
The English word 'kin' can be translated into Arabic as أَهْل (ʔahl). Wiktionary also lists أَقَارِب (ʔaqārib).
Meaning: relatives collectively (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أَهْل | ʔahl | masculine |
| أَقَارِب | ʔaqārib | plural |
The term أَهْل is used to denote one's immediate kin or household. It is frequently used in the phrase أَهْلُ البَيْت (people of the house) to refer to one's kin or household members.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, أَهْل means 'people', 'folk' or 'family'.
Which one should you use?
While أَهْل can mean kin, it specifically emphasizes the immediate family or those living in one's household. In contrast, أَقَارِب refers more broadly to extended relatives.
How does it change in a sentence?
أَقَارِب is the broken plural form of قَرِيب (relative) and is the standard way to refer to extended kin.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔahl
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, the word أَهْل is used as a welcoming greeting, such as أَهْلًا وسَهْلًا, which essentially treats the guest as if they were 'kin' arriving at their own home.
- The term أَهْل can actually be used to describe one's profession or expertise, such as being 'a man of his craft' or 'a person of his field'.
- The word قَرِيب for a relative comes from the root for 'near' or 'close'. In Arabic, kinship is linguistically defined by spatial proximity rather than just biological connection.
Examples in context
- أحب أهليI love my kin.
- أَنَا أُحِبُّ أَهْلِي كَثِيرًا.ana uḥibbu ahlī kathīran.I love my kin very much.
- أَيْنَ أَهْلُكَ يَا أَحْمَدُ؟ayna ahluka yā aḥmad?Where is your kin, Ahmed?
- أَهْلِي كُلُّهُمْ فِي مَدِينَةٍ أُخْرَى.ahlī kulluhum fī madīnatin ukhrā.All my kin are in another city.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Layla are talking about family gatherings.
- أحمد Ahmedهَلْ زُرْتِ أَهْلَكِ هَذَا الأُسْبُوعَ؟hal zurti ahlaki hādhā al-usbūʻ?Did you visit your kin this week?
- ليلى Laylaنَعَمْ، لَقَدْ زُرْتُ أَهْلِي يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ.naʻam, laqad zurtu ahlī yawma al-jumuʻah.Yes, I visited my kin on Friday.
- أحمد Ahmedهَلْ أَهْلُكِ سَعِيدُونَ بِرُؤْيَتِكِ؟hal ahluki saʻīdūna bi-ru'yatik?Is your kin happy to see you?
- ليلى Laylaنَعَمْ، أَهْلِي سَعِيدُونَ جِدًّا.naʻam, ahlī saʻīdūna jiddan.Yes, my kin are very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
