حَلِيب
ḥalībmasculine
Milk in Arabic is حَلِيب (ḥalīb). If unsure, use حَلِيب. Wiktionary also lists لَبَن (laban).
Meaning: liquid (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حَلِيب | ḥalīb | masculine |
| لَبَن | laban | masculine |
The word حَلِيب is used to specify fresh, liquid milk and helps avoid confusion with yogurt. Related to this is the verb حَلَبَ, which means to express milk from a mammal.
Which one should you use?
While حَلِيب specifically refers to fresh liquid milk, the word لَبَن can refer to different dairy products depending on the dialect. In many Arabic dialects, particularly in the Levant and Egypt, لَبَن refers to yogurt or a fermented milk drink rather than fresh liquid milk.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ḥalīb. The 'ḥ' in ḥalīb is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, a deep, breathy 'h' sound produced in the throat, distinct from the English 'h'.
Did you know?
- In the Quran and classical literature, لَبَن is often used to describe a primordial or pure milk, giving the word a spiritual connotation beyond its grocery store meaning.
- The word لَبَن is a cognate to the word 'labneh', a popular strained yogurt cheese found in Mediterranean cuisines.
- Arabic has a specific term for 'camel milk', حليب النوق, which is culturally significant as a traditional staple in many desert regions.
Examples in context
- اللبن هو منتج طبيعي غني ومغذٍ جداً.Milk is a rich and highly nutritious natural product.
- أتناول الحليب يومياً لبناء عظام قوية.I consume milk daily for strong bones.
- أحب أن أطلب فنجان شاي باللبن في الصباح.I love to order a cup of tea with milk in the morning.
- أنا أشرب حَلِيبًا دافئًا.ana ashrabu halīban dāfian.I drink warm milk.
- هل تريد حَلِيبًا في القهوة؟hal turīdu halīban fī al-qahwah?Do you want milk in the coffee?
Example conversation
Ziad and Maryam are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
- زياد Ziadمَرْيَم، هَلْ لَدَيْنَا حَلِيبٌ؟Maryam, hal ladaynā halīb?Maryam, do we have milk?
- مريم Maryamنَعَم، يُوجَدُ في الثَّلَّاجَةِ.Na‘am, yūjadu fī ath-thallājah.Yes, there is some in the refrigerator.
- زياد Ziadمُمْكِن أَنْ تُعْطِينِي القَارُورَةَ؟Mumkin an tu‘tīnī al-qārūrah?Can you give me the bottle?
- مريم Maryamتَفَضَّلْ يَا زِياد.Tafaddal yā Ziyād.Here you go, Ziad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “milk” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
