Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مُصِيبَة | muṣība | feminine |
| شَقْوَة | šaqwa | feminine |
مُصِيبَة refers to an instance of bad luck or an undesirable event, such as an accident. In formal contexts, you may also use سوء الحظ to mean bad luck or تعسّر to express difficulty or hardship.
What does it mean word for word?
The word مُصِيبَة is derived from the root ص–و–ب (ṣ-w-b), which relates to hitting a target or striking. In this context, it refers to a calamity that 'strikes' a person.
Which one should you use?
While both مُصِيبَة and شَقْوَة mean misfortune, مُصِيبَة is more commonly used for sudden, striking calamities or accidents. In contrast, شَقْوَة often implies a more prolonged state of misery or wretchedness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the feminine noun مُصِيبَة is مُصِيبَات.
How do you pronounce it?
muṣība
When do people say it?
When a person hears of a مُصِيبَة or experiences one, it is culturally common to say لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ to express patience and submission to fate.
Did you know?
- While مُصِيبَة means 'misfortune', the same root is used for the word 'correct' or 'right' صَوَاب. In Arabic, both a correct answer and a calamity are things that 'hit' their mark.
- In some Arabic dialects, calling someone a مُصِيبَة might not mean they are unlucky, but rather that they are a 'troublemaker' who strikes at your peace.
- Arabic distinguishes between مُصِيبَة, which is a strike of fate, and بَلَاء, which is a trial or test. While both are misfortunes, بَلَاء implies that the hardship is meant to refine or test the person's character.
Examples in context
- أحب السفر ولكن سوء الحظ دائماً يصاحبنيI love traveling, but misfortune always accompanies me
- هذه مُصِيبَة كَبِيرَة.hadhihi musiba kabira.This is a great misfortune.
- لَمْ تَكُنْ هَذِهِ مُصِيبَة مُتَوَقَّعَة.lam takun hadhihi musiba mutawaqqa'a.This was not an expected misfortune.
Example conversation
Nour tells Ahmed about a car accident.
- نور Nourسَمِعْتُ أَنَّ حَادِثاً وَقَعَ، هَلْ هِيَ مُصِيبَةٌ؟Sami'tu anna hadithan waqa'a, hal hiya musibah?I heard an accident happened, is it a misfortune?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، لَكِنَّ الجَمِيعَ بِخَيْرٍ يَا نُور.Na'am, lakin al-jami' bikhayr ya Nour.Yes, but everyone is fine, Nour.
- نور Nourأنا آسِفَةٌ لِسَمَاعِ هَذِهِ الـ مُصِيبَةِ.Ana asifa lisama' hadhihi al-musibah.I am sorry to hear of this misfortune.
- أحمد Ahmedشُكراً لَكِ، الحَمْدُ لِلَّه عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ.Shukran laki, al-hamdu lillah ala kulli hal.Thank you, praise be to God in every case.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “misfortune” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
