ليل
lēl/lajl/Egyptian Arabic, collective, masculine
The English word 'night' is translated into Arabic as ليل (lēl). Wiktionary also lists لَيْل (layl) and لَيْلَة (layla).
Meaning: period between sunset and sunrise (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ليل | lēl | /lajl/ | Egyptian Arabic, collective, masculine |
| لَيْل | layl | ||
| لَيْلَة | layla | feminine | |
| ليلة | lēla | /laj.la/ | Egyptian Arabic, feminine |
| بليل | Gulf Arabic |
The term refers to the period between sunset and sunrise.
Which one should you use?
The collective noun لَيْل is used to refer to the concept of night or night in general. In contrast, the feminine form لَيْلَة is used when referring to one specific single night.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Gulf-Arabic dialects, the form بليل is used to mean 'at night'. In Egyptian-Arabic, you may encounter the masculine collective form ليل or the feminine form ليلة.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form لَيْلَة is the singular feminine form used to denote one night.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /lajl/ (romanized as lēl).
Did you know?
- The word ليل is closely related to the Hebrew word לַיְלָה, which means 'night'. This connection shows how these languages have shared roots for thousands of years.
- Arabic poets often use ليل as a metaphor for sorrow, loneliness or the long wait for a loved one.
- In many Arabic cultures, the word ليلة is used in the phrase ليلة القدر, referring to a night of immense spiritual power and destiny in Islam.
Examples in context
- حدث ذلك ذات ليلة.It happened one night.This is useful for describing a single instance of a night occurring.Tatoeba #371200 by saeb, translation #42793 by orcrist
- سأتصل بك كل ليلة.I'll call you every night.This shows the repetition of an action every night.Tatoeba #5115552 by damascene, translation #1438080 by CK
- هل خرجت ليلة الأمس؟Did you go out last night?This is used to ask about an event occurring on a specific night.Tatoeba #443008 by saeb, translation #16113 by CK
- أتمنى لك ليلة سعيدة.I wish you a good night.
- نروح ع الشاطئ الليلة؟Shall we go to the beach tonight?
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Youssef are discussing their plans for the evening.
- سارة Saraتحب تخرج النهاردة بليل؟Teheb tekhrog el-naharda be-leil?Do you want to go out tonight?
- يوسف Youssefأيوة، الجو بيبقى أحلى في ليل القاهرة.Aywa, el-gaw beyeb'a ahla fi leil el-Qahira.Yes, the weather is nicer at night in Cairo.
- سارة Saraتمام، نتقابل الساعة تمانية بليل.Tamam, net'abel el-sa'a tamanya be-leil.Okay, let's meet at eight at night.
- يوسف Youssefاتفقنا، أشوفك بليل يا سارة.Ettefaqna, ashofek be-leil ya Sarah.Agreed, I'll see you tonight, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “night” translations and entries ليل, ليلة, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ليل, ليلة, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
