بَابْرِكَا
bābrikāfeminine
The English phrase "paprika" is translated into Arabic as بَابْرِكَا (bābrikā). Wiktionary also lists بَابْرِيكَا (bābrīkā) and بَبْرِيكَا (babrīkā).
Meaning: ground spice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بَابْرِكَا | bābrikā | feminine |
| بَابْرِيكَا | bābrīkā | feminine |
| بَبْرِيكَا | babrīkā | feminine |
The term refers to the ground spice known as paprika.
Which one should you use?
The three forms provided are بَابْرِكَا, بَابْرِيكَا and بَبْرِيكَا.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the term used for paprika is بابريكا.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this word are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bābrikā.
Did you know?
- Because the word is a borrowed loanword, it does not follow the standard Arabic pattern of building words from three-letter roots.
- In Egyptian markets, requesting بابريكا will typically get you the mild, sweet powder, whereas asking for شطة will get you the spicy chili powder.
- While the word بَابْرِيكَا is widely understood due to globalization, many Arabic speakers in local markets will instead ask for فِلْفِل حُلْو (sweet pepper) to find the spice.
Examples in context
- أريد بابريكا من فضلكI want paprika, please
- هل لديك بابريكا؟Do you have paprika?
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are cooking dinner together.
- زياد Ziadليلى، هل لدينا بَابْرِكَا في المطبخ؟Laylā, hal ladaynā bābrikā fī al-maṭbakh?Layla, do we have paprika in the kitchen?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، إنها في الخزانة الصغيرة.Na‘am, innahā fī al-khizānah aṣ-ṣaghīrah.Yes, it is in the small cabinet.
- زياد Ziadوجدتُها، شكراً لكِ.Wajadtuhā, shukran laki.I found it, thank you.
- ليلى Laylaلا شكر على واجب يا زياد.Lā shukr ‘alā wājib yā Ziyād.You are welcome, Ziad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “paprika” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
