إِنْسَان
ʔinsānmasculine
The English word person is translated into Arabic as إِنْسَان (ʔinsān). Wiktionary also lists إنسان (ʔinsān) and بنادم (bnādim, bnādam).
Meaning: specifically a human being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| إِنْسَان | ʔinsān | masculine | |
| إنسان | ʔinsān | /ʔin.saːn/ | Moroccan Arabic, masculine |
| بنادم | bnādim, bnādam | Moroccan Arabic, masculine |
This term specifically refers to a human being.
Which one should you use?
In Modern Standard Arabic, إِنْسَان is the standard term for a human being. In contrast, the Moroccan Arabic term بنادم is the common colloquial equivalent.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Modern Standard Arabic, while إِنْسَان refers to a person as an individual or a human being, the word بشر is often used to refer to humanity or mankind in a collective sense.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔinsān
Did you know?
- In Arabic, the word إنسان is often linked to the root for 'forgetfulness', suggesting that a 'person' is one who forgets.
- The Moroccan colloquial term بنادم literally means 'son of Adam'.
- While بشر refers to human beings, it literally translates to 'skin' or 'surface', emphasizing the physical outward appearance of humanity.
Examples in context
- إنّه إنسان لا يُطاق.He's an unbearable person.This sentence shows how to use إنسان to describe someone's character.Tatoeba #6998275 by OsoHombre, translation #12888838 by rul
- إنسان من ذلك النوع سيفشل بالتأكيد.That kind of person will fail for sure.This sentence illustrates the use of إنسان when referring to a type of person.Tatoeba #2605035 by Samer, translation #1451935 by CK
- لكل إنسان أينما وجد الحق في أن يعترف بشخصيته القانونية.Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.This sentence demonstrates the use of إنسان in a legal context regarding rights.Tatoeba #823680 by Samer, translation #554652 by jakov
- هذا شخص لطيفThis is a nice person.
- عندي واحد هناI have someone here
- هل تعرف هذا الشخص؟Do you know this person?
- نحتاج إلى فرد متخصص في هذا المجالWe need a specialist in this field.
- في واحد غريب عند البابThere's a strange person by the door.
- شو أخبار هالراجل؟What's up with this guy?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “person” translations and entries إنسان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
