شعر
šaʕara/ʃa.ʕa.ra/
The Arabic word for poetry is شعر (šaʕara).
The word شعر refers to literature composed in verse.
Meaning: literature composed in verse (noun)
Which one should you use?
The most common formal word for poetry is الشعر.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ʃa.ʕa.ra/. It has three syllables: ša-ʕa-ra.
Did you know?
- In pre-Islamic Arabia, poets were seen as possessing supernatural powers or secrets, often associated with jinns.
- The Mu'allaqat were seven famous poems believed to have been written in gold and hung on the walls of the Kaaba in Mecca.
- The word شعر shares its root with the Arabic word for 'hair'.
Examples in context
- أحب الشعر العربي الكلاسيكي.I love classical Arabic poetry.
- أدرس الشعر في الجامعة.I study poetry at university.
- هذا الكتاب يحتوي على شعر قديم.hadha al-kitab yahtawi 'ala shi'rin qadim.This book contains old poetry.
- هل قرأت شعر العرب؟hal qara'ta shi'ra al-'arab?Have you read Arabic poetry?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing books at a library.
- سارة Saraهل تحب قراءة الشعر؟hal tuhibbu qira'ata al-shi'r?Do you like reading poetry?
- عمر Omarنعم، أنا أستمتع بالشعر كثيراً.na'am, ana astamti'u bi-al-shi'ri kathiran.Yes, I enjoy poetry very much.
- سارة Saraعمر، هل لديك كتاب شعر ترشحه لي؟Omar, hal ladayka kitab shi'r turashhihu li?Omar, do you have a poetry book to recommend to me?
- عمر Omarبالطبع، سأعطيك كتاباً رائعاً.bi-al-tab', sa-u'tika kitaban ra'i'an.Of course, I will give you a wonderful book.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry شعر, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries شعر, CC BY-SA 4.0.
