Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شُرْطَة | šurṭa | feminine |
| بُولِيس | būlīs | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a local or general law enforcement agency.
Which one should you use?
شُرْطَة is the standard Arabic word for the police force used throughout the Arab world. In contrast, بُولِيس is a loanword from English or French used in many colloquial dialects.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
شُرْطَة is the formal way to say police. For example, الشُرطة الوطنية is used to formally refer to the national police force. Conversely, بُولِيس is an informal, colloquial way to refer to the police.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word بُولِيس is used in many colloquial dialects due to its origins as a loanword.
How does it change in a sentence?
شُرْطَة is a feminine noun. To refer to a single policeman, use the masculine noun شُرْطِيّ and to refer to a single policewoman, use the feminine noun شُرْطِيَّة.
How do you pronounce it?
šurṭa
Did you know?
- In some North African dialects, you may hear the word حاكم ('governor' or 'ruler') used colloquially to refer to a police officer.
- Historically, the shurta were not just police but served as an intelligence and security apparatus for the Caliphs in the early Islamic empire.
- The word شُرْطَة comes from the root ش ر ط, which originally referred to a 'mark' or a 'condition'. In early history, it described a specialized elite guard who were marked or distinguished from the regular army.
Examples in context
- طلبت مساعدة الشُرطَة في حالة الطوارئ الليلة الماضية.I asked for police assistance during last night's emergency.
- الشُرطة الوطنية تلعب دورًا حاسمًا في حفظ الأمن والنظام في البلاد.The national police play a crucial role in maintaining security and order in the country.
- احتاج مساعدة الشُرطَة. هل تعرف أين يمكنني العثور عليهم؟I need police assistance. Do you know where I can find them?
Example conversation
Yousef and Layla are in a crowded market.
- يوسف Youssefلَيْلَى، لَقَد سَرَقُوا حَقيبَتي!Layla, laqad saraqu haqibati!Layla, they stole my bag!
- ليلى Laylaهَل تَرَى أَيّ شُرْطَةٍ هُنا؟Hal tara ayya shurtatin huna?Do you see any police here?
- يوسف Youssefلا، لَم أرَ أَحَداً.La, lam ara ahadan.No, I didn't see anyone.
- ليلى Laylaسَأَبْحَث عَنْ أَقْرَب مَرْكَز شُرْطَة.Sa'abhath 'an aqrab markaz shurta.I will look for the nearest police station.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
