مقلب
maqlab
The English word "prank" is translated into Arabic as مقلب (maqlab).
مقلب refers to a practical joke or a mischievous trick. It is commonly used in the context of social media videos where people film themselves playing tricks on others.
Meaning: practical joke or mischievous trick (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word مقلب is derived from the root q-l-b, meaning "to turn" or "to flip", literally referring to something that turns a situation upside down.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of مقلب is مقالب.
How do you pronounce it?
maqlab
Did you know?
- In Arabic, the act of 'flipping' someone's perspective through a joke is conceptually linked to the word for 'revolution', انقلاب, which literally means an overturning of the status quo.
- The root of مقلب is shared with the word for 'heart', قلب, because the heart is seen as an organ that constantly flips and changes emotions.
- The word مقلب is a 'noun of place', meaning it originally describes the location where the 'flipping' happens rather than the joke itself.
Examples in context
- كان مقلبًا مضحكًا جدًا.kana maqlaban mudhikan jiddan.It was a very funny prank.
- هل كان هذا مقلبًا؟hal kana hadha maqlaban?Was this a prank?
Example conversation
Omar and Nour are talking about a video they watched.
- عمر Omarهل رأيتِ هذا المقلب في الفيديو؟Hal ra'ayti hadha al-maqlab fil-video?Did you see this prank in the video?
- نور Nourنعم، لقد كان مقلباً ذكياً جداً.Na'am, laqad kana maqlaban dhakiyan jiddan.Yes, it was a very clever prank.
- عمر Omarأريد أن أفعل مقلباً مشابهاً.Uridu an af'ala maqlaban mushabihan.I want to do a similar prank.
- نور Nourأرجوك يا عمر، لا تفعل ذلك!Arjuka ya Omar, la taf'al dhalik!Please Omar, don't do that!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries مقلب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
