حَامِل
ḥāmilfeminine
The English word 'pregnant' is translated into Arabic using حَامِل (ḥāmil). Wiktionary also lists حَوامِلُ (ḥawāmilu) and حُبْلَى (ḥublā).
Meaning: carrying developing offspring within the body (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حَامِل | ḥāmil | feminine |
| حَوامِلُ | ḥawāmilu | feminine, plural |
| حُبْلَى | ḥublā | feminine |
The terms are used to describe a female carrying developing offspring within her body.
What does it mean word for word?
The word حَامِل is a participle that literally means 'one who carries' or 'bearer'.
Which one should you use?
حَامِل is a common way to say pregnant and is used in both formal and everyday contexts. In contrast, حُبْلَى is a more classical or formal term often found in literary or religious texts. The plural form حَوامِلُ is used when referring to multiple pregnant females.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many modern Arabic dialects and standard usage, the feminine singular is often expressed as حَامِلَة.
How do you pronounce it?
ḥāmil
Did you know?
- The word حَامِل is gender-neutral in its form and can also describe a man who is 'carrying' a physical object, such as a suitcase.
- In older Arabic literature, the term حُبلى was sometimes used to describe the 'swollen' or 'heavy' appearance of clouds before a great rain, metaphorically 'pregnant' with water.
- The word حَامِل is used in modern Arabic to describe a 'carrier' of a disease, showing how the concept of 'bearing' extends from biology to pathology.
Examples in context
- أنا حامل.I am pregnant.
- هِيَ حَامِلٌ الآنَ.hiya ḥāmilun al-ān.She is pregnant now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnant” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
