Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| خَاصّ | ḵāṣṣ | masculine |
| شَخْصِيّ | šaḵṣiyy |
In Arabic, the choice of word depends on whether you are describing something that is exclusive and restricted or something that belongs to an individual's identity. خَاصّ is used for things that are private, exclusive or special, such as a private club or a private matter. شَخْصِيّ is used specifically for things that are personal to an individual, such as a personal opinion or personal belongings.
Which one should you use?
خَاصّ refers to things that are private, exclusive or special. In contrast, شَخْصِيّ is used for things that are personal to a specific individual.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form خَاصّ becomes خَاصَّة in its feminine form. Similarly, the masculine form شَخْصِيّ becomes شَخْصِيَّة in its feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
ḵāṣṣ
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse خَاصّ and شَخْصِيّ. Use شَخْصِيّ when referring to something related to one's own person or identity, and use خَاصّ for something that is restricted or exclusive.
Did you know?
- The feminine form خَاصَّة is used as a noun to mean 'the elite' or 'the inner circle'. This uses the idea of being 'private' to describe a high social class.
- The word شَخْصِيّ comes from شَخْص, which means 'person' but also refers to a 'visible silhouette' or 'figure'. This links the concept of 'private' or 'personal' directly to the physical presence of a human body.
- While خَاصّ means 'private', adding a small grammatical change can turn it into خُصُوصاً, which means 'especially'. This turns a word about exclusivity into a word about emphasis.
Examples in context
- اجتماع خاصPrivate meeting
- معلومات سريّةPrivate information
- البيانات الشخصية محمية وتُعتبر سريّة.Personal data is protected and considered private.
- غرفة خاصةPrivate room
- لا أرغب في مناقشة هذه المسألة في مكان عام، فلنتحدث في مكان خاص.I don't want to discuss this matter publicly, let's talk in a private place.
- لَدَيَّ نَادِي خَاصّ.ladayya nadi khass.I have a private club.
- هذا المَشْرُوع خَاصّ بِالشركة.hadha al-mashru' khass bi-al-sharika.This project is private to the company.
Example conversation
Sarah and Omar are talking about a room in a house.
- سارة Saraهَل هذا المَكَان خَاصّ؟Hal hādhā al-makān khāṣṣ?Is this place private?
- عمر Omarنَعَم، هُوَ غُرْفَة خَاصَّة.Naʿam, huwa ghurfa khāṣṣa.Yes, it is a private room.
- سارة Saraهَل يُمْكِنُنِي الدُّخُول؟Hal yumkinunī ad-dukhūl?Can I enter?
- عمر Omarمَعْذِرَةً، لَكِنَّهَا لِي فَقَط.Maʿdhiratan, lakinnahā lī faqaṭ.Sorry, but it is for me only.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “private” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
