قهوة
qahwa/qah.wa/
qahwa is the Arabic word for coffee, a beverage made from roasted coffee beans.
The term refers specifically to the beverage prepared from roasted coffee beans.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /qah.wa/.
Did you know?
- Long before it meant coffee, قهوة was a word used to describe wine. It was later repurposed to describe coffee to align with traditionalist Muslim prohibitions on intoxicating drinks.
- While some link the name to the Kaffa region in Ethiopia, the term 'qahwa' was used to mean wine in Arabic centuries before that kingdom even existed.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, the etiquette of serving قهوة is deeply tied to the historical rituals of serving spiced, hot wine.
Examples in context
- يا رفيق، هل تود الحصول على قهوة من المقهى القريب؟Hey buddy, would you like to get a coffee from the nearby café?
- أريد قهوة، من فضلك.urīdu qahwa, min fadlik.I want coffee, please.
- هل تشرب قهوة في الصباح؟hal tashrab qahwa fī al-sabāḥ?Do you drink coffee in the morning?
Example conversation
Omar and Sara are at a small cafe.
- عمر Omarهل تريدين قهوة يا سارة؟hal turīdīna qahwa yā Sāra?Do you want coffee, Sara?
- سارة Saraنعم، أريد قهوة سوداء.na‘am, urīdu qahwa sawdā’.Yes, I want black coffee.
- عمر Omarحسناً، سأطلب قهوة لنا.hasanan, sa-atlub qahwa lanā.Okay, I will order coffee for us.
- سارة Saraشكراً لك يا عمر.shukran laka yā ‘Umar.Thank you, Omar.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry قهوة, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قهوة, CC BY-SA 4.0.
