ملكة
malika/ma.li.ka/Hijazi Arabic, feminine
The Arabic word for queen is ملكة (malika). Wiktionary also lists مَلِكَة (malika).
Meaning: female monarch (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ملكة | malika | /ma.li.ka/ /ma.la.ka/ |
Hijazi Arabic, feminine |
| مَلِكَة | malika | feminine |
ملكة refers to a female monarch. In a specific context such as chess, the verb تفرزن can be used to describe the action of converting a pawn into a queen.
Which one should you use?
The masculine counterpart to the queen (malika) is the king, which is ملك (malik).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form ملكة is used in Hijazi-Arabic.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ma.li.ka/ and has three syllables.
Did you know?
- In the game of chess, while the piece is called ملكة in some regions, others refer to it as الوزير, which means 'the minister'. This reflects a cultural shift in how the most powerful piece on the board is viewed.
- While ملكة means 'queen', the word ملكة (pronounced with a different vowel) can also mean 'talent' or 'faculty' in Arabic. Depending on the vowel markings, the same letters can shift the meaning from a royal ruler to an innate skill.
- The word ملكة shares the same root (m-l-k) as the word for 'possession' or 'ownership' in Arabic.
Examples in context
- ملكة النمل آلة لوضع البيض.The queen ant is a breeding machine.This sentence shows how to use ملكة when referring to an ant.Tatoeba #11636122 by dididodo, translation #11500626 by Amastan
- لا شك أنها هي من ستكون ملكة حفل نهاية السنة.She's gonna be prom queen for sure.This sentence uses ملكة in the context of a prom queen.Tatoeba #11668896 by dididodo, translation #8409365 by Amastan
- تضع ملكة النمل البيض كي توفر سكانة لمستعمرتها.The queen ant lays eggs to populate the nest.This sentence demonstrates the use of ملكة in relation to an ant's biological role.Tatoeba #11636126 by dididodo, translation #11500627 by Amastan
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Omar are talking about a history book.
- سارة Saraمين كانت ملكة بريطانيا زمان؟min kanat malika britanya zaman?Who was the queen of Britain in the past?
- عمر Omarكان فيه ملكات كثير ومشهورات.kan fi malikat kathir wa mashhurat.There were many famous queens.
- سارة Saraأبغى أقرأ أكثر عن حياة ملكة واحدة.abgha aqra akthar an hayat malika wahida.I want to read more about the life of one queen.
- عمر Omarأقدر أساعدك تلاقي الكتاب المناسب يا سارة.aqdar asa'adik talaqi al-kitab al-munasib ya Sarah.I can help you find the right book, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “queen” translations and entries ملكة, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
