صَامِت
ṣāmit
The English word 'quiet' can be translated into Arabic as صَامِت (ṣāmit). Wiktionary also lists هَادِئ (hādiʔ).
Meaning: with little sound (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| صَامِت | ṣāmit |
| هَادِئ | hādiʔ |
If you want to command someone to be quiet (as in 'be silent'), you would use the imperative verb اُسْكُت rather than the adjective.
Which one should you use?
While both صَامِت and هَادِئ can mean quiet, they have different nuances. صَامِت (ṣāmit) emphasizes the absence of sound or speech. In contrast, هَادِئ (hādiʔ) is more commonly used to describe a peaceful atmosphere or a calm person.
How does it change in a sentence?
Similarly, the adjective هَادِئ takes the feminine form هَادِئَة when modifying a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of صَامِت is ṣāmit.
Did you know?
- The root of صَامِت is the same as the word for 'fasting' (صِيَام). In Arabic culture, both fasting and silence involve a disciplined act of abstaining from a natural impulse.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, a 'quiet' person is often highly respected as someone who possesses 'waqar', a sense of dignity and composure.
- The imperative اُسْكُت (uskut) is quite blunt and can be perceived as rude or aggressive in a social setting, similar to telling someone to 'shut up'.
Example sentences for Arabic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Nour and Ziad are in a library.
- نور Nourيجب أن نكون في مكان صَامِت.Yajib an nakuna fi makan samit.We must be in a quiet place.
- زياد Ziadنعم، هذه المكتبة ممتازة.Na'am, hadhihi al-maktaba mumtaza.Yes, this library is excellent.
- نور Nourأرجوك، ابقَ صَامِتاً يا زياد.Arjuka, ibqa samitan ya Ziyad.Please, stay quiet, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadأنا آسف، سأصمت الآن.Ana asif, sa-asmut al-an.I am sorry, I will be quiet now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quiet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
