Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| جَاهِز | jāhiz |
| مُسْتَعِدّ | mustaʕidd |
In Arabic, the choice of word for ready depends on whether you are describing a person's state of preparation or the availability of an object or task.
Which one should you use?
Use جَاهِز (jāhiz) when referring to something being ready, available or completed, such as saying food is ready. In contrast, use مُسْتَعِدّ (mustaʕidd) when a person is ready in the sense of being mentally or physically prepared for an upcoming action or task.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Adjectives in Arabic must agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe. For جَاهِز, the feminine form is جَاهِزَة (jāhiza) and the masculine plural is جَاهِزُونَ (jāhizūn). For مُسْتَعِدّ, the feminine form is مُسْتَعِدَّة (mustaʕidda) and the masculine plural is مُسْتَعِدُّونَ (mustaʕiddūn).
How do you pronounce it?
jāhiz
Did you know?
- The root of مُسْتَعِدّ (mustaʕidd) is linked to the idea of seeking or requesting something. Grammatically, the form implies an active process of seeking out the necessary tools or mental states to be prepared.
- The word جَاهِز shares a root with جَاه, which refers to social prestige or rank, though the meanings have diverged over time.
- In Arabic, if you ask if someone is 'ready' using مُسْتَعِدّ (mustaʕidd), you are implying they need to exert effort or undergo a process to reach that state. It carries a heavier sense of mental or physical exertion than the English word 'ready' often does.
Examples in context
- أنا جاهز للمقابلة الرسمية.I am ready for the official interview.
- هيا، نذهب! أنا جاهِز.Let's go! I'm ready.
- أنا مستعد للسفر.I am ready to travel.
- هل أنت جاهِز؟Are you ready?
- نعم، أنا جاهِز.Yes, I am ready.
- الطَّعَامُ جَاهِزٌ الآنَ.al-ta'āmu jāhizun al-āna.The food is ready now.
- هَلْ أَنْتَ جَاهِزٌ لِلْخُرُوجِ؟hal anta jāhizun lil-khurūj?Are you ready to go out?
- الْحَقِيبَةُ جَاهِزَةٌ لِلسَّفَرِ.al-ḥaqībatu jāhizatun lis-safar.The bag is ready for travel.
Example conversation
Omar is preparing to leave the house for a trip.
- نور Nourهَلْ أَنْتَ جَاهِزٌ يَا عُمَرُ؟hal anta jāhizun yā 'umar?Are you ready, Omar?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، أَنَا جَاهِزٌ تَمَاماً.na'am, ana jāhizun tamāman.Yes, I am completely ready.
- نور Nourحَسَناً، لِنَذْهَبْ إِذَنْ.ḥasanan, linadhhab idhan.Okay, let's go then.
- عمر Omarهَيَّا بِنَا!hayyā binā!Let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ready” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
