ملح
malḥ/milħ/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The English word salt is translated to Arabic as ملح (malḥ). Wiktionary also lists مِلْح (milḥ).
Meaning: sodium chloride (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ملح | malḥ | /milħ/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| مِلْح | milḥ | masculine |
The term refers to the chemical compound sodium chloride.
Which one should you use?
مِلْح (milḥ) is the standard form used in formal contexts, while ملح (malḥ) is the Egyptian Arabic variant.
Is it said differently in some regions?
ملح (malḥ) is specifically used in Egyptian Arabic.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb مَلَّحَ is a derived form of the noun مِلْح and is used to express the action of adding salt to food.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is malḥ and the IPA is /milħ/.
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, the word ملح is used idiomatically to describe a person who is 'salty' or charming, meaning they have a witty or delightful personality.
- In some Arabic cultures, throwing a pinch of ملح over one's shoulder is a traditional gesture used to ward off the 'evil eye' or envy.
- In many Arabic cultures, the phrase 'between us there is salt and bread' بيننا ملح وعيش describes a deep bond of loyalty and friendship. It implies a sacred pact that cannot be betrayed because the two people have shared a basic meal.
Examples in context
- هل بقي ملح؟Is there any salt left?This sentence is useful for asking about the availability of the noun ملح.Tatoeba #10225062 by Amastan, translation #25758 by CK
- يطبخون بدون ملح.They cook without salt.This sentence is useful for describing cooking actions involving the noun ملح.Tatoeba #10225061 by Amastan, translation #7995726 by BRCoolata
- هَلْ يُمْكِنُنِي الحُصُولُ عَلى الْمِلْحِ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ؟May I have some salt, please?
- لَا تَنْسَى إِضَافَةَ الْمِلْحِ إِلَى الْوَصْفَةِ.Don't forget to add salt to the recipe.
- حط شوية ملح في الأكل.ḥaṭ šwayit milḥ fil-akl.Put a little salt in the food.
Example conversation
Laila and Omar are in the kitchen preparing a meal.
- ليلى Laylaعمر، فين الملح؟ʿOmar, fēn el-milḥ?Omar, where is the salt?
- عمر Omarالملح على الترابيزة.el-milḥ ʿala el-tarabīza.The salt is on the table.
- ليلى Laylaأنا محتاجة ملح أكتر.ana miḥtāga milḥ aktar.I need more salt.
- عمر Omarماشي، هجيبهولك.māšī, hageebūllik.Okay, I will bring it to you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salt” translations and entries ملح, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
