أخوات
akhawat
The Arabic word for "sisters" is أخوات (akhawat).
أخوات is used to refer to female siblings or girls who share the same parents.
Which one should you use?
أخوات is used specifically for a group of female siblings. In contrast, إخوان is often used for brothers or to refer to a mixed group of brothers and sisters depending on the context.
How do you pronounce it?
akhawat
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, calling a female stranger أخت or using the plural أخوات is a common way to show politeness and social respect without being overly formal.
- In many Arabic dialects, you might hear people use the word أخوات to refer to close female friends or even members of a professional guild, extending the meaning beyond biological kinship.
- While أخوات refers to female siblings, the word أخ for 'brother' belongs to the same linguistic root, meaning the concept of siblings is deeply interconnected through shared phonetic patterns.
Examples in context
- أتساءل أين هي أخواتي الآن؟I wonder where my sisters are now.This sentence shows how to express wondering about the current location of one's أخوات.Tatoeba #11978049 by dididodo, translation #10545589 by Amastan
- عليكِ أن تتعلّمي من أخواتك.You have to learn from your sisters.This sentence is used to suggest learning from one's أخوات.Tatoeba #5830405 by OsoHombre, translation #5828712 by OsoHombre
- هو الأصغر من بين كلّ إخواني و أخواتي.He is the youngest of all my brothers and sisters.This sentence is useful for describing someone as the youngest among a group of both brothers and أخوات.Tatoeba #8347101 by Amastan, translation #4452234 by ponisio7
- أَخَوَاتِيMy sisters
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar and Mariam are discussing their family at a cafe.
- عمر Omarهل لديكِ أخوات؟Hal ladayki akhawat?Do you have sisters?
- مريم Maryamنعم، لديّ أختان.Na'am, ladayya ukhtan.Yes, I have two sisters.
- عمر Omarهل أخواتكِ يعشن هنا؟Hal akhawatuki ya'ishna huna?Do your sisters live here?
- مريم Maryamلا، أخواتي يسكنّ في مدينة أخرى.La, akhawati yaskunna fi madina ukhra.No, my sisters live in another city.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
