نَحِيل
naḥīl
The English phrase "slim" can be translated into Arabic using نَحِيل (naḥīl). Wiktionary also lists نَحِيف (naḥīf) and أَهْيَف (ʔahyaf).
Meaning: slender (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| نَحِيل | naḥīl |
| نَحِيف | naḥīf |
| أَهْيَف | ʔahyaf |
The words used to describe being slim or slender vary based on whether you want to imply a graceful build, a medical state or a poetic quality.
Which one should you use?
While نَحِيل (naḥīl) implies a slender or graceful build, نَحِيف (naḥīf) is a more neutral or clinical term for being thin and can sometimes imply being underweight. For a more poetic or literary effect, you can use أَهْيَف (ʔahyaf) to describe a person with a graceful, slender physique.
How do you pronounce it?
naḥīl
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, people avoid using these formal terms and instead use words that literally mean 'dry' to describe someone who is very slim.
- Arabic has a vast number of adjectives for 'thinness' that distinguish between being naturally slender, wasting away from grief and being skinny from hunger.
- While نَحِيف means 'slim', it shares a root with the word for 'thin' or 'narrow' used to describe a small amount of patience or a narrow street.
Examples in context
- لدي صديقة رشيقة جدًا.I have a very slim friend.
- أخي نحيف وقوي في نفس الوقت.My brother is slim and strong at the same time.
- هُوَ شَابٌّ نَحِيل.huwa shābbun naḥīl.He is a slim young man.
- هَذِهِ القِطَّةُ نَحِيلَةٌ جِدًّا.hadhihi al-qiṭṭatu naḥīlatun jiddan.This cat is very slim.
Example conversation
Nour and Ziad are discussing a person's appearance.
- نور Nourهَلْ رَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ النَّحِيلَ؟hal ra'ayta al-rajula al-naḥīla?Did you see the slim man?
- زياد Ziadنَعَمْ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ.na'am, laqad ra'aytuhu.Yes, I saw him.
- نور Nourيَبْدُو نَحِيلًا جِدًّا فِي هَذَا الثَّوْبِ.yabdū naḥīlan jiddan fī hadhā al-thawbi.He looks very slim in this outfit.
- زياد Ziadإِنَّهُ يُمَارِسُ الرِّيَاضَةَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.innahu yumārisu al-riyāḍata kulla yawm.He exercises every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slim” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
