Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أَرِيكَة | ʔarīka | feminine |
| كَنَبَة | kanaba | feminine |
| تَخْت | taḵt | feminine |
| دِيوَان | dīwān | masculine |
All the terms provided refer to an upholstered seat or seating area, though they vary significantly in scale and cultural context.
Which one should you use?
أَرِيكَة is the formal Modern Standard Arabic term for a sofa. In everyday spoken dialects, كَنَبَة is more common. The term دِيوَان is used for a larger, often more traditional or formal seating arrangement or a piece of furniture used for receiving guests. In many dialects, the colloquial word تَخْت can refer to either a couch or a bed, depending on the specific region and context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal word كنب is commonly used in dialectical Arabic in Egypt and certain Gulf countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
The formal feminine noun أَرِيكَة has the broken plural form أَرَائِك. The noun كَنَبَة has the regular sound feminine plural كَنَبَات.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔarīka
When do people say it?
The term دِيوَان is specifically used to describe furniture or seating areas intended for receiving guests, reflecting a traditional way of hosting.
Did you know?
- The term دِيوَان is also used to refer to a 'collection' or 'register' of poems, linking the concept of seating with a gathering of literature.
- The word تَخْت is borrowed from the Persian word for 'throne' or 'platform'.
- The word كَنَبَة is a loanword derived from the French 'canapé', which literally means 'sofa' or 'canape'.
Examples in context
- أين يمكنني شراء كنبة جديدة؟Where can I buy a new sofa?
- أنا أحب الاستلقاء على الأريكة بعد يوم طويل.I love lying on the sofa after a long day.
- اشْتَرَيْتُ أَرِيكَةً جَدِيدَةً لِلصَّالَةِ.ishtaraytu arīkatan jadīdatan lil-ṣālah.I bought a new sofa for the living room.
Example conversation
Yousef and Maryam are looking at furniture in a showroom.
- يوسف Youssefمَا رَأْيُكِ فِي هَذِهِ الأَرِيكَةِ؟mā ra'yuki fī hadhihi al-arīkah?What do you think of this sofa?
- مريم Maryamهِيَ جَمِيلَةٌ، لَكِنَّهَا غَالِيَةٌ.hiya jamīlatun, lakinnahā ghāliyah.It is beautiful, but it is expensive.
- يوسف Youssefهَلْ نَبْحَثُ عَنْ أَرِيكَةٍ أَرْخَصَ؟hal nabḥathu 'an arīkatin arkhaṣ?Should we look for a cheaper sofa?
- مريم Maryamنَعَمْ، هَذَا هُوَ الأَفْضَلُ.na'am, hadha huwa al-afḍal.Yes, that is best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sofa” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
