Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| قَرِيبًا | qarīban |
| سَرْعَانَ مَا | sarʕāna mā |
| سِرْعَانَ مَا | sirʕāna mā |
| سُرْعَانَ مَا | surʕāna mā |
The word قَرِيبًا is used to indicate that something will happen within a short time. Other variations like سَرْعَانَ مَا, سِرْعَانَ مَا and سُرْعَانَ مَا are also used to mean soon, often specifically emphasizing that an action will happen quickly.
What does it mean word for word?
The word قَرِيبًا is derived from a root meaning 'near', so it literally translates to 'nearly' or 'in a near state'.
Which one should you use?
The forms سَرْعَانَ مَا, سِرْعَانَ مَا and سُرْعَانَ مَا function as adverbial phrases.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
قَرِيبًا is the standard term used in Modern Standard Arabic for formal writing, news and announcements. For informal speech, you may hear قريب.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adverbial phrases سَرْعَانَ مَا, سِرْعَانَ مَا and سُرْعَانَ مَا typically precede a verb to indicate that an action will occur soon or quickly.
How do you pronounce it?
qarīban
Did you know?
- The word قَرِيبًا shares a root with the word for 'relative' or 'kinsman', as both describe someone or something that is 'near'.
- In formal religious texts and the Quran, the word قَرِيب is frequently used to describe the proximity of God to the believer, rather than a point in time.
- Depending on the dialect, a speaker might use the word for 'now' to mean 'soon' when they are being optimistic or impatient, blurring the line between the present and the immediate future.
Examples in context
- قد تحصل على الرد قريبًا.You will receive a response soon.
- سيتم الاجتماع بعد قليل.The meeting will take place soon.
- جاي معك قريب.I'll come with you soon.
- تعال إلينا بالسيارة بعد قليل.Come to us by car soon.
- نشوفك قريب، ان شاء الله.We'll see you soon, God willing.
- سَأَعُودُ إِلَى المَنْزِلِ قَرِيبًا.sa'a'udu ila al-manzili qariban.I will return home soon.
- هَلْ سَتَأْتِي قَرِيبًا؟hal sata'ti qariban?Will you come soon?
- سَيَنْهِي الطَّالِبُ عَمَلَهُ قَرِيبًا.sayunhi al-talibu 'amalahu qariban.The student will finish his work soon.
Example conversation
Omar and Maryam are talking on the phone about a meeting.
- عمر Omarهَلْ سَتَصِلِينَ قَرِيبًا؟hal satasilina qariban?Will you arrive soon?
- مريم Maryamنَعَمْ، سَأَصِلُ قَرِيبًا جِدًّا.na'am, sa'asilu qariban jiddan.Yes, I will arrive very soon.
- عمر Omarحَسَنًا، أَنَا أَنْتَظِرُكِ.hasanan, ana antadhiruki.Okay, I am waiting for you.
- مريم Maryamشُكْرًا لَكَ يَا عُمَرُ.shukran laka ya Omar.Thank you, Omar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
