Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء | ʕilm al-ʔimlāʔ | masculine |
| هِجَاء | hijāʔ | masculine |
Arabic uses different terms for spelling depending on whether you are discussing the formal rules of writing or the physical act of reciting letters. عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء is used to discuss the subject of orthography or the rules governing how words are written. هِجَاء refers to the act of spelling out individual letters or the process of reciting a word letter by letter. In the context of classical Arabic literature, هِجَاء can also mean 'satire' or 'lampooning'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء literally means 'the science of dictation'.
Which one should you use?
عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء is used when referring to formal spelling rules and the science of orthography. In contrast, هِجَاء is used when referring to the process of spelling out or reciting the individual letters of a word.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء and هِجَاء are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
ʕilm al-ʔimlāʔ
Did you know?
- The formal study of عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء is essential for maintaining the integrity of the Quran, where a single misplaced letter changes the meaning of a verse.
- The word إِمْلَاء shares its root with the word for 'to command' or 'to dictate', linking the act of writing to the authority of the speaker.
- Because Arabic is an abjad, vowels are often omitted in writing, making the act of هِجَاء (spelling out letters) essential for reading a word correctly.
Examples in context
- في الاختبار، ستتم مراجعة إملاء الكلمات.In the exam, the spelling of words will be reviewed.
Example conversation
Mariam and Ahmed are talking about their Arabic class.
- مريم Maryamكَيْفَ كَانَ اخْتِبَار عِلْم اَلْإِمْلَاء يَا أَحْمَد؟Kayfa kana ikhtibar 'ilm al-imla' ya Ahmad?How was the spelling test, Ahmed?
- أحمد Ahmedكَانَ سَهْلاً جِدّاً، وَأَنَا سَعِيدٌ.Kana sahlan jiddan, wa ana sa'id.It was very easy, and I am happy.
- مريم Maryamهَلْ كَتَبْتَ كُلَّ الْكَلِمَاتِ بِشَكْلٍ صَحِيحٍ؟Hal katabta kulla al-kalimat bishaklin sahih?Did you write all the words correctly?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، لَقَدْ تَدَرَّبْتُ كَثِيراً.Na'am, laqad tadarabtu kathiran.Yes, I practiced a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spelling” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
