بَصَقَ
baṣaqa
To spit in Arabic is expressed by several verbs, most commonly بَصَقَ (baṣaqa). Wiktionary also lists بَزَقَ (bazaqa) and تَفَلَ (tafala).
Meaning: to evacuate (saliva or another substance) from the mouth, etc. (verb)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| بَصَقَ | baṣaqa |
| بَزَقَ | bazaqa |
| تَفَلَ | tafala |
| تَفَّ | taffa |
The primary meaning of these verbs is to evacuate saliva or another substance from the mouth. Related to these actions, the noun بُزَاق refers to the substance of saliva or spit itself.
Which one should you use?
بَصَقَ is the most common and standard way to express the act of spitting. In many spoken Arabic dialects, you will find the variation بَزَقَ used frequently. For a more classical or formal tone, often found in literary or religious contexts, you may use تَفَلَ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form بَزَقَ is a dialectal variation that is very common across many spoken Arabic dialects.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun for the substance of saliva, بُزَاق, is derived from the verb root of بَزَقَ.
How do you pronounce it?
baṣaqa
Did you know?
- In many Arabic cultures, spitting on the ground or to the side while mentioning the 'evil eye' or something feared is a traditional gesture used to ward off bad luck.
- The verb تَفَلَ is used in Islamic traditions to describe a specific ritual act of lightly spitting or blowing into the palms before wiping them over the body during prayer for protection.
- While بَصَقَ is the standard verb, using it in a metaphorical sense to describe someone's speech can imply that their words are vile or contemptible.
Examples in context
- عفواً، أين يوجد مكان للبصق هنا؟Excuse me, where is the place to spit here?
- بَصَقَ الرَّجُلُ في الشَّارِعِ.baṣaqa ar-rajulu fī ash-shāriʻi.The man spat in the street.
- بَصَقَ الغَضْبَانُ منْ غَضَبِهِ.baṣaqa al-ghaḍbānu min ghaḍabihi.The angry man spat out of his rage.
Example conversation
Ziad and Nour are walking in a public park.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ رَأَيْتِ مَنْ بَصَقَ هُنا؟hal ra’ayti man baṣaqa hunā?Did you see who spat here?
- نور Nourلَا، لَمْ أَرَ أحَدًا يَبْصُقُ.lā, lam ara aḥadan yabṣuqu.No, I didn't see anyone spitting.
- زياد Ziadهَذَا التَّصَرُّفُ مُقْرِفٌ جِدًّا يا نُور.hādhā at-taṣarrufu muqrifun jiddan yā Nūr.That behavior is very disgusting, Nour.
- نور Nourأَنْتَ مُحِقٌّ، عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَحْتَرِمَ المَكَانَ.anta muḥiqqun, ʻalayhi an yaḥtarima al-makān.You are right, he must respect the place.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spit” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
