درج
daraj
The English phrase "stairs" is translated into Arabic as درج (daraj).
درج refers to a contiguous set of steps.
Meaning: contiguous set of steps (noun)
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter سلم, which is a common synonym used in many Arabic dialects to mean both stairs and a ladder. Additionally, the term السلالم is a formal way to say stairs.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word سلم is a common synonym for stairs used in many Arabic dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word درج can function as a collective noun for stairs, but its plural form درجات can also mean individual steps.
How do you pronounce it?
daraj
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, the word درج is used to refer to a 'drawer' in a desk or cabinet, despite it being the formal word for 'stairs'.
- While درج refers to the entire staircase, the individual steps are called درجات, which is the same word used for 'degrees' or 'levels' of something.
- The word درج is a linguistic relative of the Hebrew word דֶּרֶג and the Ge'ez word ድርገት, showing a shared ancient Semitic origin.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries درج, CC BY-SA 4.0.
