قِصَّة
qiṣṣafeminine
The English word 'story' is translated into Arabic using several forms, most commonly قِصَّة (qiṣṣa). Wiktionary also lists حِكَايَة (ḥikāya) and رِوَايَة (riwāya).
Meaning: account of events (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| قِصَّة | qiṣṣa | feminine |
| حِكَايَة | ḥikāya | feminine |
| رِوَايَة | riwāya | feminine |
In Arabic, the term for 'story' depends on whether you are referring to a specific account of events, a traditional tale or a long fictional work.
Which one should you use?
قِصَّة is the standard term for a short story or a specific account of events. حِكَايَة often implies a more oral or traditional tale, such as an anecdote. While both قِصَّة and حِكَايَة can refer to short stories or general tales, رِوَايَة specifically refers to a novel.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word قِصَّة is a feminine noun, and its plural is قِصَص. The word حِكَايَة is also feminine, and its plural is حِكَايَات. The word رِوَايَة is feminine, and its plural is رِوَايَات.
How do you pronounce it?
qiṣṣa
Did you know?
- In classical Arabic, the root of حِكَايَة is linked to the idea of 'mimicking' or 'imitating'. To tell a story was seen as imitating the speech of the original characters.
- The term رِوَايَة is closely tied to the science of Hadith, where a 'rawi' is a person who transmits a chain of narration to verify a story's authenticity.
- In many Arabic dialects, you might hear people use the word حِكَايَة to describe a 'situation' or a 'mess' someone is in, rather than just a literal tale.
Examples in context
- أحببت قصة اليوم في الجريدة.I loved today's story in the newspaper.
- ولو تعرف السالفة كاملة، ما كنت حاتخذ القرار هذا.If you knew the whole story, you wouldn't have made this decision.
- هذه قِصَّةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ جِدًّا.hādhihi qiṣṣatun jamīlatun jiddan.This is a very beautiful story.
- أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْمَعَ قِصَّةَ الطِّفْلِ.urīdu an asma'a qiṣṣata al-ṭifli.I want to hear the child's story.
- كَتَبَ الرَّجُلُ قِصَّةً حَقِيقِيَّةً.kataba al-rajulu qiṣṣatan ḥaqīqiyatan.The man wrote a true story.
Example conversation
Ziyad and Layla are talking about a book.
- زياد Ziadيا ليلى، هل قرأتِ هذه الرواية؟Ya Layla, hal qara'ti hadhihi al-riwayah?Layla, have you read this novel?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، قِصَّة الكتاب كانت رائعة.Na'am, qissat al-kitab kanat ra'i'ah.Yes, the story of the book was wonderful.
- زياد Ziadما هو الجزء المفضل لديكِ؟Ma huwa al-juz' al-mufaddal ladayki?What is your favorite part?
- ليلى Laylaأحببت كيف انتهت قِصَّة البطل.Ahbabtu kayfa intahat qissat al-batal.I loved how the hero's story ended.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “story” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
