شَارِع
šāriʕmasculine
The Arabic word for street is شَارِع (šāriʕ). If unsure, use شَارِع. Wiktionary also lists زَنَقَة (zanaqa).
Meaning: paved part of road in a village or a town (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شَارِع | šāriʕ | masculine |
| زَنَقَة | zanaqa | feminine |
شَارِع is the standard term for official street names and addresses in most Arabic-speaking countries. زقاق usually refers to a narrow street or alleyway.
Which one should you use?
زَنَقَة (zanaqa) refers to a narrow alley or a tight lane rather than a standard street.
Is it said differently in some regions?
شارع is the primary word for street in the Gulf countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
How does it change in a sentence?
شَارِع is masculine and زَنَقَة is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
It is said šāriʕ, starting with a sh sound and ending in a deep throat sound.
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, the word زَنَقَة is used metaphorically to describe a 'dead end' or a psychological state of feeling trapped with no way out.
- In many traditional Arab cities, the word سُوق is used for a street that serves as a marketplace, treating the commercial activity and the road as a single entity.
- While شَارِع is the standard for modern addresses, the word دَرْب is often favored in poetry to represent a 'path' or 'way' in a philosophical or metaphorical sense.
Examples in context
- يا صاحبي، كيف بوصل على زقاق الشهداء؟Hey buddy, how do I get to Martyrs' Alley?
- أعتقد أن المشروع يحتاج إلى شارع رئيسي جديد.I think the project needs a new main street.
- نعم، ينبغي أن تكون الخطوة التالية تصميم شارع رئيسي يسهّل تدفق حركة المرور.Yes, the next step should be designing a main street that facilitates traffic flow.
- هَلْ هَذَا شَارِعٌ هَادِئٌ؟hal hadha shari'un hadi'?Is this a quiet street?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “street” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
