بقاء
The English phrase survival is translated into Arabic as بقاء.
The term refers to continued existence or life.
Meaning: continued existence or life (noun)
Which one should you use?
While بقاء refers to the continued existence or staying of something, نجاة is used specifically for survival in the sense of escaping a life-threatening situation or disaster.
Did you know?
- In Islamic mysticism, the term البقاء refers to a spiritual state of 'permanence' or 'abiding in God' after the ego has been extinguished.
- The root 'b-q-y' (ب-ق-ي), which forms بقاء, is also the basis for the word 'remnant' or 'leftover', implying that survival is what is left behind after others are gone.
- The term بقاء can be used in legal Arabic to refer to the 'survival' or 'subsistence' of a contract or a specific clause after other parts have expired.
Examples in context
- بقاء النوعsurvival of the species
- بقاء الإنسان يعتمد على الغذاء.baqā' al-insān ya'tamid 'ala al-ghidā'.Human survival depends on food.
- نحن نناقش بقاء هذه الأنواع.nahnu nunāqish baqā' hādhihi al-anwā'.We are discussing the survival of these species.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Layla are discussing a documentary about nature.
- أحمد Ahmedهل شاهدتِ الفيلم الوثائقي؟hal shahadti al-film al-wathā'iqī?Did you watch the documentary?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، كان عن بقاء الحيوانات في الغابة.na'am, kāna 'an baqā' al-hayawānāt fī al-ghāba.Yes, it was about the survival of animals in the forest.
- أحمد Ahmedلقد كان معبراً جداً يا ليلى.laqad kāna mu'abbiran jiddan yā Laylā.It was very moving, Layla.
- ليلى Laylaبالتأكيد، الطبيعة قاسية جداً.bi-l-ta'kīd, al-tabī'a qāsiyah jiddan.Certainly, nature is very harsh.
