جَرَعَ
jaraʕa
The English verb swallow can be translated into Arabic using جَرَعَ (jaraʕa). Wiktionary also lists بَلَعَ (balaʕa) and سَرَطَ (saraṭa).
Meaning: to cause to pass from the mouth into the stomach (verb)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| جَرَعَ | jaraʕa |
| بَلَعَ | balaʕa |
| سَرَطَ | saraṭa |
| اِزْدَرَدَ | izdarada |
The verbs in this group mean to cause something to pass from the mouth into the stomach. Related nouns include جَرْعَة, شَرْبَة and قَمْحَة, which refer to an amount swallowed, as well as سُنُونُو, which means the bird swallow.
Which one should you use?
While all these words describe the act of swallowing, they carry different nuances. بَلَعَ is the most common and neutral verb used for the physical act of swallowing food or liquid. جَرَعَ often implies swallowing a large amount of liquid in one go, such as a gulp or a dose of medicine. سَرَطَ is a more intense or literary term that can imply swallowing something whole or devouring it greedily. اِزْدَرَدَ is a highly formal or classical term for the act of swallowing.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
jaraʕa
Did you know?
- Arabic has a distinct word for the bird swallow سُنُونُو which shares no linguistic root with any of the verbs used for the physical act of swallowing.
- The verb بَلَعَ is used metaphorically to describe someone who is forced to accept an insulting or unfair situation, similar to the English phrase 'to swallow one's pride'.
- In many Arabic dialects, the word for a 'sip' or 'gulp' جَرْعَة is used to refer to a dose of medicine, regardless of whether it is a liquid or a pill.
Examples in context
- لا تجرب هذا إلا إذا تمكنت من ابتلاعه بدون مشاكل.Do not attempt this unless you can swallow it without any issues.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swallow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
