قمر
ʔámar/qa.mar/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The Arabic word for moon is قمر (ʔámar) (qamar). If unsure, use قمر. Wiktionary also lists قَمَر (qamar).
Meaning: the natural satellite of planet Earth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| قمر | ʔámar | /qa.mar/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| قَمَر | qamar | masculine |
قمر names the moon in the sky. It is also the name of the 54th sura of the Quran, سُورَةُ الْقَمَر.
Which one should you use?
قَمَر and قمر are the same word, written with and without vowel marks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic the first sound becomes a glottal stop, so the word is said ʔámar.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
قمر is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
In Modern Standard Arabic it is /qa.mar/, two syllables, starting with a q sound made far back in the throat. Egyptians say ʔámar.
When do people say it?
Calling someone a moon is a common compliment in Arabic, used to say that a person is beautiful.
Did you know?
- Unlike many other common nouns, the word قمر is an anomaly among Semitic languages because it has no known equivalent in related linguistic families.
- The lunar calendar is the foundation for the Islamic calendar, meaning the appearance of the قمر determines the dates of major holidays like Ramadan.
- While English speakers use the 'sun' as a symbol of radiance, Arabic uses the قمر as a primary metaphor for a person's beauty.
Examples in context
- كانت ليلة ظلماء، لا قمر فيها.It was a dark night, with no moon.لا قمر فيها means with no moon in it.Tatoeba #666345 by Samer, translation #329134 by fcbond
- قَمَرُ بَنِي هَاشِمThe Moon of the Sons of Hashim [title of Abbas ibn Ali]قَمَرُ here is part of a title meaning the Moon of the Sons of Hashim, given to Abbas, the son of Ali.
- القمر جميلThe moon is beautiful.
- لنا قمر في السماءWe have a moon in the sky.
- انظر إلى الشمس والقمرLook at the sun and the moon.
Example conversation
Maryam and Ahmed are walking outside at night.
- مريم Maryamيا أحمد، شايف القمر فوق؟Ya Ahmed, shayef el qamar fo'?Ahmed, do you see the moon up there?
- أحمد Ahmedأيوه، منور أوي الليلة دي.Aywa, menawar awy el leila di.Yes, it is very bright tonight.
- مريم Maryamتفتكر ده قمر كامل؟Teftaker da qamar kamel?Do you think it's a full moon?
- أحمد Ahmedأعتقد كدة، شكله مدور خالص.'Ateqed keda, shaklo medawar khales.I think so, it looks completely round.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moon” translations and entries قمر, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قمر, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
