لِصّ
liṣṣmasculine
The English word 'thief' is translated into Arabic using several forms, most commonly لِصّ (liṣṣ). Wiktionary also lists لِصَّة (liṣṣa) and سَارِق (sāriq).
Meaning: one who carries out theft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لِصّ | liṣṣ | masculine |
| لِصَّة | liṣṣa | feminine |
| سَارِق | sāriq | masculine |
| سَارِقَة | sāriqa | feminine |
| حَرَامِيّ | ḥarāmiyy | masculine |
| حَرَامِيَّة | ḥarāmiyya | feminine |
What does it mean word for word?
The colloquial term حَرَامِيّ is derived from the root meaning 'forbidden' or 'sinful' (ḥarām).
Which one should you use?
لِصّ is a classical or more formal term for a thief. سَارِق is a formal noun derived from the verb 'to steal' and is often used in legal or news contexts. In contrast, حَرَامِيّ is a common, colloquial term used in many Arabic dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
حَرَامِيّ is an informal term used across several Arab countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
For سَارِق, the feminine form is سَارِقَة. For the colloquial حَرَامِيّ, the feminine form is حَرَامِيَّة.
How do you pronounce it?
liṣṣ
Did you know?
- In many dialects, calling someone a حَرَامِيّ can be used as a playful or lighthearted accusation of someone being 'sneaky' or 'cheeky', rather than a serious charge of theft.
- The word حَرَامِيّ is sometimes used as a slang adjective to describe something that is 'stolen' or 'bootlegged', rather than just the person who stole it.
- The term لِصّ is often found in classical Arabic poetry and ancient literature, making it the 'literary' way to describe a bandit or a rogue.
Examples in context
- هذا لِصّ مَاهِرٌ جِدًّا.hadha liss maahir jiddan.This is a very skilled thief.
Example conversation
Youssef and Sarah are talking about a news report.
- يوسف Youssefسَمِعْتُ أَنَّ لِصّاً دَخَلَ البَيْتَ.sami'tu anna lissan dakhala al-bayt.I heard that a thief entered the house.
- سارة Saraهَلْ سَرَقَ شَيْئاً ثَمِيناً؟hal saraqa shay'an thaminan?Did he steal anything valuable?
- يوسف Youssefنَعَم، سَرَقَ مَجَوْهَرَاتِ الجَدَّةِ.na'am, saraqa mujawharat al-jadda.Yes, he stole the grandmother's jewelry.
- سارة Saraآمُلُ أَنْ يُمْسِكَ الشُّرْطَةُ بِالـلِصّ.amulu an yumsika al-shurta bi-al-liss.I hope the police catch the thief.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thief” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
