Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| إِلَى | ʔilā | |
| عَلَى | ʕalā | |
| لـ | le | Egyptian Arabic |
The preposition is used to indicate movement in the direction of or arriving at a destination. It can also be used to express purpose or intended recipients in formal contexts.
Which one should you use?
إِلَى (ʔilā) is typically used to denote movement toward a specific destination. In contrast, عَلَى (ʕalā) is used for "to" in specific contexts such as communication or revelation, for example when saying something was "revealed to" or "said to" someone. While عَلَى often translates to "upon" or "on" in English, it serves the purpose of "to" in these communicative instances.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word "to" is often expressed by the prefix لـ, which is attached directly to the noun.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Egyptian Arabic, the prefix لـ is attached directly to the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔilā
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, the prefix لـ used for 'to' also functions as the word for 'for'. This means a single letter can indicate both the destination of a gift and the person who is intended to receive it.
- In some Arabic contexts, saying something is 'to' someone using عَلَى implies a sense of weight or obligation, as if the words are resting 'upon' them.
- In classical Arabic poetry, the prepositional use of إِلَى can sometimes function as a way to describe a state of being or a constant direction of the soul, rather than just physical travel.
Examples in context
- قَالَ لِخَدِيجَةَ: لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي.He said to Khadija "I fear that something may happen to me".This sentence shows how عَلَى is used to express concern for someone's well-being.Tatoeba #9084268 by alkhaldy, translation #9090934 by alkhaldy
- هَذَا النَّامُوسُ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُوسَى.This is the law that God revealed to Moses.This sentence demonstrates the use of عَلَى in the context of divine revelation.Tatoeba #9084273 by alkhaldy, translation #9090972 by alkhaldy
- توم أدار ظهره لــنمط حياته القديمة وثم كرّسَ نفسه لأسرته.Tom turned his back on his old way of life and dedicated himself to his family.This sentence illustrates the use of the Egyptian-Arabic prefix لـ attached to a noun.Tatoeba #4976583 by eeyinn, translation #3346748 by patgfisher
- أنا ذاهب إلى الحديقةI am going to the park
- أكتب رسالةً لصديقيI am writing a letter to my friend
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nour and Yusuf are discussing their travel plans.
- نور Nourإِلَى أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ يَا يُوسُفُ؟ila ayn tazhabu ya Yusuf?Where are you going, Yusuf?
- يوسف Youssefأَنَا ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى الْمَكْتَبَةِ.ana zahibun ilal maktabah.I am going to the library.
- نور Nourهَلْ سَتَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ قَرِيبًا؟hal satarji'u ilal bayti qariban?Will you return to the house soon?
- يوسف Youssefنَعَمْ، سَأَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ.na'am, sa'arji'u ilal bayti ba'da sa'ah.Yes, I will return to the house in an hour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “to” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
