حمّام
ḥammāmeveryday
In Lebanese Arabic the usual word for the toilet is حمّام (ḥammām). People also say تواليت (twālēt), and the formal word مرحاض (marḥāḍ) is rare in speech.
Meaning: a room or fixture for using the toilet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حمّام | ḥammām | everyday |
| مرحاض | marḥāḍ | formal |
| تواليت | twālēt | everyday |
To ask where it is, say وين الحمّام؟ (wēn el-ḥammām?). It is a polite and normal question in homes, cafés and shops.
Which one should you use?
حمّام can also mean a bathroom with a shower or bath, so the meaning comes from the situation.
Did you know?
- حمّام (ḥammām) literally means "bath", and Lebanese speakers use it for the toilet too, much like "bathroom" in American English.
Examples in context
- وين الحمّام من فضلك؟wēn el-ḥammām min faḍlak?Where is the toilet, please?
- الحمّام عالشمال.el-ḥammām ʿash-shmāl.The toilet is on the left.
- التواليت مسكّر.et-twālēt msakkar.The toilet is locked.
Example conversation
A guest named Omar asks his host Mrs. Nahed for the bathroom.
- Omarعفواً، وين الحمّام؟ʿafwan, wēn el-ḥammām?Excuse me, where is the toilet?
- Mrs. Nahedآخر الممرّ عاليمين.ākher el-mamarr ʿal-yamīn.At the end of the hall on the right.
- Omarشكراً.shukran.Thank you.
