Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| شجرة | šɑgɑrɑ | /ʃa.d͡ʒa.ra/ /ʃaʒ.ra/ (Morocco) |
Egyptian Arabic, feminine, singulative |
| شَجَر | šajar | collective, masculine | |
| شَجَرَة | šajara | feminine, singulative | |
| شجر | šɑgɑr | Egyptian Arabic, collective, masculine | |
| شْيَرَة | šyara | Gulf Arabic, feminine | |
| سجرة | sežre | North Levantine Arabic, masculine |
The term is used to refer to large woody plants. While شجرة specifically denotes a single tree, the collective form شَجَر can refer to trees in general or the concept of trees and wood.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily in number and gender. The collective noun شَجَر is masculine and refers to a group of trees or wood. The singulative form شَجَرَة is feminine and is used to specify a single tree.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the pronunciation shifts to a more open sound, appearing as شجر (šɑgɑr) or شجرة (šɑgɑrɑ). In some North Levantine Arabic dialects, the word is pronounced as سجرة (sežre). Additionally, the form شْيَرَة (šyara) is used in Gulf Arabic.
How does it change in a sentence?
شَجَر is a collective masculine noun used for trees as a mass or group. شَجَرَة is the singulative feminine form used for one individual tree.
How do you pronounce it?
šɑgɑrɑ (3 syllables)
When do people say it?
When specifically referring to a palm tree, the word نَخْلَة is used instead of the general term for tree.
Did you know?
- Arabic uses the root ش ج ر not only for trees but also to describe 'dispute' or 'quarreling' (شجار), linking the idea of 'branching out' or 'clashing' to the same linguistic root.
- In Arabic, the 'singular' word شجرة is actually created by adding a feminine marker to the 'collective' word شجر. This means the language starts with the group and derives the individual from it.
- In Arabic grammar, the collective noun شجر is masculine, but the individual tree شجرة is feminine, meaning the gender of the plant changes based on whether you see it as a forest or a single object.
Examples in context
- قطع توم شجرة كرز.Tom cut down a cherry tree.This sentence shows how to use شجر to describe cutting down a single tree.Tatoeba #11619785 by dididodo, translation #2719670 by Amastan
- جلسوا تحت ظل شجرة.They sat in the shade of a tree.This sentence demonstrates using شجر in the context of shade.Tatoeba #370989 by saeb, translation #307607 by CK
- هذه شجرة في الربيعThis is a tree in the spring.This sentence uses شجر to identify a tree in a specific season.Tatoeba #7797868 by aljilani, translation #463296 by lukaszpp
- هذه شجرة جميلةThis is a beautiful tree.
- النخلة هي شجرة جميلة جدًاThe palm tree is very beautiful.
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziad and Mariam are walking in a public park.
- مريم Maryamفي شجرة كبيرة هنا.fi shagara kabira hina.There is a big tree here.
- زياد Ziadفعلاً، شكلها حلو أوي.fe'lan, shaklaha helw awy.Indeed, it looks very beautiful.
- مريم Maryamتحت الشجرة دي الجو جميل.taht el-shagara di el-gaw gamil.The weather is nice under this tree.
- زياد Ziadيلا نقعد في الظل.yalla no'od fil-del.Let's go sit in the shade.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tree” translations and entries شجرة, شجر, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries شجر, شجرة, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
