بنطال
binṭāl
In Arabic, the word for trousers is بنطال (binṭāl).
The term refers to an outer garment worn from the waist to the ankles, covering each leg separately.
Which one should you use?
While بنطال is the standard form, you may encounter بنطلون as a very common colloquial alternative. Additionally, the informal word Sharwal (شَرْوَال) can be used in casual settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Libya, the word سْرَاوِيل is used for trousers.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English word 'trousers', which is plural, the Arabic word بنطال is a singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
binṭāl
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, the word سْرَاوِيل refers to undergarments rather than outer trousers. This can lead to significant awkwardness if a traveler uses the word in the wrong regional context.
- The word بنطلون used in many dialects is a direct loanword from the French 'pantalon'. This reflects the heavy influence of French colonial administration on the wardrobes and vocabulary of North Africa and the Levant.
- The term شَرْوَال is a linguistic relative to the word 'sirwal' used in Persian and Urdu. This shows how clothing terms traveled across the Islamic world via trade and migration.
Examples in context
- ذاك بنطالي.Those are my trousers.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use بنطال to show possession.Tatoeba #400762 by saeb, translation #42103 by CK
- اللباس التقليدي يشمل عادة شَلْوَرْ واسعًا.Traditional clothing usually includes loose shalwar.
- أحتاج إلى بنطال جديد.aḥtāju ilā binṭāl ǧadīd.I need a new pair of trousers.
- هل هذا بنطال واسع؟hal hāḏā binṭāl wāsiʿ?Are these trousers wide?
Example conversation
Yusuf and Sarah are shopping for clothes in a mall.
- يوسف Youssefأبحث عن بنطال أزرق.abḥaṯu ʿan binṭāl azraq.I am looking for blue trousers.
- سارة Saraهذا البنطال جميل جداً.hāḏā al-binṭāl ǧamīl ǧiddan.These trousers are very beautiful.
- يوسف Youssefهل المقاس مناسب؟hal al-maqās munāsib?Is the size suitable?
- سارة Saraنعم، يبدو رائعاً عليك.naʿam, yabdū rāʾiʿ ʿalayk.Yes, they look great on you.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
