لفت
lafata
The English word "turnip" is لفت (lafata) in Arabic.
لفت refers to the white root of the Brassica rapa plant.
Meaning: white root of Brassica rapa (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is lafata.
Did you know?
- In traditional Levantine cuisine, لفت is frequently pickled with beets to give the white root a vibrant pink or purple color.
- The word لفت is derived from a verb meaning 'to twist' or 'to wring'. This refers to the physical action of pulling the root out of the ground.
- The root letters in لفت are used in other Arabic words that mean 'to turn' or 'to divert attention', mirroring the twisting motion of the plant's extraction.
Example conversation
At a local grocery market.
- ليلى Laylaيا يوسف، هل يوجد لفت طازج؟Ya Yusuf, hal yujadu lift tazaj?Yusuf, is there fresh turnip?
- يوسف Youssefنعم، اللفت يبدو ممتازاً هنا.Na'am, al-lift yabdu mumtazan huna.Yes, the turnip looks excellent here.
- ليلى Laylaرائع، خذ بعضه لنا.Ra'i', khudh ba'dahu lana.Great, take some for us.
- يوسف Youssefحسناً، سأضعه في السلة.Hasanan, sa-adu'uhu fi al-salla.Okay, I will put it in the basket.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry لفت, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries لفت, CC BY-SA 4.0.
