توأم
taw'am
The English word "twin" is توأم (taw'am) in Arabic.
توأم is a noun used to describe either of two people who shared the same uterus, or of two similar or closely related objects.
Meaning: either of two people who shared the same uterus, or of two similar or closely related objects (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a pair of twins, the dual form تَوْأَمَانِ is used. This dual form changes to تَوْأَمَيْنِ when the word is the object of a verb or follows a preposition.
How do you pronounce it?
taw'am
Did you know?
- In poetic or romantic Arabic, the term توأم الروح describes a 'soulmate', literally translating to 'twin of the soul'.
- The word توأم is a cognate with the Hebrew word תְּאוֹם and the Aramaic תְּיוֹמָא, reflecting an ancient shared linguistic root across Semitic languages.
- Arabic speakers use توأم to describe any two things that are perfectly matched or mirrored, even if they are not biological siblings.
Examples in context
- لدي توأم في المدرسة.ladayya taw'am fi al-madrasah.I have a twin at school.
Example conversation
Sarah and Omar are looking at an old family photo.
- سارة Saraانظر إلى هذه الصورة يا عمر.Unzur ila hadhihi as-sura ya Omar.Look at this photo, Omar.
- عمر Omarمن هؤلاء الأطفال؟Man ha'ula' al-atfal?Who are these children?
- سارة Saraهذا توأم من أقاربي.Hadha taw'am min aqaribi.This is a pair of twins from my relatives.
- عمر Omarإنهما يتشابهان كثيراً.Innahuma yatashabahan kathiran.They look very much alike.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries توأم, CC BY-SA 4.0.
