خضروات
khuḍrawāt
The English word "vegetables" is translated into Arabic as خضروات (khuḍrawāt).
The term refers to plants or parts of plants that are used as food.
What does it mean word for word?
The word خضروات is derived from the root خ–ض–ر (kh-ḍ-r), which relates to the color green.
Which one should you use?
While خضروات is the standard term, you may also encounter خضار, which is a common collective noun used more colloquially or as a mass noun when referring to vegetables in markets.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Gulf Arabic, the word خضرة is widely used to refer to vegetables.
How does it change in a sentence?
خضروات is a broken plural, meaning the plural is formed through an internal change in the word rather than a standard sound masculine or feminine plural ending. Additionally, خضار is used as a collective noun to mean vegetables in a general sense.
How do you pronounce it?
khuḍrawāt
Did you know?
- In traditional Arabic poetry and literature, the root خ ض ر is often used as a symbol for paradise, lushness and eternal life.
- In some North African dialects, the word for vegetables may be influenced by French 'légumes' in urban settings, creating a diglossia where خضروات is reserved for formal writing.
- In many Arabic-speaking regions, a shop that sells vegetables is called a خضري, which is a noun derived from the same root as 'green'.
Examples in context
- اكل زيري خضرواته.Ziri ate his vegetables.This sentence is useful for showing the past tense of the verb with خضروات.Tatoeba #11612992 by dididodo, translation #10225720 by Amastan
- زيري يأكل خضرواته.Ziri eats his vegetables.This sentence is useful for showing the present tense of the verb with خضروات.Tatoeba #11612995 by dididodo, translation #10225721 by Amastan
- أحب أكل الخضروات يوميًا في وجبتي.I love eating vegetables daily in my meal.
Example conversation
Yousef and Nour are shopping for groceries.
- يوسف Youssefهل نحتاج إلى شراء خضروات؟hal nahtaju ila shira khadrawat?Do we need to buy vegetables?
- نور Nourنعم، نحتاج إلى الجزر والبروكلي.na'am, nahtaju ila al-jazar wal-broccoli.Yes, we need carrots and broccoli.
- يوسف Youssefسأضعها في العربة الآن.sa-ada'uha fi al-araba al-an.I will put them in the cart now.
- نور Nourشكراً لك يا يوسف.shukran laka ya Yousef.Thank you, Yousef.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
