مِحْفَظَة
miḥfaẓafeminine
The English word 'wallet' is translated into Arabic as مِحْفَظَة (miḥfaẓa). Wiktionary also lists حَافِظَة (ḥāfiẓa) and جِزدان (jizdén).
Meaning: case for keeping money (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مِحْفَظَة | miḥfaẓa | feminine |
| حَافِظَة | ḥāfiẓa | feminine |
| جِزدان | jizdén | North Levantine Arabic |
The word refers to a case for keeping money.
What does it mean word for word?
The word مِحْفَظَة is derived from a root meaning 'to preserve' or 'to keep safe'.
Which one should you use?
While both مِحْفَظَة and حَافِظَة can refer to a container or case, مِحْفَظَة is the standard term for a wallet, whereas حَافِظَة is more commonly used for a folder or a briefcase.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Levantine dialects, the colloquial term جِزدان is used to mean wallet.
How do you pronounce it?
miḥfaẓa
Did you know?
- Arabic uses a specific grammatical pattern called the 'instrumental noun' to turn the verb 'to preserve' into the object مِحْفَظَة.
- The word جِزدان is a linguistic traveler that likely originated from Persian rather than Arabic. This makes it a common example of how trade and cultural exchange shaped regional dialects.
- In classical Arabic, the concept of 'preserving' (the root of مِحْفَظَة) is also the basis for words used to describe much larger things, like a 'protector' of a city or a 'guardian' of a secret.
Examples in context
- أين محفظتي؟Where is my wallet?
- هل نسيت محفظتك في المطعم؟Did you forget your wallet at the restaurant?
- مِحْفَظَة جَدِيدَةmiḥfaẓa jadīdaA new wallet.
Example conversation
Maryam and Ahmed are leaving a store.
- مريم Maryamأَحْمَد، هَلْ مَعَكَ مِحْفَظَةٌ؟ahmad, hal ma'aka mihfazatun?Ahmed, do you have a wallet?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، هِيَ فِي جَيْبِي.na'am, hiya fi jaybi.Yes, it is in my pocket.
- مريم Maryamأَنَا لَا أَجِدُ مِحْفَظَتِي.ana la ajidu mihfazati.I cannot find my wallet.
- أحمد Ahmedلَا تَقْلَقِي، سَأَدْفَعُ أَنَا.la taqlaqi, sa-adfa'u ana.Don't worry, I will pay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wallet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
