نَحْنُ
naḥnuplural
The English word 'we' is translated into Arabic as نَحْنُ (naḥnu). Wiktionary also lists احنا (ʔíḥna) and نحنا (niḥna).
Meaning: generic we (the speaker and at least one other person, regardless of whether it's the person being addressed) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| نَحْنُ | naḥnu | plural |
| احنا | ʔíḥna | Egyptian Arabic |
| نحنا | niḥna | North Levantine Arabic, plural |
| إحنا | ʔíḥna | South Levantine Arabic, plural |
This phrase is used to refer to a group that includes the speaker and at least one other person, regardless of who is being spoken to.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
نَحْنُ is the formal version used in Modern Standard Arabic, such as in literature or news broadcasts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
احنا is the standard way to say 'we' in Egyptian Arabic. نحنا is commonly used in North Levantine dialects, such as those in Syria and Lebanon. إحنا is a common variation used in South Levantine dialects, such as those in Jordan and Palestine.
How do you pronounce it?
naḥnu
Did you know?
- The word نحن appears in the opening of the Quran, where it is used by God to refer to Himself, signifying power and majesty.
- In formal Arabic, the pronoun نحن is often omitted entirely because the verb conjugation already tells the listener that the subject is 'we'.
- Arabic lacks a distinction between an 'inclusive we' (including the listener) and an 'exclusive we' (excluding the listener), unlike many other languages.
Examples in context
- نحن نعمل في فريق واحد.We work as one team.
- نحن نحترم قوانين الشركة.We respect the company's regulations.
- أنا وأصدقائي ذاهبون إلى المدينة.We, my friends and I, are going to the city.
- أنا وعائلتي نرغب في قضاء العطلة في البحر.We, my family and I, want to spend the vacation at the beach.
- احنا كنا في السينماWe were at the cinema
- نحن الطلابWe, the students
- نحن الطالباتWe, the female students
- نحن نتعلم اللغة العربية.We are learning the Arabic language.
- نحن نساعد بعضنا البعض.We help each other.
- نَحْنُ مُسْتَعِدُّونَ لِلرِّحْلَةِ.Naḥnu musta‘iddūna lir-riḥla.We are ready for the trip.
- نَحْنُ نُحِبُّ هَذَا المَطْعَمَ.Naḥnu nuḥibbu hādhā al-maṭ‘am.We love this restaurant.
- نَحْنُ نَسْكُنُ فِي بَيْتٍ جَدِيدٍ.Naḥnu naskunu fī baytin jadīd.We live in a new house.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Noor are talking about their group project.
- أحمد Ahmedنَحْنُ مُسْتَعِدُّونَ لِلْعَمَلِ.Nahnu musta'idduna lil-'amal.We are ready for work.
- نور Nourهَذَا رَائِعٌ يَا أَحْمَدُ.Hadha ra'i'un ya Ahmad.That is great, Ahmed.
- أحمد Ahmedمَتَى نَبْدَأُ؟Mata nabda'u?When do we start?
- نور Nourنَبْدَأُ الآنَ يَا صَدِيقِي.Nabda'u al-ana ya sadiqi.We start now, my friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “we” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
