ما هذا بحق الجحيم
mā hādhā bi-ḥaqqi l-jaḥīm
The English phrase "what the hell" is expressed in Arabic as ما هذا بحق الجحيم (mā hādhā bi-ḥaqqi l-jaḥīm).
This phrase is used to express shock, confusion or intense irritation, mirroring the way the English expression is used.
Meaning: an intensive form of what (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase بحق الجحيم (bi-ḥaqqi l-jaḥīm) literally translates to "by the right of hell".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ما هذا بحق الجحيم is a Modern Standard Arabic construction. Because it is a formal construction, it may sound overly dramatic or literary in casual spoken conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
mā hādhā bi-ḥaqqi l-jaḥīm
Did you know?
- If you use this phrase in a formal setting, you might sound like a character in a dubbed Hollywood movie rather than a person in a real conversation.
- In many Arabic dialects, using the word الجحيم (hell) to express shock can feel much heavier or more religiously sensitive than the English 'what the hell'.
- The word ما 'what' is a linguistic cognate with the Hebrew word מָה and the ancient Ugaritic 𐎎𐎅.
Examples in context
- "ما هذا بحق الجحيم؟" "إنه تدريب.""What the hell is this?" "Rehearsal."This example shows how to use ما هذا بحق الجحيم when expressing surprise or confusion about a situation.Tatoeba #10261852 by Amghar, translation #8241185 by Amastan
Example conversation
Mariam finds a huge mess in the kitchen.
- مريم Maryamأحمد، ما هذا بحق الجحيم في المطبخ؟Ahmed, ma hadha bi-haqq al-jahim fil-matbakh?Ahmed, what the hell is this in the kitchen?
- أحمد Ahmedكنت أحاول تحضير الكعكة.kuntu uhawil tahdir al-ka'ka.I was trying to make a cake.
- مريم Maryamلكنه يبدو ككارثة!lakinnahu yabdu ka-karitha!But it looks like a disaster!
- أحمد Ahmedأنا آسف، سأقوم بتنظيف كل شيء.ana asif, sa-aqum bi-tandif kull shay.I am sorry, I will clean everything.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ما, هذا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
