كتب
katab/ka.ta.ba/Egyptian Arabic
To write in Arabic is كتب (katab). Wiktionary also lists كَتَبَ (kataba) and كِتَب (kɪtəb).
Meaning: to form letters, etc. (verb)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| كتب | katab | /ka.ta.ba/ /kat.ta.ba/ |
Egyptian Arabic |
| كَتَبَ | kataba | ||
| كِتَب | kɪtəb | Gulf Arabic |
The verb refers to the act of forming letters or characters. When describing a female who is writing, you would use تكتب instead of the masculine form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the form كتب is used, while in Gulf Arabic, the form كِتَب is common.
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense form for 'he writes' is تَكْتُبُ.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ka.ta.ba/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word مكتوب ('written') is used to mean 'destiny' or 'fate', as if a person's life is a story already written by God.
- In Arabic calligraphy, the act of writing كتب is viewed as a spiritual practice and a form of art, often tied to the preservation of the Quran.
- Because Arabic uses a root system, the verb 'to write' is essentially a collection of consonants that can be rearranged to form many other words.
Examples in context
- متى كتبت هذا المقال.When did I write this article?This sentence is useful for asking about the timing of an action involving كتب.Tatoeba #11684197 by dididodo, translation #1798712 by Amastan
- اِكتب عنوانك من فضلك.Write your address, please.This sentence is useful for making a polite request involving كتب.Tatoeba #375596 by saeb, translation #54441 by CK
- أين كتبت هذه الرسالة؟Where did you write this letter?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of an action involving كتب.Tatoeba #11977334 by dididodo, translation #1798750 by Amastan
- كان عليه كتابة تقرير مهم.He had to write an important report.
- يجب عليك أن تكون قادرًا على كتابة مقال جيد.You should be able to write a good article.
- اكتب لي رسالة عن أحوالك.Write me a letter about your well-being.
- ليش ما بتكتب لي رسالة؟Why don't you write me a letter?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youssef asks Sarah to write down a phone number.
- يوسف Youssefممكن تكتبِي الرقم ده هنا؟Mumkin tuktubi el raqam da hina?Could you write this number here?
- سارة Saraطبعاً، اكتبه بأي لون؟Tab'an, aktubuh bi ayy lon?Of course, in what color should I write it?
- يوسف Youssefأي لون، المهم تكون كتبتِ الرقم صح.Ayy lon, el mohem tkoun kutubti el raqam sah.Any color, as long as you wrote the number correctly.
- سارة Saraتمام، أنا كتبت الرقم خلاص.Tamam, ana kutubt el raqam khalas.Okay, I wrote the number already.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “write” translations and entries كتب, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
