Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to say years in Arabic! Whether you’re learning Arabic for personal or professional reasons, knowing how to express years correctly is essential. In this guide, we will cover both formal and informal ways to mention years, providing you with tips, examples, and even regional variations where necessary. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Express Years in Arabic:
When it comes to formal contexts, such as academic or official discussions, using the Islamic calendar or the Gregorian calendar are the most common options. Here’s how you can express years in Arabic using both calendar systems:
The Islamic Calendar:
The Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar, is widely used in the Muslim world. It is based on lunar months and begins with the migration of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.
- Formal: To express a year using the Islamic calendar, you generally state the year followed by “هـ” (Hijri), which stands for “Hijrah.” For example, to say “2010 Hijri,” you would say “عام ٢٠١٠ هـ.”
- Example: عام ٢٠١٠ هـ
The Gregorian Calendar:
The Gregorian calendar, which is widely used internationally, is based on the solar system and named after Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582 CE.
- Formal: When mentioning years in Arabic using the Gregorian calendar, you state the year followed by “ميلادي” (Miladi), which means “of the Christian Era.” So, to express “2021 CE,” you would say “عام ٢٠٢١ ميلاديًا.”
- Example: عام ٢٠٢١ ميلاديًا
Informal Ways to Express Years in Arabic:
In less formal or everyday contexts, Arabic speakers often use different expressions to refer to years. Let’s explore a few of these informal ways:
- Informal 1: Arabic speakers frequently mention years by using the members of the decade and appending “تسعين” (nineties), “ثمانين” (eighties), “سبعين” (seventies), and so on. For instance, to say “the year 1975,” you would say “سنة خمسة وسبعين وميتين.”
- Example: سنة خمسة وسبعين وميتين
- Tips: Although this form may seem casual, it’s widely understood and used in everyday conversations.
- Informal 2: Another common way to refer to years informally is by using the members of the decade followed by “القرن” (the century). For instance, to say “the year 1987,” you can say “سنة سبعة وثمانين القرن.”
- Example: سنة سبعة وثمانين القرن
- Tips: This form is less common but still used, especially in storytelling or informal discussions.
Regional Variations:
Arabic is a language with various dialects, leading to minor differences in expressions across different regions. While the formal ways mentioned above are universally understood, some regional variations still exist:
Egyptian Arabic: The expression “بعد الميلاد” (B’ad al-Milad) is commonly used in Egypt to refer to the Gregorian calendar. For example, you can say “عام ٢٠٢٥ بعد الميلاد.”
Note: This difference primarily exists in the spoken dialect, while the formal written expressions remain consistent.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of how to say years in Arabic, both formally and informally, you can confidently express dates and talk about various historical periods. Remember to consider the context and audience to choose the appropriate way to mention the year. Happy Arabic learning!
