لَبَن
labanmasculine
The English word 'yogurt' can be translated into Arabic as لَبَن (laban) or لَبَن زَبَادِيّ. Wiktionary also lists لَبَن رَائِب (laban rāʔib) and رَوْب (rawb).
Meaning: a milk-based product thickened by a bacterium-aided curdling process (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لَبَن | laban | masculine |
| لَبَن زَبَادِيّ | laban zabādiyy | masculine |
| لَبَن رَائِب | laban rāʔib | masculine |
| رَوْب | rawb | masculine |
| رَوْبَة | rawba | feminine |
| مَاسْت | māst | masculine, obsolete |
| زَبَادِيّ | zabādiyy | masculine |
The term refers to a milk-based product thickened through a bacterium-aided curdling process.
Which one should you use?
In Modern Standard Arabic, لَبَن can simply mean milk. However, in many Arabic dialects, especially in the Levant and the Gulf, لَبَن refers to liquid buttermilk or thin yogurt-based drinks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In several Gulf countries and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the word رَوْب is commonly used to mean yogurt. In the Levant and Gulf, لَبَن is often used to refer to liquid buttermilk or thin yogurt-based drinks.
How does it change in a sentence?
لَبَن, لَبَن زَبَادِيّ, لَبَن رَائِب, رَوْب, مَاسْت and زَبَادِيّ are masculine nouns. The form رَوْبَة is a feminine noun. The form مَاسْت is obsolete.
How do you pronounce it?
laban
Did you know?
- The term مَاسْت is a linguistic relic from the Persian word 'maast', which also means yogurt.
- In many Arab countries, لَبَن is not just a food but a staple drink served in glasses to accompany meals, similar to how water is served.
- In some traditional contexts, لَبَن can refer to the liquid remaining after butter is churned from cream.
Example sentences for Arabic are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yogurt” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
