رائحتك كريهة
rā'ihatuka karīha
In Arabic, "you smell bad" is translated as رائحتك كريهة (rā'ihatuka karīha).
This phrase is used to tell someone that their body or breath has an unpleasant odor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase رائحتك كريهة is composed of رائحة (smell), the suffix -ka (your) and كريهة (unpleasant/loathsome).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal approach, you can say لديك رائحة غير مستحبة, which means "You have an unpleasant smell." In highly informal or blunt situations, you might hear ريحتك زفت, which translates to "You stink."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many spoken Arabic dialects, the colloquial phrase ريحتك طالعة is more common than the formal رائحتك كريهة.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix changes based on who you are addressing: use رائحتكِ كريهة for a female and رائحتكم كريهة when addressing a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
rā'ihatuka karīha
Did you know?
- Because of the importance of cleanliness in Islamic tradition, the concept of 'bad smell' is often linked to the word نجاسة, which refers to ritual impurity.
- The informal term زفت used in the phrase ريحتك زفت literally translates to 'pitch' or 'bitumen', a thick, black, sticky substance. Using it to describe a smell implies the scent is as heavy and unpleasant as industrial tar.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, telling someone رائحتك كريهة directly is considered extremely harsh. It is more common to suggest that the person 'needs a shower' or to use a subtle gesture to avoid public shame.
Examples in context
- رائحتك كريهة جداً.rā'ihatuka kariha jiddan.You smell very bad.
- أعتقد أن رائحتك كريهة اليوم.a'taqidu anna rā'ihatuka kariha al-yawm.I think your smell is bad today.
- لا تقترب، رائحتك كريهة.lā taqtarib, rā'ihatuka kariha.Don't come close, you smell bad.
Example conversation
A brother telling his sister after she came from a workout.
- أحمد Ahmedليلى، رائحتك كريهة بعد الرياضة.Laylā, rā'ihatuki kariha ba'da al-riyāḍa.Layla, you smell bad after the workout.
- ليلى Laylaهذا ليس لطيفاً يا أحمد!hādhā laysa laṭīfan yā Ahmad!That is not nice, Ahmed!
- أحمد Ahmedأنا فقط أقول الحقيقة.anā faqaṭ aqūlu al-ḥaqīqa.I am only telling the truth.
- ليلى Laylaسأذهب لأستحم الآن.sa-adhhabu li-astaḥimma al-ān.I will go take a shower now.
