How to say "word" in Arabic
False friendMeaningword
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
كَلِمَة
kalimaכלמה
كلمة
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
מילה
milaمِيلَا
How the two words are related
False friend
Sounds like a Hebrew word but means something else — handle with care.
Arabic root
ك-ل-مkalima sounds like Hebrew כלימה 'disgrace' but only means 'word'. Whether the roots truly connect is debated — Arabic kalm is 'a wound', and some link wounding words to נכלם 'be put to shame' — so enjoy the echo, don't bank on it.
Related Hebrew word:כלימהklimaكْلِيمَا
Learn it
On the street
How people actually say it in the spoken dialects, where it differs from the standard word.
Levantine · Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria
كِلْمِة
kilmeכלמהOn the street it is kilme.
Egyptian · Cairo and the Nile Delta
كِلْمَة
kilmaכלמהCairo says kilma.
Moroccan · Morocco — Casablanca, Rabat, Fes
كلْمَة
kelmaכלמהDarija kelma.
In a phrase
كَلِمَة وَاحِدَة فَقَط
kalima wāḥida faqaṭכלמה ואחדה פקטjust one word
Plural
كَلِمَات
kalimātכלמאתSound feminine plural -āt.