How to say "prophet" in Arabic
CognateMeaningprophet
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
نَبِيّ
nabiyyנבי
نبي
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
נביא
naviنَاڤِي
How the two words are related
Cognate
Same Semitic root, same meaning — you already know this word.
Arabic root
ن-ب-أHebrew root
נ-ב-אMost Semitists trace nabiyy and נביא to a common root for 'spokesman' — Arabic simply softened the final root consonant into a y-sound. (Classical Arabic grammarians floated a rival 'elevated one' etymology, but the נביא link is the mainstream comparative view.)
Related Hebrew word:נביאnaviنَاڤِي
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In a phrase
نَبِيّ اللَّه
nabiyy allāhנבי אללהprophet of God
Plural
أَنْبِيَاء
anbiyāʾאנביאאbroken plural afʿilāʾ, like Hebrew נביאים in spirit if not in shape