How to say "prayer" in Arabic
LoanwordMeaningprayer
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
صَلَاة
ṣalāhצלאה
صلاة
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
תפילה
tfilaتْفِيلَا
How the two words are related
Loanword
Borrowed between the languages (or by both from a third).
Arabic root
ص-ل-وHebrew root
צ-ל-יArabic ṣalāh was borrowed long ago from Aramaic ṣlōtā — the very word for prayer Jews still say in the Kaddish (תתקבל צלותהון). Not a native Hebrew root, but a word Judaism and Islam literally share.
Related Hebrew word:צלותא (ארמית)tslota (aramit)تْسْلُوتَا (أَرَامِيت)
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In a phrase
صَلَاة الْفَجْر
ṣalāt al-fajrצלאת אל-פג'רthe dawn prayer
Plural
صَلَوَات
ṣalawātצלואתsound feminine plural -āt; the root's hidden و resurfaces: ṣalāh→ṣalawāt