Arabic Influences in European Languages

Place names | Agriculture | Government and Culture | Mathematics and Science | Military | Home and Family | Miscellaneous
Some words compared between Romance languages. While Spanish is rather obviously a Romance language, it has been heavily influenced by the Arabic language.

English

Latin

Italian

French

one

unus

uno

un

two

duos

due

ego

he

ille

Provenal

Occitan

Catalan

Portuguese

Spanish

un

un

un

um

uno

deux

dos;
doas

dos;
doas

dos;
dues

dois

dos

io

je

ieu

iu

jo

eu

yo

lui

il

eu

el

ell

ele

vos;
vosautre
s

vost

voc

usted

you

vos

voi

vous

vos;
vautres;
vosautres

olive

oliva

oliva

olive

oliva

oliva

oliva

oliva;
azeitona

aceituna

oil

oleum

olio

huile

li

li

oli

leo;
azeite

aceite

rug

tapete

tappeto

tapis

tapis

catife

tapete

alfombra

district;
neighborhoo
d

quartu
s

quartiere

quartier

quartier

barri

barri

bairro

barrio

village

villa

villagio

village

vilatge

vilatge

vilatge

aldeia

aldea

Arabic

waaHid

ithnayn

anaa

huwa

ustaadh
"teacher"

az-zaytuun

az-zayt
"olive oil"

al-khumrat
"redness"

barraa
"outside"

aD-Dya
"camp"

scorpion

scorpio

scorpion
e

scorpion

escorp;
alacr

escorpion

escorpio

alacrn

al-aqran
"scorpion"

The following tables show Arabic words borrowed by English, French, and Spanish in various fields. Note that, in general, words
borrowed into Spanish kept the Arabic definite article (al- and its variants which mean "the ") while English and French generally
dropped the article.
(Examples taken from research conducted during the National Endowment for the Humanities' National Arabic Language and
Culture Institute at The Ohio State University during the summers of 1994 and 1995).

Place names
Spanish

Gibraltar

Guadalajara

Arabic

jibl Taariq

wadii al-Hajara

meaning

Rock (Mountain) of Taariq

River of Rock 1

Guadalquivir

wadii al-Kabiir

Big River 1

Guadalupe

wadii + lupum2

wadin actually means valley, not river.

This is a hybrid between the Arabic wadin (valley) and the Latin lupum (wolf)

River of the Wolf 2

Agriculture
Spanish

French

English

al aceite

Lhuile

oil

la aceituna

Olive

olive

el albaricoque

l'abricot

apricot

la albndiga

boulettes de
viande

meatball

Arabic

meaning

az-

zayt

azzaytuun

albriquuq

al-

yellow plum
bullet

la alcachofa

l'artichaut

artichoke

el alcohol

l'alcool

alcohol

el algodn

le coton

cotton

el arroz

du riz

rice

el azafrn

le safran

saffron

el azcar

le sucre

sugar

el jarabe

le sirop

syrup

el jazmn

le jasmin

jasmine

la naranja

l'orange

orange

bundiqat

aljarshuuf

alkuHuul

alquTun

al-arruuz

azzaafran

as
sukkur

ash

shariba

alyaasmiin

annaranj

Government and Culture

drink

bitter orange

Spanish

French

English

la alcantarilla

Pont

sewer, drain

la aduana

la douane

customs (house)

el alguacil

Ministre

governor, bailiff

ahorrar

Libre/ economiser

to save (money)

el albail

Maon

mason

el alcalde

Juge

mayor

al-

judge

la aldea

village

village

aD-

camp

el almacn

le magasin le
magazine

store, warehouse;
magazine

el dinero

Monnaie

money

la tarifa

le tarif

tariff
fare, fee

Arabic

meaning
al-

qanTrat
ad-

dyuwaan

alwaziir

register, office
minister
free, available
money

Hurra
al-

bannaa'
qaaDin
Day'at

bridge

builder

al-

makhzan

addiinaar

ta'rifa

you know

Mathematics and Science

Spanish

French

English

el lcali

l'alcali

alkali

el lgebra (f.)

l'algbre

algebra

el almanaque

l'almanach

almanac

la alquimia;
la qumica

l'alchimie; la chimie

alchemy; chemistry

Arabic

meaning

alqilii

al-

pieces???

jabr

Break into

al-

maTnuukh

al-

chemistry

kymyaa'

cero

zro

zero

la cifra

le chiffre

numeral; cipher

el elixir

l'lixir

elixir

al-'iksiir

Sifr
Sifr

zero
powder

Military
Spanish

French

Arabic

English

meaning

el alczar

fortress

al-qaSr

la aljaba

quiver (for arrows)

al-ja'aba

el asesino

l'assassin

assassin

al-

Hashaashii

la hazaa

deed; exploit

matar

to kill

aS-Sanii'
maat

castle; palace

hashish user

Home and Family

Spanish

French

Arabic

English

la alcurnia

meaning

al-

ancestry

surname

kunyyat
bedroom;
la alcoba

l'alcve
alcove

al-qubat

la alfombra

rug

al-khumrat

la almohada

pillow

al-mukhadat

el anaquel

shelf

an-naqal

dome

redness

transport

el alquiler

rent

el barrio

neighbourhood

la azotea

flat roof

al-karaa'

barraa

as-saTiiHa

outside

roof; terrace

Miscellaneous
Spanish

French

English

la tarea

homework; chore

hasta

until

Arabic

TariiHat

Hatta

meaning

aT-

chore

ojala

I wish

he (aqu)

here is

el alacrn

scorpion

mezquino

mesquin

Sahara

Sahara

poor guy ;
miser

Sahara

wa -shaa'
Allah

(
)

God willing

ha ;

hahunaa

al-'aqrab

maskiin
SaHaraa'

poor guy