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toilet

Arabic translation: AL-HAMMAM

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:toilet
Arabic translation:AL-HAMMAM
Entered by: Fuad Yahya

04:49 Aug 24, 2001
English to Arabic translations [Non-PRO]
English term or phrase: toilet
i want to go to the toilet
quinn
AL-HAMMAM
Explanation:
I suggest this one-word expression to help you avoid having an “accident” before someone figures out what you are trying to say. For a more specific suggestion or a fuller expression, we will need more specific context. For example, are you asking for directions, requesting permission, or simply excusing yourself? More importantly, what is your target dialect: Egyptian, Lebanese, Bahraini, Yemeni?

When I was growing up in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, we used the term AL-ADAB or BAIT AL-ADAB (“house of manners”). The term refers to the ritualized manners associated with the use (and sharing) of toilet rooms. Those who know Arabic can imagine the jokes we had about AL-ADAB AL-ARABIYY and AL-ADAB AL-INGILEEZIYY.

In other parts of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, the term AL-KHALA or BAIT AL-KHALA (“house of privacy”) was used. The term is self-explanatory.

Such indigenous terms have been largely replaced by terms imported from Turkey, France, and the UK. Examples:

1. HAMMAM is a Turkish term meaning “bath house.” It has been so fully integrated into Arabic as to engender a number of verbs: HAMMAMA, TAHAMMAMA, ISTAHAMMA
حَمَّم، تَحَمَّم، استَحَمَّ

The late Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani used these verbs in many of his poems. The extension of the term to the “rest room” was almost inevitable, parallel to the use of “bathroom” in English.

2. TWALAIT is clearly derived from the English “toilet,” which comes from the French “toilette,” although French usage carries very different meanings.

3. DOWRAT AL-MIYAH (DORT EL-MAYYA in EGYPT) is a loose translation of the British “W.C.” This expression became popular when running water and sanitary sewer systems were introduced into remote regions, in some cases with a great deal of political fanfare. In my town, we didn’t have running water until the early fifties of the last century, and didn’t have sewer systems until the late sixties or early seventies.

Many languages refer to the toilet using modified imported terms, mostly to avoid making a direct reference, which may sound too vulgar. For instance, the British expression “the loo” comes from the French expression “Gardez l’eau” (“watch out for the water”), which was shouted out before the chamber pot content (more than just “water”) was tossed out of the window into the street at night. Just before dawn, hungry pigs were let loose to consume the human refuse. The expression came into England with the Norman Conquest of 1066, was modified to “gardy loo,” and then became “the loo.”

Arabic is no exception.

AL-HAMMAM will serve your most immediate purposes in most Middle Eastern countries.

MIRHADH is a modern coinage, and a very successful one. It refers to the “John” itself (as in construction specifications), but is also used for the “rest room.”

Fuad
Selected response from:

Fuad Yahya
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +2AL-HAMMAM
Fuad Yahya
na +1hammam or mirhaaad
Raghad
na +1التواليت
Mona Helal
na +1كنيف kaneef
Alaa Zeineldine
naHammam
Neveen El-Gamal
namerhaad
yacine


  

Answers


25 mins peer agreement (net): +1
hammam or mirhaaad


Explanation:
Toilet: hammam حمام or mirhaaad مرحاض

Oreedo athahaba ilal hammam
أريد الذهاب إلى الحمام
Or:
Oreedo atthahaba ilal mirhaad
أريد الذهاب إلى المرحاض
Or:
Oreedo isti’emala alhammam (want to use the…)
أريد استعمال الحمام

Colloquial (Lebanese)
Baddee l-hammam
بدي الحمام
Or:
Baddee rooh ‘alal hammam (want to go)
بدي روح على الحمام
Or:
Baddee foot ‘alal hammam (to go in)
بدي فوت على الحمام


Raghad
Local time: 12:19
PRO pts in pair: 160

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AhmedAMS
41 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs
Hammam


Explanation:
Ayez (for a male) aroh el-hammam..

Ayza (for a female) aroh el-hammam..
(Egyptian dialect)

Neveen El-Gamal
Local time: 11:19
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8 hrs
merhaad


Explanation:
hammam has nothing to do with toilet
I hope it helps you
Yacine


yacine
Local time: 11:19
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 51
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
التواليت


Explanation:
At-Twalet

I want to go to the toilet: Ureed Az-Zihaab Ila At-Twalet
أريد الذهاب إلى التواليت.

I want to use the toilet: Ureed Este'maal At-Tawlet
أريد استعمال التواليت.

HTH
Mona

Mona Helal
Local time: 19:19
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 401

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AhmedAMS
40 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 8 hrs peer agreement (net): +2
AL-HAMMAM


Explanation:
I suggest this one-word expression to help you avoid having an “accident” before someone figures out what you are trying to say. For a more specific suggestion or a fuller expression, we will need more specific context. For example, are you asking for directions, requesting permission, or simply excusing yourself? More importantly, what is your target dialect: Egyptian, Lebanese, Bahraini, Yemeni?

When I was growing up in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, we used the term AL-ADAB or BAIT AL-ADAB (“house of manners”). The term refers to the ritualized manners associated with the use (and sharing) of toilet rooms. Those who know Arabic can imagine the jokes we had about AL-ADAB AL-ARABIYY and AL-ADAB AL-INGILEEZIYY.

In other parts of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, the term AL-KHALA or BAIT AL-KHALA (“house of privacy”) was used. The term is self-explanatory.

Such indigenous terms have been largely replaced by terms imported from Turkey, France, and the UK. Examples:

1. HAMMAM is a Turkish term meaning “bath house.” It has been so fully integrated into Arabic as to engender a number of verbs: HAMMAMA, TAHAMMAMA, ISTAHAMMA
حَمَّم، تَحَمَّم، استَحَمَّ

The late Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani used these verbs in many of his poems. The extension of the term to the “rest room” was almost inevitable, parallel to the use of “bathroom” in English.

2. TWALAIT is clearly derived from the English “toilet,” which comes from the French “toilette,” although French usage carries very different meanings.

3. DOWRAT AL-MIYAH (DORT EL-MAYYA in EGYPT) is a loose translation of the British “W.C.” This expression became popular when running water and sanitary sewer systems were introduced into remote regions, in some cases with a great deal of political fanfare. In my town, we didn’t have running water until the early fifties of the last century, and didn’t have sewer systems until the late sixties or early seventies.

Many languages refer to the toilet using modified imported terms, mostly to avoid making a direct reference, which may sound too vulgar. For instance, the British expression “the loo” comes from the French expression “Gardez l’eau” (“watch out for the water”), which was shouted out before the chamber pot content (more than just “water”) was tossed out of the window into the street at night. Just before dawn, hungry pigs were let loose to consume the human refuse. The expression came into England with the Norman Conquest of 1066, was modified to “gardy loo,” and then became “the loo.”

Arabic is no exception.

AL-HAMMAM will serve your most immediate purposes in most Middle Eastern countries.

MIRHADH is a modern coinage, and a very successful one. It refers to the “John” itself (as in construction specifications), but is also used for the “rest room.”

Fuad


Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 7371
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DINA MOHAMED
9 days
agree  AhmedAMS
40 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 days 5 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
كنيف kaneef


Explanation:
Toilet is more specific than bathroom in that it refers a place where one relieves oneself. Likewise. kaneef كَنِيف and mirhad (suggested earlier), are more specific than "hammam".

The meaning of kaneef is derived from from shelter or screen (kanafa كنف) and it means also a plase where one relieves oneself relieves oneself.




    Reference: http://lexcicons.ajeeb.com
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 11:19
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 614

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AhmedAMS
38 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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