“match” in Arabic dialects
nounverb
How do you say match across the major spoken Arabic dialects? Compare match (noun, verb) sense by sense across 5 dialects — Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf, Iraqi, Maghrebi — with English meaning, native script, transliteration and usage.
What does “match” mean?
noun
- Lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction“he always carries matches to light his pipe”
- A formal contest in which two or more persons or teams compete
- A burning piece of wood or cardboard“if you drop a match in there the whole place will explode”
verb
- Be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics“The two stories don't agree in many details”
- Provide funds complementary to“The company matched the employees' contributions”
- Bring two objects, ideas, or people together“This fact is coupled to the other one”
English definitions from Princeton WordNet.
Quick comparison across dialects
| Dialect | Arabic (match) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Arabic | كبريت | kabrīt |
| Levantine Arabic | كبريتة | kibrīteh |
| Gulf Arabic | شخاط | shakhāṭ |
| Iraqi Arabic | شخاطة | shakhāṭa |
| Maghrebi Arabic | وقيدة | wqīda |
Full breakdown by dialect
Egyptian Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| كبريت | kabrīt | a short stick for starting a fire |
| ماتش | matsh | a sports game or contest |
| طقم | ṭaʾm | a set of items that go together |
| يليق على | yilīʾ ʿala | to match, to go well with (clothes, colors) |
| يطابق | yiṭābiʾ | to match, to be identical to |
Levantine Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| كبريتة | kibrīteh | a single stick for starting a fire |
| مباراة | mubārāh | a sports game or contest |
| بيلبق لـ | byilbaq la- | to match, go well with (clothes, colors) |
| طابَق | ṭābaq | to match, correspond with |
Gulf Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| شخاط | shakhāṭ | a small stick for starting a fire (colloquial) |
| كبريت | kibrīt | a small stick for starting a fire |
| مباراة | mubārah | a sports competition or game |
| ناسب | nāsab | to suit or be appropriate for |
| طابق | ṭābaq | to match exactly, to correspond |
| لاق على | lāg ʿala | to go well with, to look good on |
Iraqi Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| شخاطة | shakhāṭa | a stick for starting a fire |
| لعبة | liʿba | a sports game or contest |
| مباراة | mubārāt | formal term for a sports game |
| تطابق | taṭābuq | a suitable pairing or correspondence |
| رهم | riham | to go well with, to fit (clothes, items) |
| طابق | ṭābaq | to correspond with, to match (a description) |
Maghrebi Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| وقيدة | wqīda | stick for lighting a fire |
| ماتش | mātsh | a sports game (loanword) |
| تْواتى مع | twātā mʿa | to go well with, to match |
| جا مع | jā mʿa | to suit, to match (lit. come with) |
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