“upset” in Arabic dialects
adjective
How do you say upset across the major spoken Arabic dialects? Compare upset (adjective) sense by sense across 5 dialects — Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf, Iraqi, Maghrebi — with English meaning, native script, transliteration and usage.
What does “upset” mean?
adjective
- Afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief“too upset to say anything”
- Thrown into a state of disarray or confusion“troops fleeing in broken ranks”
- Used of an unexpected defeat of a team favored to win“the Bills' upset victory over the Houston Oilers”
English definitions from Princeton WordNet.
Quick comparison across dialects
| Dialect | Arabic (upset) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Arabic | متضايق | mitḍāyiq |
| Levantine Arabic | زعلان | zaʿlān |
| Gulf Arabic | زعلان | zaʿlān |
| Iraqi Arabic | ضايج | dhayij |
| Maghrebi Arabic | مقلق | mqelleq |
Full breakdown by dialect
Egyptian Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| متضايق | mitḍāyiq | annoyed, bothered, distressed |
| زعلان | zaʿlān | sad, unhappy |
| متعصّب | mitʿaṣṣab | angry, worked up |
Levantine Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| زعلان | zaʿlān | sad, unhappy, disappointed |
| متضايق | mitḍāyeʾ | bothered, annoyed, troubled |
Gulf Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| زعلان | zaʿlān | sad, angry, displeased |
| متضايق | mitḍāyig | annoyed, bothered, distressed |
| معصّب | mʿaṣṣib | angry, mad |
Iraqi Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| ضايج | dhayij | annoyed, bothered, feeling down |
| زعلان | zaʿlan | angry at someone, sulking |
| مقهور | maqhur | deeply hurt, distressed |
Maghrebi Arabic
| Word (Arabic) | Transliteration | English sense / usage |
|---|---|---|
| مقلق | mqelleq | worried, annoyed, upset |
| زعفان | zaʿfan | angry, upset (Algerian) |
| معصب | mʿesseb | angry, irritated (Moroccan) |
| مغشش | mghoshesh | angry, upset (Tunisian) |
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