Fruits

1. تفاح

   Tuffāḥ

   Apple

   Usage

   A common fruit found in markets and supermarkets. The plural form تفاحات (tuffaḥāt) is also useful to know.

2. موز

   Mawz

   Banana

   Usage

   Widely eaten across the Arab world. The plural can be موزات (mawzāt) or simply موز in context.

3. برتقال

   Burtuqāl

   Orange

   Usage

   The Arabic word for orange derives from "Portugal" (Burtuqāl), because Portuguese traders introduced oranges to the Arab world.

   Grammar Note

   برتقال (burtuqāl) is a loanword from the place name "Portugal". The color orange (برتقالي burtuqālī) shares the same etymology.

4. عنب

   ʿInab

   Grape

   Usage

   Grapes have been cultivated in the Arab world for millennia; Lebanon and Egypt are notable producers.

5. فراولة

   Farāwila

   Strawberry

   Usage

   Strawberries are widely grown in Egypt and Morocco. In francophone regions the colloquial term فريز (frīz, from French fraise) is also heard.

6. بطيخ

   Baṭīkh

   Watermelon

   Usage

   A summer staple across the Arab world. In Egypt بطيخ refers specifically to watermelon; melon is شمام (shammām).

7. أناناس

   Anānās

   Pineapple

   Usage

   A tropical fruit available as an import throughout the Arab world.

8. جوز الهند

   Jawz al-Hind

   Coconut

   Usage

   Literally "walnut of India". Arabs historically recognized coconut as an exotic nut brought from the Indian subcontinent.

   Grammar Note

   جوز (jawz) = walnut, الهند (al-Hind) = India. The إضافة (idāfa) genitive construction links them as "walnut of India".

9. ليمون

   Laymūn

   Lime / Lemon

   Usage

   Arabic ليمون can refer to both lime and lemon depending on context. To specify yellow lemon, say ليمون أصفر (laymūn aṣfar, "yellow lemon").

10. مانجو

    Mānjū

    Mango

    Usage

    Mangoes are grown in Egypt and Sudan and are a favourite summer fruit across the Arab world.

11. دوريان

    Dūriyān

    Durian

    Usage

    This Southeast Asian fruit is available in Gulf Arab markets. Known as the "king of fruits".

12. مانجوستين

    Mānjūstīn

    Mangosteen

    Usage

    A premium Southeast Asian fruit known as the "queen of fruits", available in Arab import markets.

13. بابايا

    Bābāyā

    Papaya

    Usage

    A tropical fruit cultivated in warm Arab countries such as Egypt and Sudan.

14. ليتشي

    Lītshī

    Lychee

    Usage

    Originally from China, lychee is available in Arab import markets during summer.

15. رامبوتان

    Rāmbūtān

    Rambutan

    Usage

    A tropical fruit from Malaysia and Indonesia, found in Gulf Arab import markets.

16. فاكهة التنين

    Fākihat al-Tinnīn

    Dragon fruit

    Usage

    Literally "fruit of the dragon". Originally from Central/South America, now widely available in Arab import markets.

    Grammar Note

    فاكهة (fākihah) = fruit, التنين (al-tinnīn) = the dragon. The إضافة genitive construction yields "fruit of the dragon".

17. لونجان

    Lūnjān

    Longan

    Usage

    A fruit from China and Southeast Asia, available in Arab import markets.

18. جاكفروت

    Jākfrūt

    Jackfruit

    Usage

    The world's largest tree-borne fruit. The phonetic transliteration of the English name is commonly used in Arab contexts.

19. تمر هندي

    Tamr Hindī

    Tamarind

    Usage

    Literally "Indian date" (tamr = date fruit, hindī = Indian). The Arabic name is the direct etymological source of the English word "tamarind".

    Grammar Note

    تمر (tamr) = date fruit, هندي (hindī) = Indian (adjective). This Arabic compound is the direct etymological source of the English word "tamarind".

20. جوافة

    Jawāfa

    Guava

    Usage

    Guava is widely grown in Egypt and the Levant as a popular tropical fruit, enjoyed fresh or as juice.

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