How do you say “yes” and “no” in Arabic?

Question

Bloomtivo Academy · Accepted Answer

“Yes” is “na‘am” (نَعَم) and “no” is “la” (لا). There is also “bala” (بَلَى), a special “yes” used to answer a negative question, as in the Quran when souls answered “Am I not your Lord?” with “Bala” (Quran 7:172). Many dialects also say “aywa” or “ah” for yes. The basicsEnglishArabicSayYesنَعَمNa‘amNoلَاLaYes (to a negative question)بَلَىBalaOf courseطَبْعًاTab‘anMaybeرُبَّمَاRubbamaNo, thank youلَا، شُكْرًاLa, shukranThe special “bala”Allah asked the souls of humanity “Am I not your Lord?” and they answered “Bala” – yes, You are (Quran 7:172). If they had said “na‘am”, it would have meant “yes, You are not”. A great example to show children how precise Arabic is.In dialectsEgypt and Levant: “aywa” (أيوه) for yes.Gulf: “ee” or “aywa”.Some dialects: “ah” (آه).Teacher’s tip: Play “Na‘am or La?”: ask quick questions (“Is the sky green?”) and your child answers only in Arabic.Related: question words in Arabic.

English	Arabic	Say
Yes	نَعَم	Na‘am
No	لَا	La
Yes (to a negative question)	بَلَى	Bala
Of course	طَبْعًا	Tab‘an
Maybe	رُبَّمَا	Rubbama
No, thank you	لَا، شُكْرًا	La, shukran

How do you say “yes” and “no” in Arabic?

The basics

The special “bala”

In dialects

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