Which English words come from Arabic? (A fun way to motivate my child)
Bloomtivo answers
Many everyday English words come from Arabic: sugar (سُكَّر), coffee (قَهْوَة), cotton (قُطْن), lemon (لَيْمُون), giraffe (زَرَافَة), algebra (الْجَبْر), alcohol (الْكُحْل), sofa (صُفَّة), syrup (شَرَاب) and admiral (from أَمِير). Showing children these links makes Arabic feel familiar and exciting.
Reviewed by Sondos Hassan, Bloomtivo teacher · Updated
↓ The full answer
Children who think Arabic is “completely foreign” are often surprised to find it hiding inside English.
Ten English words from Arabic
English
Arabic
Original meaning
sugar
سُكَّر (sukkar)
sugar
coffee
قَهْوَة (qahwah)
coffee
cotton
قُطْن (qutn)
cotton
lemon
لَيْمُون (laymun)
lemon
giraffe
زَرَافَة (zarafah)
giraffe
algebra
الْجَبْر (al-jabr)
restoring, reuniting
alcohol
الْكُحْل (al-kuhl)
kohl, fine powder
sofa
صُفَّة (suffah)
a raised bench
syrup
شَرَاب (sharab)
drink
admiral
أَمِير (amir)
commander
Why it matters
It builds pride: Muslim scholars shaped maths, science and language.
It helps memory: a familiar word anchors a new one.
It sparks curiosity: children start hunting for more.
Fun activities
“Guess the origin” quiz at dinner.
Find these items at home and label them in Arabic.
Older children: research al-Khwarizmi, whose book gave us “algebra” and whose name gave us “algorithm”.
Teacher’s tip: tell your child: “You already speak a little Arabic every time you say ‘sugar’!” It’s a great confidence boost for reluctant learners.
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