Arabic vocabulary
هَمٌّanxiety in Arabic
هَمٌّ is how you say “anxiety” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root ه م م (h-m-m)noun (verbal noun / maṣdar)Pronounced hamm
Meaning of anxiety in Arabic
- anxiety, distress or disquietude of mind — distress felt over harm that is expected to happen, as opposed to غَمّ, which is distress over harm that has already happened
- purpose, intention, resolve — described as the first stage of determination — stronger than a mere wish (إرادة) but short of firm resolve (عزم)
- an object of concern or intent — the particular thing occupying one's mind, e.g. 'his hamm is such-and-such'
The root covers a range from simply purposing or intending something to being weighed down by anxiety about it. As a noun, هَمّ sits between mere wish (إرادة) and firm resolve (عزم), and classical lexicographers distinguish it from the near-synonym غَمّ by tying هَمّ specifically to distress over harm still anticipated. The form VIII verb اهتمّ, 'to care about or attend to,' underlies مُهِمّ's sense of a matter 'of importance.'
Words from the same root
- هَمَّto purpose, intend, or desire to do a thing; also to disquiet or cause anxiety (form I)
- أَهَمَّتُto render anxious, disquiet, and grieve (form IV)
- اِهْتَمَّto be anxious or grieved over a matter; also to attend to or undertake it (form VIII)
- هِمَّةٌa purpose or object of endeavor; ambition, high aspiration
- هُمَامٌan aspiring king; a magnanimous, courageous chief
- مُهِمٌّa difficult, distressing affair; a matter of importance
- هَامَةٌa venomous creeping thing such as a scorpion or serpent; tropically, a louse
Common questions
- How do you say "anxiety" in Arabic?
- هَمّ (hamm) — distress or disquietude of mind, especially over harm one expects may happen.
- What is the difference between هَمّ and غَمّ?
- Classical lexicographers hold that هَمّ is distress over something anticipated, while غَمّ is distress over something that has already happened, though some scholars treat the two as synonyms.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
وَطول الْهم وَالْغَم وضنك الْمَعيشَة وكسف البال
And prolonged anxiety, sorrow, harshness of living, and worry of the mind.
الْهَمِّ — of anxiety. al- = 'the'; the 'of…' word: 'of worry, anxiety'.
From: Returning to God →إذا أبطأتك هموم الرزق، فاعمل بالأسباب واترك في قلبك فراغًا للثقة، فالقلق لا يزيد في الكيل حبةً واحدة
If worries about sustenance slow you down, act upon the means and leave space in your heart for trust, for anxiety does not add a single grain to the measure.
هُمُومُ — worries. 'humum' = 'worries, cares' (plural); first half of an 'of' phrase: 'the worries of...'. Subject of the verb.
From: On Sincerity →
Related words
Learn Arabic vocabulary in context
OpenArabic teaches words like هَمٌّ through real bilingual reading with native audio and spaced-repetition practice.
Get the app