Arabic vocabulary
صَفْوَانَSafwan in Arabic
صَفْوَانَ is how you say “Safwan” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root ص ف و (ṣ-f-w)proper noun (masculine given name; from a common/collective noun)Pronounced ṣafwān
Meaning of Safwan in Arabic
- Safwan (a masculine given name) — The pattern فَعْلَان (ṣafwān) is diptote, which is why this form appears without tanwīn when used as a name.
- a hard, smooth rock; smooth stones (collective) — As a common noun, denotes large, hard, smooth stone(s) bare of any growth; unit noun is صَفْوَانَةٌ (ṣafwānah).
صَفْوَان belongs to the root ص ف و, whose core sense is clarity and purity (contrasted with turbidness). As a common noun it names a hard, smooth rock or a collective of smooth stones so bare that nothing grows on them — the same word used in the well-known Qur'anic simile of a rock covered in dust. Because the فَعْلَان pattern is diptote, this same word also serves as the masculine personal name Safwan, appearing here in its accusative form without tanwīn.
Words from the same root
- صَفَاto be clear, limpid, or pure (of water, wine, air)
- صفّىto clarify, purify, strain
- صافىto treat with pure sincerity, reciprocal true friendship
- اصطفىto choose, select, elect (as pure/best)
- صَفَاءٌclarity, purity
- صَفْوَةٌthe clear, best, or choicest part of a thing
- صَفِيٌّa close, chosen friend
- صَافٍclear, pure (active participle)
Common questions
- How do you say "Safwan" in Arabic?
- صَفْوَان (ṣafwān).
- What does the name Safwan literally mean?
- It comes from the root ص ف و ('to be clear, pure'); as a common noun صَفْوَان denotes a hard, smooth rock or smooth stones bare of growth.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَبُو صَفْوَانَ،
Then Abu Jahl came to him and said, "O Abu Safwan,"
صَفْوَانَ — Safwan,. The name closing the 'father of...' address, owned by the kunya head. It completes the byname of the man being called.
From: Warning Before the Battle of Badr →فَقَالَتْ لَهُ يَا أَبَا صَفْوَانَ وَقَدْ نَسِيتَ مَا قَالَ لَكَ أَخُوكَ الْيَثْرِبِيُّ
She said to him, "O Abu Safwan, have you indeed forgotten what your brother the Yathribi told you?"
صَفْوَانَ — Safwan. The name closing the 'father of...' address, owned by the kunya head. It completes the byname of the man being called.
From: Warning Before the Battle of Badr →
Related words
Learn Arabic vocabulary in context
OpenArabic teaches words like صَفْوَانَ through real bilingual reading with native audio and spaced-repetition practice.
Get the app