Arabic vocabulary
دَلَّshow in Arabic
دَلَّ is how you say “show” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root د ل ل (d-l-l)verb (form I)Pronounced dalla
Meaning of show in Arabic
- to direct, guide, or show (someone the way) — the basic sense, e.g. dalla-hu ʿalayhi, 'he directed/showed him to it'
- to indicate, denote, or signify — said of a word: yadullu ʿalā kadhā, 'it denotes such a thing'
- (of a woman) to behave with coquettish boldness and feigned coyness toward her husband
- to embolden, make bold against — e.g. mā dallaka ʿalayya, 'what emboldened thee against me?'
The core construction is dalla ʿalā ('to direct/guide to'), used both for physically showing someone a way and, extended to speech, for a word 'signifying' a meaning. The same root later yields the sense of adducing or seeking evidence (istadalla, form X), while the derived forms IV and V shift toward boldness, presumption, and coquettish behaviour.
Words from the same root
- اِسْتَدَلَّto seek or adduce evidence; to draw an inference or deduction (form X)
- أَدَلَّto act with boldness or presumption toward someone; to overpower an adversary in battle (form IV)
- تَدَلَّلَto behave with coquettish boldness; to act proud or haughty (form V)
- اِنْدَلَّto be directed or guided; also, to pour out or forth (form VII)
- دَلَالَةٌguidance, direction, indication (verbal noun)
- دَلٌّthe act of guiding; also, amorous coquetry or bold flirtatious manner (verbal noun)
Common questions
- How do you say "show" in Arabic?
- دَلَّ (dalla) — to direct, guide, or show someone the way, as in dalla-hu ʿalayhi, 'he showed/guided him to it'.
- What is the difference between دَلَّ and اِسْتَدَلَّ?
- دَلَّ (dalla) means to guide or show the way; اِسْتَدَلَّ (istadalla), form X of the same root, means to seek out or adduce evidence and draw an inference.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
فَإِنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي دَلَّ عَلَى الإِلَهِ
For it is reason that guided to God.
دَلَّ — has guided. Past-tense verb, subject 'it' built in.
From: Intellect and Faith →وَقَدْ دَلَّ الْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمَا لِبَاسٌ فِي قَوْلِهِ
The Glorious Qur'an indicates that there was clothing on them in the verse:
دَلَّ — it indicated. A past verb 'indicated / pointed to', with its subject ('the Qur'an') named just after. It comes before that subject and carries the implicit 'it' in its form; the verb sets up textual evidence for the claim being made.
From: Adam, Eve, and the Forbidden Tree →وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ يَدُلُّ عَلَى
Related words
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