Arabic vocabulary
زَلَلslip in Arabic
زَلَل is how you say “slip” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in a real example sentence from classical texts below.
Root ز ل ل (z-l-l)noun (verbal noun / maṣdar)Pronounced zalal
Meaning of slip in Arabic
- a slip, stumble, or lapse — in mud underfoot, or figuratively in speech, judgment, opinion, or religion — the verbal noun of the verb زَلِلْتَ
- a light, swift passing or movement — attested in old poetry describing camels moving briskly toward their destination
The root appears in the Qur'an (2:205, فَإِنْ زَلَلْتُمْ, "but if you turn away/slip") and in hadith describing benefits done to a person (مَنْ أُزِلَّتْ إِلَيْهِ نِعْمَةٌ), where the physical sense of slipping or passing from one place to another is extended metaphorically to a favor passing from one person to another. زَلَل itself is classical, used of literal slips as well as errors in judgment or religion.
Words from the same root
- أَزَلَّto cause to slip (Form IV); also, metaphorically, to do someone a favor
- زَلَّةٌa slip or mistake in speech or action
- زُلَّةٌa favor or benefit done for someone
- زَلِيلٌa swift or light gait; the passing of something from one place to another
- اِسْتَزَلَّto seek to make someone slip (Form X)
Common questions
- How do you say "slip" in Arabic?
- زَلَل (zalal).
- What does the Arabic root ز-ل-ل mean?
- It centers on slipping or moving out of place — literally slipping in mud, and figuratively erring in speech, judgment, or religion.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
لا تجزع من كأس زلل كانت سبب كيسك،
Do not despair from a cup of slip that was the cause of your prudence.
زَلَلٍ — of slip. zalal means 'a slip, a stumble'; the '-in' ending — the 'of…' word: 'of a slip'.
From: Adam's Descent →
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