Directions

Directions

July 20, 2025
Arabic, Vocabulary, Directions

Directions (اتجاهات) #

Nouns that describe spatial or geographical directions الاتجاهات (al-ittiǧāhāt) such as north, south, east, west, right, and left.

They are not true adverbs, but they are often used in adverbial expressions with prepositions like:

  • إِلَى (to / towards)
  • مِنْ (from)
  • فِي (in)
  • نَحْوَ (towards)

Main Directions (الاتجاهات الرئيسية) #

ArabicTransliterationMeaningExample
شَمَالshamālnorthذَهَبَ إِلى الشَّمَالِ – He went to the north.
جَنُوبjanūbsouthسَافَرَ إِلى الجَنُوبِ – He travelled to the south.
شَرْقsharqeastالشَّمْسُ تَطْلُعُ مِنَ الشَّرْقِ – The sun rises from the east.
غَرْبgharbwestتَغْرُبُ فِي الغَرْبِ – It sets in the west.
%% Mermaid flowchart diagram — compass
flowchart TB
  style CENTER fill:#fff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
  N[شَمَال<br/>North] -->|↑| CENTER((●))
  S[جَنُوب<br/>South] -->|↓| CENTER
  W[غَرْب<br/>West] -->|←| CENTER
  E[شَرْق<br/>East] -->|→| CENTER
  CENTER --> R[يَمِين<br/>Right]
  CENTER --> L[يَسَار<br/>Left]

  classDef dir fill:#f2f8ff,stroke:#2b6cb0;
  class N,S,W,E,R,L dir;

↔️ Horizontal Directions (الاتجاهات الجانبية) #

ArabicTransliterationMeaningExample
يَمِينyamīnrightالجَانِبُ اليَمِين – The right side
يَسَار / شِمَالyasār / shimālleftالجَانِبُ اليَسَار – The left side

💡 Note: Both يَسَار and شِمَال mean “left,” though يَسَار is more common in Modern Standard Arabic.