word of the day

Word of the Day

Waqt

وقت

 

Welcome back to our Arabic Word of the Day series

Today, we’re studying the word وقت /waqt/, which means “time.” We will examine its main meaning, common expressions used with the word وقت, collocations, derivations,  and synonyms.

Are you ready? 

Main Meaning

In Arabic, the word وقت /waqt/ is a noun that refers to a span of time, such as an hour or a few minutes. It is used when you want to talk about a specific moment or duration. For example:

It’s time for prayer.

Ḥāna waqtu alṣṣalāti

حان وَقتُ الصّلاةِ

Here, وقت refers to the particular time set aside for prayer.

 

Another example:

The program lasts a full hour.

Waqtu albarnāmji sā‘atun kāmilatun

وَقتُ البَرنامجِ ساعةٌ كامِلةٌ

Common Proverbs and Expressions

Now let’s look at some common Arabic proverbs and expressions that use the word وقت: 

Time is like a sword; if you don’t cut it, it will cut you.

Alwaqtu kālssayf in lam taqṭaʻhu qaṭaʻak

الوَقتُ كالسَّيف إن لم تَقطَعهُ قَطَعَك

This famous Arabic proverb emphasizes the importance of managing time wisely.

How short the time was between them, as if it were the time between the blossoming of a flower and its fading away.

Mā kāna aqṣr waqtan kāna baynahumā kʼannahu alwaqtu bayna alwardi wālqurbi

ما كان أقصر وقتا كان بينهما كأنَّهُ الوقتُ بين الوردِ والقُربِ.

This is a verse from a poem where the poet expresses how brief the time felt between the losses of two loved ones. He compares it to the fleeting moment between the moment a flower blooms and the moment it fades away.

Collocations

The term وقت can be combined with other words to convey more precise meanings. Let’s look at three common collocations with the word وقت:

1

Free time

Waqtu alfarāghi

وَقْتُ الفَرَاغِ

I feel bored during my free time.

Ash‘uru bilmalali waqt alfarāghi

أَشعُرُ بِالمَلَلِ وَقتَ الفَراغِ

2

The present time

Alwaqtu alrāhin

الوقتُ الراهنِ

I am studying Arabic at the present time.

Anā adrusu allughata al‘arabiyyata fī alwaqti alrāhini

أنا أدرسُ الُّلغةَ العَرَبيّةَ في الوَقتِ الرّاهِنِ

3

The Day of the time well-known

Yawmu alwaqti alma‘lūmi

يومُ الوقتِ المعلومِ

This phrase is used in the Quran in Surat Al-Hijr (38) to refer to the Day of Resurrection (The Day of the time well-known).

Here are other collocations (verbs and adjectives) that are combined with the word وقت:

Word + Verb

organize time

yunaẓẓimu alwaqt

يُنَظِّمُ الوَقت

invest time

yastathmiru alwaqt

يَستَثمِرُ الوَقت

waste time

yuḍyʻu alwaqt

يُضيعُ الوَقت

manage time

yudyru alwaqt

يُديرُ الوَقت

pass time

yumḍy alwaqt

يُمضي الوَقت

Word + Adjective

short time

waqtun qaṣyr

وَقتٌ قَصير

valuable time

waqtun thamyn

وَقتٌ ثَمين

suitable time

waqtun munāsib

وَقتٌ مُناسِب

late time

waqtun mutaʼkhkhir

وَقتٌ مُتَأخِّر

Enough time

waqtun kāfin

وَقتٌ كافٍ

Derivations

Several words in Arabic are derived from the same root وقت:

1

Appointment

Mīqāt

مِيقات (Noun)

Say, [O Muhammad], "Indeed, the former and the later peoples are to be gathered together for the appointment of a known Day." - Surat Al-waqi’a

Qul inna alʼawwalīna wālʼkhirīna lamajmūʻūna ilá mīqati yawmin mmaʻlūmin

قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ وَٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ لَمَجۡمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَٰتِ يَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُومٍ - الواقعة 50:49

2

Timed

Mawqūt

مَوقوت (Adjective)

Add a timed fade to the beginning of your video to enhance its effect.

Aḍif talāshin mawqwt ilá bidāyati al-fīdyū litaʻzyzi atharh.

أَضِف تَلاشٍ مَوقوت إِلى بِدايَةِ الفيديو لِتَعزيزِ أَثَره.

3

Temporary

Mu’aqqat

مُؤَقَّت (Adjective)

This position is temporary and will last for six months.

Hādhihi alwaẓīfa mu’aqqat wa satastamir limuddat sittat ashhur

هذه الوظيفة مُؤَقَّتة وستستمر لمدة ستة أشهر.

Synonyms

The word وقت is often interchangeable with words like زَمَن /Zaman/ and مُدّة /Muddah/, which also mean “time” or “duration.” Here’s how you can use them in context:

The lesson time is forty minutes.

Waqtu alḥiṣṣati alddirāsiyyati arba‘ūna daqīqatan

وَقتُ الحِصّةِ الدِّراسيَّةِ أَربعونَ دَقيقة

The lesson duration is forty minutes.

Zamanu alḥiṣṣati alddirāsiyyati arba‘ūna daqīqatan

زَمَنُ الحِصّةِ الدِّراسيَّةِ أَربعونَ دَقيقة

The lesson duration is forty minutes.

Muddatu alḥiṣṣati alddirāsiyyati arba‘ūna daqīqatan

مدّةٌ الحِصّةِ الدِّراسيَّةِ أَربعونَ دَقيقة

Both وقت and زمن can be used interchangeably in these examples.

Reflect on the Past

Another common use of وقت is in expressions referring to past events:

In the past, I was a student in school.

Fī alwaqti al-māḍī kuntu ṭāliban fī al-madrasati

في الوَقتِ الماضي كُنُتُ طالِبًا في المَدرَسةِ

In the past, I was a student in school.

Fī alzzamani al-māḍī kuntu ṭāliban fī al-madrasati

في الزَّمَنِ الماضي كُنُتُ طالِبًا في المَدرَسةِ

Both sentences use وقت and زمن to describe past moments.

Conclusion

We hope today’s word وقت (waqt) has helped you understand its many uses in the Arabic language. Time is a concept that plays an important role in daily life, and knowing how to express it in various contexts allows you to connect more meaningfully with the language. 

As always, practice makes perfect! Try using the word وقت in your conversations, and make sure to download our app to get loads of useful exercises that will take your fluency to another level.

Stay tuned for more words from the rich Arabic vocabulary!

You can also find other words to learn by visiting the Word of the Day page.

Dania Ghraoui
Dania has worked as a language instructor and translator for almost 10 years. She has a special interest in the Arabic language and learning methods.
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