20 Arabic words used in everyday Spanish

Are there Arabic words in Spanish? Yes, there are certainly Spanish words of Arabic origin that we use every day. The Arabic language has had a major influence on the Spanish language — perhaps greater than you’d think. 

While Spanish is ultimately a Romance language, the history of the Iberian Peninsula reveals why the Arabic influence was so strong. For nearly  800 years following the arrival of the Umayyad Caliphate from Northern Africa in 711, the Moors ruled over the land that today comprises Spain, Portugal and southern France. The southern region of Andalusia, then called Al-Andalus, celebrates its Moorish heritage to this day by preserving the unique architecture from that time. 

Though modern Spanish words are adapted in spelling or pronunciation, the history of the Spanish language features Arabic quite prominently. Let’s look at 20 Arabic words used in everyday Spanish.

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Quite a few Arabic words in Spanish are related to numbers and mathematics. Through their contributions to international accounting, we get a peek at the richness that Arab cultures have given the world. 

Though the concept of zero existed in early civilizations from ancient Greece to India, the eighth-century Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi is credited with inventing the written numeral. The first zero was written as a single dot (٠). This numeral was brought to Europe by Arabs during the Moorish conquest of 711. Eventually, this dot became part of the international standard of the Indo-Arabic number system, which includes the circular 0 followed by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The Spanish word alcancía (piggy bank) is another of many accounting-related Spanish words that trace their roots back to Arabic.

*Both words cero and cifra sound like the Arabic word for zero, but possibly evolved in two different meanings Spanish. In Arabic the word for number or digit is raqm or رقم.

Aside from banking and trade, the Arab world is perhaps most renowned for advancements in medicine. In medieval Islamic culture, where the Arabic language flourished, medicine was a central part of civilization. 

According to the US National Library of Medicine, it was only after reading Arabic medical records that Western European doctors learned of ancient Greek doctors such as Hippocrates (the namesake of the Hippocratic Oath, an ethical code that many modern physicians now adhere to). Unsurprisingly, given this history, there are a number of Arabic words in Spanish related to health and wellness. 

Here, we see additional Spanish words that are Arabic in origin. They cover everything from supplies for cleaning wounds to an elixir (medicinal potion) that a doctor might prescribe to a patient. 

Fun fact: According to the Journal of American College of Surgeons, the word gasa (gauze) derives from Gaza, the city in Palestine.

Arabic words in Spanish span vastly different areas of study and lifestyle. That’s how language develops, after all. Of course, we can’t talk about Arabic words in Spanish without touching on culture. From music to religion to cultural values, there are plenty of familiar Spanish words of Arabic origin that relate to culture.

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From games to music to special traditions, the above Spanish words give us a glimpse into Spain’s Moorish past. 

For many Arabic speakers, the religion of Islam is central to daily life. The phrase ان شاء الله (inshallah – if God wills it) is often said respectfully when talking about the future. And even to this day, Spaniards, the majority of whom are Catholic, use ojalá to speak about their future hopes and wishes.

As we explore the global contributions of the Arab world, let’s not forget geography and places. Various Arab cultures were famous for navigating the seas before modern maps and tools were available. It’s no shock, then, that some Arabic words in Spanish have to do with travel. 

We covered the word hasta (until) in our lesson on how to give directions in Spanish. Basically, it is the word “to” in the phrase “from here to there” when referring to spatial distances.

Many Arabic words in Spanish refer to food and cooking. When cultural exchange happens, it almost always starts by sharing cuisine, doesn’t it? And that requires a shared vocabulary for talking about ingredients, cooking techniques, spices and herbs.

Most Spanish words of Arabic origin tell us something about this culinary exchange. For example: the first word on this list, the Spanish word bellota (acorn), comes from Arabic. The famed jamón ibérico (cured Iberian ham) in its most expensive form is labeled as jamón bellota. Why? Because this particularly valuable breed of pig is raised on pure acorn feed rather than cheaper grains. Are you hungry yet?

Learning through linguistics

Arabic words in Spanish have much to teach us. Language nerd fact: the Arabic word شراب (sharab) originally referred to wine in the Al-Andaluz version of Arabic. Traditionally, wines from the areas surrounding the Mediterranean were sweeter than the dry wines we’re accustomed to today. 

We see something similar in modern Turkish, another language with heavy Arabic influence. The Turkish word şerbet (sherbert) refers to the simple syrup used to make sweets like baklava. Are you connecting all the delicious dots now? Just as with food, travel, medicine and mathematics, the study of linguistics teaches us so much about cultures past and present.

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Alison Maciejewski Cortez

Alison Maciejewski Cortez is Chilean-American, born and raised in California. She studied abroad in Spain, has lived in multiple countries, and now calls Mexico home. She believes that learning how to order a beer in a new language reveals a lot about local culture. Alison speaks English, Spanish, and Thai fluently and studies Czech and Turkish. Her tech copywriting business takes her around the world and she is excited to share language tips as part of the Lingoda team. Follow her culinary and cultural experiences on X.

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