argument in Arabic: جدال (jidāl) – meaning, pronunciation, examples

Other meanings

حُجَّة ḥujjah — argument · a reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong
نِقَاش niqāsh — argument · an exchange of ideas or opinions

How to use it

The word 'argument' in English can mean either a disagreement (جدال) or a reason/point made to persuade (حجة). The context will usually make it clear which meaning is intended. 'نقاش' is a more neutral term for discussion.

Example sentences

كان بينهما جدال حاد حول الموضوع.

kāna baynahumā jidālun ḥāddun ḥawla l-mawḍūʿi.

There was a heated argument between them about the topic.
قدم المحامي حجة قوية للدفاع عن موكله.

qaddama l-muḥāmiyyu ḥujjatan qawiyyatan lid-difāʿi ʿan muktilīhi.

The lawyer presented a strong argument to defend his client.
يدور نقاش حول أفضل طريقة لحل المشكلة.

yadūru niqāshun ḥawla ʾafḍali ṭarīqatin li-ḥalli l-mushkilah.

There is an argument about the best way to solve the problem.

Examples from real texts

Sentences taken from published bilingual texts (subtitles, documents). They show the word in context and are not reviewed one by one.

Bad argument

مُعطى سيء

And same argument.

وبنفس الحجة

That’s the argument.

هنا تكمن جدلية الموضوع.

Did you have an argument?

هل تشاجرت؟

That argument is also false.

وهذه الحجة أيضاً زائفة.

Misusing the Inaction Argument

إساءة استخدام حجة التقاعس

Neither argument is persuasive.

ولكن الحجتين غير مقنعتين.

This argument has a long history.

الحقيقة أن هذه الحجة لها تاريخ طويل.

Missing configuration file as argument.

ملف التضبيط مفقود كمُعطى.

Militarily, this argument does make sense.

وهذا الترتيب منطقي على المستوى العسكري.

Unexpected pattern argument following "keep-all"

مُعطى صيغة غير متوقع يتبع "إبقاء الكل"

But if you look at this line of argument more closely, the flaw in Barnavi’s argument is immediately apparent.

ولكن إذا نظرنا إلى حجة بارنافي عن كثب، فلسوف يتضح لنا الخلل الذي يعيبها على الفور.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between 'جدال' and 'حجة'?

'جدال' refers to the act of arguing, often implying a disagreement or dispute. 'حجة' refers to the reasoning or evidence used to support a point.

Is 'argument' always negative in Arabic?

Not necessarily. While 'جدال' often implies negativity, 'حجة' is positive, referring to a well-reasoned point. 'نقاش' is neutral.