When planning a large banquet, you often need to estimate quantities, costs, and attendees. Arabic uses three common words for "about" or "approximately": حوالي, نحو, and تقريبا. The main difference is their placement.
Before the Quantity: حوالي and نحو
Place حوالي or نحو immediately before the number or quantity you are estimating.
| We will need about twenty liters of water for the banquet. | سنحتاج إلى حوالي عشرين لترا من الماء للوليمة.sanahtâju ilâ hawâlay 'ishrîna litran mina al-mâ'i lil-walîmah |
| The cook bought about fifty kilos of meat. | اشترت الطباخة نحو خمسين كيلو من اللحم.ishtarati ttabbâkhatu nahwa khamsîna kîlû mina llahmi |
After the Quantity: تقريبا
Place تقريبا after the number or at the end of the phrase describing the amount.
| The cost of the huge banquet is approximately one thousand dollars. | تكلفة الوليمة الضخمة ألف دولار تقريبا.taklifatu l-walîmati d-dakhmati alfu dûlârin taqrîban |
| The appetizers on the dining table are enough for approximately fifty people. | المقبلات على المائدة تكفي خمسين شخصا تقريبا.al-muqabbilâtu 'alâ al-mâ'idati takfî khamsîna shakhsan taqrîban. |
Estimating Different Types of Quantities
You can use these words to estimate any quantity, including liters, kilos, people, or a general amount (كمية). Just remember: حوالي and نحو come before, while تقريبا comes after.
| We have about twenty kilos of rice and twenty liters of oil. | عندنا حوالي عشرين كيلو من الأرز وعشرين لترا من الزيت.indanâ hawâlay 'ishrîna kîlû mina al-aruzzi wa 'ishrîna litran mina azzayti |
| The cost of this quantity will be about two hundred dollars. | ستكون تكلفة هذه الكمية نحو مئتي دولار.satakûnu taklifatu hâdhihi al-kammiyyati nahwa mi'atay dûlârin |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io
