To truly understand a city in the Arab world, its history and its social fabric, look no further than the souq.
Al-Hamidiyah Souq, the largest in Syria, located next to the citadel in Damascus, dates back to the late 18th century and has echoes of the city’s Ottoman history. It is still one of the most frequented shopping areas in the Syrian capital, a bustling district with shops selling everything from jewellery and textiles to ice cream.
Manama Souq, meanwhile, juxtaposes old and new in a way that’s reflective of the Bahraini capital at large. Souq Waqif in Doha harks back to tradition with its original building, but also modernises the concept of the traditional marketplace with restaurants and shisha cafes. Likewise, Dubai Spice Souq (Souq Al Tawabil) reflects upon the diversity of the emirate. It is popular with both tourists and locals, as is the city's gold bazaar that translates in Arabic as souq al dhahab.
This week's Arabic word of the week is even familiar to many non-Arabic speakers. Souq denotes more than just a marketplace, though, with historical and social resonance that is specific to each city.
In plural form, the word becomes aswaq. In verb form, sawaqa can mean to market or even export.
A financial market is known as souq al maliya, while souq al hurra is a duty-free market, souq al sawda is the black market and souq al ashom is the stock market.
Souq al markaziya, or central souq, is also the name of Sharjah’s most well-known market, colloquially known in English as the Blue Souq. Market price, meanwhile, is sa’r alsouq.
Various idioms incorporate the word souq and its connotations.
“Bilughat alsouq wa mafahim alsouqiya” means “in the language of the souq and its concepts”, and is used when someone displays colloquial mannerisms and vocabulary.
Several poets, especially in medieval Arabia, also rely on the liveliness and routines observed in a marketplace in verse form. A work by the seventh-century Yemeni poet Waddah al-Yaman reads: “Wa lilahia ayyam tuqda ... yalifu khitamaha souqaan bi souq”.
The verse translates to: “The living have days that pass away … Their ending wraps one market with another.” It expresses the drudgery of daily routines, noting how days can blend into one another like time loops that underscore a souq.
Arabic words of the week - in pictures
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The Arabic word for sign is aya. All photos: The National -
The Arabic word for cat is qita -
Laban is the Arabic word for milk -
Mosa, or Moses in English, is mentioned 136 times in the Quran -
The Arabic word for ownership is tamalouk -
The Arabic word for mint is ne’ena’a -
Shuback is the Arabic word for window -
Hilal is Arabic for crescent -
Musafir, the Arabic word for traveller, is often used in music and poetry, evoking a sense of longing and passion -
Raqaba, the Arabic word for neck, can also denote caution and scrutiny -
Ithin, the Arabic word for permission, has many bureaucratic uses -
The Arabic word for chair is kursee -
Faten is Arabic name that has many spiritual and poetic meanings -
The Arabic word for embroidery is tatreez -
Zarafa is Arabic for giraffe -
The Arabic word for dignity, honour and respect is izza -
Hewi is the Emirati word for front garden -
Lahja is the Arabic word for dialect -
Muratabat is often translated as refreshments -
Handasa is the Arabic word for engineering -
The Arabic word for octopus is akhtaboot -
The Arabic word for mightiness is jabarut -
The Arabic word kibriyaa, often seen in Quranic verses, speaks to might and humility -
Junoon is the Arabic word for madness and obsession -
Adheem is commonly translated as great, magnificent or mighty -
Tanamor is the Arabic word for bullying -
The Arabic word for forgetfulness and oblivion is alnisyan -
Yallah, the Arabic word for 'let's go', is an expression of urgency, encouragement or even impatience -
The Arabic word majlis, rooted in Bedouin tradition, refers to a space for hospitality and dialogue -
Falaj is Arabic for water channel -
Ne'meh is Arabic for blessing -
The Arabic word sumud means resilience and steadfastness -
The Arabic word for mountain is jabal -
Kibreet is Arabic for matchstick -
Sahaba means cloud in Arabic -
Qilada is the Arabic word for necklace
