'Hurriyeh': the Arabic word for freedom - from the personal to the potted

The word has many uses that encompass economics and even the quality of honey

The Arabic word hurriyeh translates to 'freedom' in English. Getty Images

The Arabic word of the week is hurriyeh - which, like its English translation “freedom”, can be used in contexts that range from the personal to the profound.

The word has been adopted in campaigns for greater political freedom and respect for human rights. It can be seen in slogans and heard in songs.

The debut 2012 studio album by Tunisian protest singer Emel Mathlouthi is named Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free). The 2011 song Sout Al Houreya (Sound of Freedom) by Amir Eid and Hany Adel has a chorus with the lines “bikul share biladi, sowt el huriye binadi” or “in every street in my country, the sound of freedom is calling".

On that note, huriyet al tabir is freedom of expression/speech. Huriyet al raai is freedom of opinion. Huriyet al ikhtiyar is freedom of choice.

If you feel someone is being too critical of your decisions, you could tell them ana hur. But use the phrase once too often, and you’ll soon find yourself being described as stubborn.

Hur has applications in the marital domain. A woman who has recently been divorced could be said to have nalat huriyatiha, which translates to “earned her freedom”. For a man, the expression would be nal huriyato.

The word can also be used when describing someone's relationship status. Hurra can be said of a single woman, whereas it would be hur for a man.

Hurriyeh has been worked into the titles of films and series, too, from the 1967 Nour El-Demerdash film Thaman el Huriyeh (The Price of Freedom), based on a work by Naguib Mahfouz, to the 2016 drama series Sqoot Hur (Free Fall), starring Nelly Karim.

The word also has uses in the economic sphere. A free zone such as Jebel Ali is known as manteqa al hurra. A duty-free shop is known as souq al hurra. Freelancers or people who are their own boss can be said to work in professions that are mihan hurra.

For honey that has no added sugar, it's asal hur.

To be as free as a bird is to be taer hur.