Body Parts in Arabic: Head to Toe Vocabulary

Whether you're visiting an Arabic-speaking country, studying medicine, or simply expanding your Arabic vocabulary, knowing the names of body parts in Arabic is an absolute essential. This vocabulary shows up everywhere — in medical conversations, daily descriptions, children's songs, and even poetry.

In this guide, we'll walk through the human body from head to toe, giving you the Arabic word, its transliteration, and tips to help you remember each term. By the end, you'll have a solid foundation of Arabic body vocabulary that you can use right away.

New to Arabic script? Before diving in, check out our Complete Guide to the Arabic Alphabet for Beginners and learn How to Write Arabic so you can read the words in this article with confidence.

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Why Learn Body Parts in Arabic?

Body part vocabulary is among the most practical and transferable vocabulary you can learn in any language. Here's why it matters:

• Medical situations — Describing pain or symptoms to a doctor
• Daily conversation — Talking about appearance, health, or exercise
• Children's education — One of the first vocabulary sets taught to young learners
• Understanding the Quran and classical texts — Many Quranic verses reference the human body
• Travel — Communicating needs at pharmacies or clinics abroad

Body vocabulary also connects deeply to the Arabic root system. For example, the root ي-د (y-d) relates to the hand, and you'll find it in many derived words. Learn more about how roots work in our article on the Arabic Root System Explained.

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A Note on Modern Standard Arabic vs. Dialects

The words in this article are primarily Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is understood across the Arab world in formal contexts, education, and media. Keep in mind that some body part names differ slightly in spoken dialects.

For example:

• "Head" is رأس (ra's) in MSA but often pronounced ras or rās in dialects
• "Stomach" varies widely: بطن (baṭn) in MSA vs. كرش (kirsh) colloquially in many regions

To understand these regional differences better, see our guide on Arabic Dialects Explained.

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The Head and Face in Arabic

Let's start at the top! The head and face Arabic vocabulary is some of the most commonly used and easiest to practice in front of a mirror.

The Head (الرأس — Al-Ra's)

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Head	رأس	Ra's
Hair	شعر	Sha'r
Brain	دماغ	Dimāgh
Skull	جمجمة	Jumjuma
Forehead	جبهة	Jabha
Temple	صدغ	Ṣudgh

The Face (الوجه — Al-Wajh)

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Face	وجه	Wajh
Eye	عين	'Ayn
Eyebrow	حاجب	Ḥājib
Eyelash	رمش	Rimsh
Ear	أذن	Udhn
Nose	أنف	Anf
Cheek	خد	Khadd
Mouth	فم	Fam
Lip	شفة	Shafa
Tongue	لسان	Lisān
Tooth	سن	Sinn
Teeth	أسنان	Asnān
Jaw	فك	Fakk
Chin	ذقن	Dhaqan
Neck	رقبة	Raqaba

Memory tip: The word for eye — عين ('Ayn) — is also the name of the Arabic letter ع. If you've studied the Arabic alphabet, you already know this one!

Example sentence:

عيناها جميلتان. 'Aynāhā jamīlatān. "Her eyes are beautiful."

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The Upper Body in Arabic

Moving down from the neck, here is the essential vocabulary for the upper body — chest, back, arms, and hands.

Torso and Chest (الجذع — Al-Jidh')

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Chest	صدر	Ṣadr
Back	ظهر	Ẓahr
Shoulder	كتف	Katif
Armpit	إبط	Ibṭ
Spine	عمود فقري	'Amūd faqarī
Rib	ضلع	Ḍil'
Ribs	أضلاع	Aḍlā'
Waist	خصر	Khaṣr
Stomach / Abdomen	بطن	Baṭn
Belly button	سرة	Surra

Example sentence:

يؤلمني ظهري اليوم. Yu'limunī ẓahrī al-yawm. "My back is hurting me today."

The Arm and Hand (الذراع واليد — Al-Dhirā' wal-Yad)

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Arm	ذراع	Dhirā'
Upper arm	عضد	'Aḍud
Elbow	مرفق	Mirfaq
Forearm	ساعد	Sā'id
Wrist	رسغ	Rusgh
Hand	يد	Yad
Palm	كف	Kaff
Finger	إصبع	Iṣba'
Fingers	أصابع	Aṣābi'
Thumb	إبهام	Ibhām
Nail	ظفر	Ẓufr
Fist	قبضة	Qabḍa

Did you know? The word يد (yad), meaning "hand," is one of the shortest and most important words in Arabic. It appears in many expressions and is also connected to the letter ي (Yaa). You can explore more core vocabulary like this in our list of 100 Most Common Arabic Words.

Example sentence:

اغسل يديك قبل الأكل. Ighsil yadayk qabla al-akl. "Wash your hands before eating."

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Internal Organs in Arabic

Knowing Arabic anatomy words for internal organs is especially useful for medical or academic contexts.

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Heart	قلب	Qalb
Lung	رئة	Ri'a
Lungs	رئتان	Ri'atān
Liver	كبد	Kabid
Kidney	كلية	Kulya
Kidneys	كليتان	Kulyatān
Stomach (organ)	معدة	Mi'da
Intestine	أمعاء	Am'ā'
Bladder	مثانة	Mithāna
Blood	دم	Dam
Vein	وريد	Warīd
Artery	شريان	Shiryān
Bone	عظمة	'Aẓama
Bones	عظام	'Iẓām
Muscle	عضلة	'Aḍala
Skin	جلد	Jild

Memory tip: The word قلب (qalb) means "heart," but it also means "to flip" or "to turn" in other forms — a beautiful example of the richness of the Arabic root system.

Example sentence:

القلب مضخة الدم في الجسم. Al-qalb maḍakhkat al-dam fī al-jism. "The heart is the blood pump of the body."

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The Lower Body in Arabic

Now let's complete our journey down to the feet with lower body vocabulary.

Hips and Legs (الوركان والساقان)

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Hip	ورك	Wark
Thigh	فخذ	Fakhdh
Knee	ركبة	Rukba
Leg	ساق	Sāq
Shin	قصبة الساق	Qaṣabat al-sāq
Calf	بطة الساق	Baṭṭat al-sāq
Ankle	كاحل	Kāḥil
Foot	قدم	Qadam
Toe	إصبع القدم	Iṣba' al-qadam
Heel	كعب	Ka'b
Sole	باطن القدم	Bāṭin al-qadam

Example sentence:

كسر ركبته أثناء اللعب. Kasara rukbatahu athnā'a al-la'b. "He broke his knee while playing."

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Useful Body-Related Phrases in Arabic

Knowing individual words is great, but being able to use them in context is even better. Here are some practical phrases using body part vocabulary:

Phrase	Arabic	Transliteration
My head hurts	رأسي يؤلمني	Ra'sī yu'limunī
I have a stomachache	بطني تؤلمني	Baṭnī tu'limunī
My throat is sore	حلقي مؤلم	Ḥalqī mu'lim
Raise your hand	ارفع يدك	Irfa' yadak
Close your eyes	أغمض عينيك	Aghmid 'aynayk
Open your mouth	افتح فمك	Iftaḥ famak
The body	الجسم / الجسد	Al-jism / Al-jasad

For more everyday phrases, visit our guide on Essential Arabic Phrases for Travelers.

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Grammar Tip: Dual and Plural Body Parts

Arabic has a special grammatical form called the dual — used when referring to exactly two of something. Since many body parts come in pairs, this is very relevant!

• Eye → عين ('Ayn) | Two eyes → عينان ('Aynān)
• Hand → يد (Yad) | Two hands → يدان (Yadān)
• Ear → أذن (Udhn) | Two ears → أذنان (Udhnān)
• Leg → ساق (Sāq) | Two legs → ساقان (Sāqān)

For paired body parts (eyes, ears, hands, feet), the dual suffix ـان (-ān) is added in the nominative case, and ـين (-ayn) in other cases.

To understand more about Arabic grammar structures like this, explore our Arabic Grammar Basics guide and learn about Arabic Sentence Structure.

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Quick Reference: Full Body Vocabulary List

Here's a consolidated quick-reference table covering the whole body:

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Body	جسم	Jism
Head	رأس	Ra's
Face	وجه	Wajh
Eye	عين	'Ayn
Ear	أذن	Udhn
Nose	أنف	Anf
Mouth	فم	Fam
Neck	رقبة	Raqaba
Shoulder	كتف	Katif
Chest	صدر	Ṣadr
Back	ظهر	Ẓahr
Arm	ذراع	Dhirā'
Hand	يد	Yad
Finger	إصبع	Iṣba'
Heart	قلب	Qalb
Stomach	بطن	Baṭn
Hip	ورك	Wark
Leg	ساق	Sāq
Knee	ركبة	Rukba
Foot	قدم	Qadam

For even more vocabulary organized by category, visit our Arabic words directory.

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Tips for Memorizing Body Parts in Arabic

Learning vocabulary is only half the battle — retention is where the real work happens. Here are proven strategies:

1. Label your surroundings — Write Arabic body part names on sticky notes and place them around your bathroom mirror.
2. Use flashcard apps — Tools like Anki allow spaced repetition, which dramatically improves long-term memory.
3. Act it out — Point to each body part as you say the Arabic word out loud.
4. Listen to Arabic children's songs — Songs like "Ra's wa Kitāf" (Head and Shoulders in Arabic) are catchy and educational.
5. Read medical Arabic — If you have a professional interest, practice with simple Arabic health articles.
6. Connect to root words — Understanding the root system helps you recognize related words. See our Arabic Root System article for help.
7. Practice with sentences — Don't just memorize isolated words; use them in simple sentences like the examples in this article.

For a broader set of language learning strategies, check out How to Learn Arabic Fast: 10 Proven Strategies.

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Conclusion

You've now completed a full head-to-toe tour of body parts in Arabic! From the رأس (ra's — head) to the قدم (qadam — foot), you have a comprehensive vocabulary set ready to use in conversation, medical contexts, or further study.

Remember:

• Use Modern Standard Arabic for formal and universal communication
• Practice the dual forms for paired body parts
• Connect body vocabulary to the Arabic root system to expand your understanding
• Use real sentences, not just isolated words

Ready to keep building your Arabic vocabulary? Explore more word categories in our Arabic vocabulary directory, or revisit the foundations with our Arabic Numbers guide and the Arabic Alphabet to strengthen your reading skills. Every word you learn brings you one step closer to fluency — keep going!