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Asleep
نائم (nā'im) is an Arabic adjective meaning 'asleep' or 'sleeping,' derived from the verb نام (nāma). It describes a state of sleep and can be used to characterize someone who is currently sleeping or in a dormant state. This word is commonly used in everyday Arabic conversations to describe people, animals, or figuratively to describe inactive situations.
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الطفل نائم في السرير.
Al-tifl nā'im fī as-sarīr.
The child is asleep in the bed.
لا تيقظ أختك، إنها نائمة.
Lā tūqiz ukhtaka, innahā nā'imah.
Don't wake up your sister, she is asleep.
رأيت القط نائماً تحت الشجرة.
Ra'aytu al-qitta nā'iman taḥta ash-shajarah.
I saw the cat sleeping under the tree.
كان الجميع نائمين عندما وصلت.
Kāna al-jamī' nā'imīn 'indamā waṣaltu.
Everyone was asleep when I arrived.
الاقتصاد نائم لا يتقدم.
Al-iqtiṣād nā'im lā yataqaddamu.
The economy is dormant and not progressing.
In Arabic culture, sleep is often discussed with respect to prayer times and daily routines. The word نائم is frequently used in greetings and expressions of concern for others' rest. In Islamic tradition, sleep is considered a blessing, and there are specific Islamic supplications related to sleep (dua for sleeping and waking). The concept of نوم (sleep) holds cultural significance in Arabic literature and poetry.
Remember that نائم is an adjective that agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies: نائم (m.s.), نائمة (f.s.), نائمين (m.pl.), نائمات (f.pl.). When used predicatively with the verb 'to be,' it can follow the subject directly, as in 'هو نائم' (he is asleep). Be careful not to confuse it with النوم (the noun 'sleep') or نام (the past tense verb 'he slept').
The Arabic word نائم (nā'im) is an adjective that means 'asleep' or 'sleeping.' It is one of the most commonly used words in everyday Arabic to describe someone or something in a state of sleep. The word is derived from the verb نام (nāma), which means 'to sleep,' and follows standard Arabic adjective patterns to show gender and number agreement.
As an Arabic adjective, نائم must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. The different forms include:
When used predicatively (after the verb 'to be'), the adjective still agrees with the subject: هو نائم (he is asleep), هي نائمة (she is asleep).
The word نائم is frequently used in everyday conversations, especially when discussing daily routines, children, or social situations. It appears in various contexts, from simple statements about current sleep status to figurative uses describing inactive or dormant situations. For example, you might hear parents saying their children are نائم/نائمة (asleep), or someone might describe a business as نائم (dormant or inactive).
Understanding نائم becomes easier when you know related vocabulary:
In Arab and Islamic culture, sleep holds special significance. The Quran and Islamic tradition recognize sleep as one of Allah's signs and blessings. Muslims have specific supplications (duas) for sleeping and waking up, making sleep-related vocabulary culturally important. In Arabic literature and poetry, sleep is often used metaphorically to describe states of ignorance, inactivity, or spiritual negligence.
Several common phrases use نائم:
When learning to use نائم correctly, remember that it is primarily an adjective, not a verb. Always ensure agreement with the noun in gender and number. Pay attention to context—while نائم literally means 'asleep,' it can be used figuratively to mean 'inactive' or 'dormant' in contexts like economics or business.
To master this word, practice with various sentences: