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Basketball
#9
كرة السّلّة (Kurat al-sallah) is the Arabic term for basketball, the sport played between two teams of five players each who aim to shoot a ball through elevated hoops. This compound noun literally translates to 'ball of the basket' and is the standard terminology used across all Arabic-speaking regions. The word is used both for the sport itself and the ball used in playing the game.
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أحب لعب كرة السّلّة مع أصدقائي في الملعب.
Ahibb la'b kurat al-sallah ma'a asdiqa'i fi al-mala'ab.
I love playing basketball with my friends at the court.
فريقنا فاز في بطولة كرة السّلّة الوطنية.
Fariiquna faza fi batawalat kurat al-sallah al-wataniyyah.
Our team won the national basketball championship.
كرة السّلّة رياضة شهيرة جداً في الولايات المتحدة.
Kurat al-sallah riyada shahirah jidan fi al-wilayat al-muttahidah.
Basketball is a very famous sport in the United States.
المباراة الأخيرة لكرة السّلّة كانت مشوقة جداً.
Al-mubariyah al-akhirah li-kurat al-sallah kanat mishawwaqa jidan.
The last basketball match was very exciting.
هل تريد أن تلعب كرة السّلّة معي غداً؟
Hal tureed an ta'lab kurat al-sallah ma'ee ghadan?
Do you want to play basketball with me tomorrow?
Basketball has become increasingly popular across the Arab world in recent decades, with many Arab countries fielding competitive national teams. The sport is played in schools, universities, and professional leagues throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Young Arabs, particularly in urban areas, often play basketball as both a recreational activity and a serious competitive sport.
Remember that كرة السّلّة is a feminine noun (al-sallah is feminine), so adjectives and past tense verbs must agree with feminine gender. The word is written as two separate words but functions as a single compound noun. You'll often hear it shortened colloquially to just السّلّة (al-sallah) or البسكتبول in more modern, informal contexts.
كرة السّلّة is the standard Arabic term for the sport of basketball. This compound noun is composed of two parts: كرة (kura), meaning "ball," and السّلّة (al-sallah), meaning "the basket" or "the hoop." Literally translated, it means "ball of the basket," which perfectly describes the fundamental objective of the game.
The word is pronounced as "Kurat al-sallah" with the emphasis on the first syllable. In written Arabic, it appears as كرة السّلّة with both words written separately, though they function together as a single sports terminology. The word is written in standard Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and is understood across all Arabic-speaking regions.
Basketball has become a major sport throughout the Arab world, and the term كرة السّلّة is widely used in sports media, schools, and everyday conversation. The word maintains consistent usage across different Arabic dialects and media, from Egyptian Arabic to Gulf Arabic to Levantine Arabic. You'll hear it used in news broadcasts, social media, and casual conversations about sports.
It's important to note that كرة السّلّة is grammatically feminine in Arabic because السّلّة (the basket) is a feminine noun. This means any adjectives or verbs used with this term must agree in feminine gender. For example, you would say "كرة السّلّة جميلة" (kurat al-sallah jamilah - basketball is beautiful), using the feminine form of the adjective جميل.
When discussing basketball, you'll encounter several related terms: الملعب (al-mala'ab - the court), الفريق (al-fariq - the team), اللاعب (al-la'ib - the player), and المباراة (al-mubarah - the match). Understanding these related terms will help you hold more complete conversations about basketball in Arabic.
In more informal, contemporary Arabic, especially in social media and casual speech, you might hear the word shortened to just السّلّة (al-sallah) or even the borrowed English term البسكتبول (al-basketball). However, the traditional and formal term remains كرة السّلّة.
Basketball has grown significantly in Arab countries over the past few decades, with professional leagues, national teams, and university programs. The sport is particularly popular among young people in urban areas. Major basketball events and tournaments, especially those involving Arab teams or players, are followed with considerable interest throughout the Arabic-speaking world.
When learning this word, practice using it in context with related sports vocabulary. Listen to Arabic sports commentary or news about basketball to hear the natural pronunciation and usage patterns. This will help you internalize the word and use it confidently in conversations about sports.