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Minute
#4
دقيق (daqīq) is a versatile Arabic word with multiple meanings depending on context: it primarily means 'minute' (the unit of time), but also means 'flour' (the powdered grain product) and as an adjective means 'precise, accurate, or meticulous.' The word is commonly used in both formal and everyday Arabic across all dialects.
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اجتماعنا سيبدأ في تمام الساعة الثالثة وخمسة وعشرين دقيقة.
Ijtimā'unā sayabda'u fī tamām as-sā'a ath-thālitha wa-khamsata wa-'ishrīn daqīqa.
Our meeting will start at exactly 3:25 (three o'clock and twenty-five minutes).
اشتريت كيساً من الدقيق لخبز الخبز.
Ishtarayt kīsan min ad-daqīq li-khubz al-khubz.
I bought a bag of flour to bake bread.
تتطلب هذه العملية دقة وانتباهاً شديداً.
Tattalabu hādhih al-'amaliyya diqqa wa-intibāhan shadīdan.
This procedure requires precision and careful attention.
انتظرني دقيقة واحدة، سأعود قريباً.
Intazirnī daqīqa wāhida, sa-a'ūd qarīban.
Wait for me one minute, I'll be back soon.
الفنان قام برسم تفاصيل دقيقة في اللوحة.
Al-fannān qāma bi-rasmi tafāsīl daqīqa fī al-lawha.
The artist drew meticulous details in the painting.
In Arabic-speaking countries, the word دقيق is essential in both culinary and everyday contexts. Bread-making is culturally significant across the Arab world, making the 'flour' meaning particularly important in household and commercial settings. The concept of precision (دقة) is also highly valued in Arab culture, reflected in traditional craftsmanship, architecture, and modern professional standards.
Remember that دقيق has multiple meanings: always rely on context to determine if it means 'minute' (time), 'flour' (cooking), or 'precise' (quality). When referring to time, دقيقة (feminine form) is often used instead of دقيق, especially in spoken Arabic. For the 'precision' meaning, you might hear the related noun دقة more frequently than the adjective form.
The Arabic word دقيق (daqīq) is one of the most versatile and commonly used words in the Arabic language, with meanings that span from timekeeping to cooking to describing precision and accuracy. Understanding this word fully is essential for any English speaker learning Arabic, as it appears frequently in both formal written Arabic and everyday conversational speech.
The most common contemporary usage of دقيق is to denote a minute—the unit of time equal to 60 seconds. In this context, it's typically used as a noun and often appears in the feminine form دقيقة (daqīqa) in spoken Arabic, though both forms are acceptable. For example, "Wait five minutes" would be expressed as "انتظر خمس دقائق" (Intazir khams daqā'iq).
Historically and still in modern usage, دقيق refers to flour—the fine powder made from grinding grains, most commonly wheat. This meaning reflects the Arabic root's connection to the concept of fineness and grinding. In Arab cuisine, which is rich with bread-making traditions, this word remains essential in kitchen vocabulary and recipes. You'll frequently hear it in cooking contexts: "كيس من الدقيق" (kīs min ad-daqīq) meaning "a bag of flour."
As an adjective, دقيق means precise, exact, accurate, or meticulous. This usage derives from the association between fineness (fine flour) and precision. When describing work, observations, or measurements, Arabs might say "عمل دقيق جداً" (work that is very precise).
Daqīq follows standard Arabic grammatical patterns. The feminine form is دقيقة (daqīqa), the plural is دقائق (daqā'iq), and related noun forms include دقة (diqqa) meaning precision or accuracy. The verb يدقق (yaduqqiq) means "to examine carefully" or "to scrutinize," derived from the same root.
In contemporary Arabic, whether Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or various dialects, دقيق remains indispensable. Digital technology has reinforced its importance—digital clocks display minutes, appointments are scheduled by the minute, and precision is increasingly valued in professional contexts. The word appears regularly in news broadcasts, business settings, scientific discussions, and academic writing.
Bread-making holds deep cultural significance across the Arab world, making the flour meaning of دقيق particularly relevant to understanding Arab daily life and food culture. Traditional bakeries (مخابز) rely on specific types and qualities of flour for various bread types. Additionally, the concept of precision embedded in this word reflects broader cultural values emphasizing craftsmanship, attention to detail, and excellence in execution.
Several phrases commonly use دقيق. "دقيقة من فضلك" (daqīqa min fadlak) is a polite request meaning "one minute please." "في دقائق معدودة" (fī daqā'iq mu'addada) means "in just a few minutes" and is used to indicate something will happen very soon. When describing careful work, "عمل دقيق" (work that requires precision) is standard.
When learning دقيق, context is your best friend. The surrounding words and situation will clarify whether the speaker means time, flour, or precision. Practice listening to how native speakers use this word in different contexts to develop intuition. Note that in casual speech, Arabs often use the feminine دقيقة for time measurements, while the root form دقيق appears more in formal writing or when describing precision.