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tajāhala
to ignore
تجاهل (tajāhala) is a verb meaning "to ignore" or "to pretend not to notice/know." It conveys the intentional act of disregarding something or someone, often implying deliberate indifference or pretending ignorance. This word is commonly used in everyday Arabic to describe ignoring advice, messages, problems, or people.
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تجاهل محمد تحذيرات والده وذهب إلى المدرسة مريضاً.
tajāhala Muḥammad taḥdhīrāt wālidih wa-dhahaba ilā al-madrasa marīḍan.
Muhammad ignored his father's warnings and went to school while sick.
لا يمكنك أن تتجاهل هذه المشكلة الخطيرة.
Lā yumkinka an tatajāhala hādhih al-mushkila al-khṭīra.
You cannot ignore this serious problem.
تجاهلت فاطمة رسالتي ولم ترد عليّ.
tajāhalat Fāṭima risālatī wa-lam tarud alayya.
Fatima ignored my message and did not reply to me.
إذا تجاهلت المرض، قد يزداد سوءاً.
Idhā tajāhalta al-maraḍ, qad yazdād suwaʾan.
If you ignore the illness, it may get worse.
هو يتجاهل نصائحي دائماً ثم يندم.
Huwa yatajāhalu nasāʾiḥī dāʾiman thumma yandamu.
He always ignores my advice and then regrets it.
In Arabic-speaking cultures, ignoring someone can be considered disrespectful, especially in family or hierarchical contexts. However, تجاهل is also used to describe turning a blind eye to minor infractions or social awkwardness as a way of maintaining harmony. The word reflects both the literal sense of not acknowledging something and the more nuanced social meaning of deliberate disregard for peace's sake.
Remember that تجاهل is an active verb—it implies intentional ignoring rather than accidental oversight. Use it when someone deliberately chooses not to notice or respond. Be careful not to confuse it with تناسى (to forget), which suggests loss of memory. The verb conjugates regularly in most tenses, making it relatively straightforward to use across different grammatical contexts.
The Arabic word تجاهل (tajāhala) is a verb that means "to ignore" or "to pretend not to notice." It represents the deliberate act of disregarding something, someone, or information. Unlike accidentally overlooking something, تجاهل implies intentionality—the person knowingly chooses not to acknowledge or respond to a situation. This word is widely used in modern Arabic across formal and informal contexts, from everyday conversations to literature and journalism.
The root letters ج-ه-ل (J-H-L) are connected to the concept of ignorance or lack of awareness, but when combined with the prefix ت (which often indicates reflexivity or pretense), تجاهل takes on the specific meaning of deliberate disregard or pretense of ignorance.
تجاهل is a regular Form I verb in Arabic (الفعل الثلاثي المجرد). It conjugates according to standard patterns:
The verb can be used in both transitive and intransitive constructions, often followed by a direct object or a prepositional phrase to indicate what is being ignored.
تجاهل appears frequently in Arabic media, literature, and everyday speech. Here are some practical contexts:
While تجاهل is the most direct way to express "ignoring," Arabic offers several related words with nuanced differences:
Each carries slightly different connotations. تجاهل emphasizes the deliberate choice to ignore, while تناسى suggests forgetting, and أهمل implies negligence or carelessness.
In Arab culture, the concept of ignoring someone carries social weight. Ignoring a person directly can be considered disrespectful, particularly in family hierarchies or formal settings. However, tactful "ignoring" (turning a blind eye) of minor social infractions is sometimes practiced to maintain harmony and preserve relationships. This cultural nuance is reflected in how تجاهل is used in literature and social discourse.
For example, it's culturally more acceptable to "ignore" a minor mistake made by a younger family member than to confront them about it publicly. This reflects the Arab emphasis on preserving dignity (كرامة) and maintaining peaceful relationships.
The opposite of تجاهل would include:
1. Remember the intentionality: تجاهل always implies a choice. If someone accidentally didn't notice something, تجاهل is not the appropriate word. Use تناسى instead.
2. Pair with objects appropriately: You can say "تجاهل السؤال" (ignored the question) or "تجاهل التحذير" (ignored the warning). The word works well with concrete and abstract nouns.
3. Use in context of behavior: The word is commonly used to describe human actions and reactions, especially in negative or critical contexts, such as "تجاهل المسؤول الشكاوى" (the official ignored the complaints).
4. Combine with other words for emphasis: Phrases like "تجاهل تماماً" (completely ignored) or "لا يمكن أن يتجاهل" (cannot be ignored) are common in Arabic writing and speech.
In contemporary Arabic, especially in media and social contexts, تجاهل is frequently used to criticize or comment on others' behavior. It appears often in news articles discussing social or political issues, as in "الحكومة تتجاهل احتياجات الشعب" (the government ignores the people's needs).
To master تجاهل, practice using it with different subjects and objects. Try creating sentences where someone ignores various things—advice, problems, people, or instructions. Pay attention to how it's used in Arabic news articles, social media, and literature to develop an intuitive understanding of its nuances. Remember that while the basic meaning is straightforward, the cultural implications of ignoring or being ignored in Arabic-speaking contexts add depth to your understanding of the language.