عم

See also: غم

Arabic

Etymology 1

From عَن (ʕan) +‎ مَا (mā).

Particle

عَمَّ • (ʕamma)

1. from what?
2. about what?
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 78:1:

     عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

     ʕamma yatasāʔalūna

     About what are they asking one another?

Etymology 2

Root
ع م م (ʕ m m)
15 terms

Verb

عَمَّ • (ʕamma) I (non-past يَعُمُّ (yaʕummu), verbal noun عُمُوم (ʕumūm))

1. to be or become general
2. to spread, to prevail

   هُنَالِكَ عَمَّ ٱلْخَيْرُ

   hunālika ʕamma l-ḵayru

   The good spread there.

Conjugation

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عُمُوم ʕumūm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَامّ ʕāmm
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَعْمُوم maʕmūm
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عَمَمْتُ ʕamamtu	عَمَمْتَ ʕamamta	عَمَّ ʕamma		عَمَمْتُمَا ʕamamtumā	عَمَّا ʕammā		عَمَمْنَا ʕamamnā	عَمَمْتُمْ ʕamamtum	عَمُّوا ʕammū
	f		عَمَمْتِ ʕamamti	عَمَّتْ ʕammat			عَمَّتَا ʕammatā			عَمَمْتُنَّ ʕamamtunna	عَمَمْنَ ʕamamna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعُمُّ ʔaʕummu	تَعُمُّ taʕummu	يَعُمُّ yaʕummu		تَعُمَّانِ taʕummāni	يَعُمَّانِ yaʕummāni		نَعُمُّ naʕummu	تَعُمُّونَ taʕummūna	يَعُمُّونَ yaʕummūna
	f		تَعُمِّينَ taʕummīna	تَعُمُّ taʕummu			تَعُمَّانِ taʕummāni			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعُمَّ ʔaʕumma	تَعُمَّ taʕumma	يَعُمَّ yaʕumma		تَعُمَّا taʕummā	يَعُمَّا yaʕummā		نَعُمَّ naʕumma	تَعُمُّوا taʕummū	يَعُمُّوا yaʕummū
	f		تَعُمِّي taʕummī	تَعُمَّ taʕumma			تَعُمَّا taʕummā			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعُمَّ, أَعُمِّ, أَعْمُمْ ʔaʕumma, ʔaʕummi, ʔaʕmum	تَعُمَّ, تَعُمِّ, تَعْمُمْ taʕumma, taʕummi, taʕmum	يَعُمَّ, يَعُمِّ, يَعْمُمْ yaʕumma, yaʕummi, yaʕmum		تَعُمَّا taʕummā	يَعُمَّا yaʕummā		نَعُمَّ, نَعُمِّ, نَعْمُمْ naʕumma, naʕummi, naʕmum	تَعُمُّوا taʕummū	يَعُمُّوا yaʕummū
	f		تَعُمِّي taʕummī	تَعُمَّ, تَعُمِّ, تَعْمُمْ taʕumma, taʕummi, taʕmum			تَعُمَّا taʕummā			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		عُمَّ, عُمِّ, اُعْمُمْ ʕumma, ʕummi, uʕmum			عُمَّا ʕummā				عُمُّوا ʕummū
	f		عُمِّي ʕummī							اُعْمُمْنَ uʕmumna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	—	—	عُمَّ ʕumma		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	—	—	يُعَمُّ yuʕammu		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	—	—	يُعَمَّ yuʕamma		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	—	—	يُعَمَّ, يُعَمِّ, يُعْمَمْ yuʕamma, yuʕammi, yuʕmam		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—

    Conjugation of عَمَّ (I, geminate, a ~ u, impersonal passive (?), verbal noun عُمُوم)

Verb

عَمَّ • (ʕamma) I (non-past يَعُمُّ (yaʕummu), verbal noun عُمُوم (ʕumūm))

1. to comprise, to include, to encompass, to pervade

   عَمَّ ٱلْمَطَرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ

   ʕamma l-maṭaru l-ʔarḍa

   The rain encompassed the whole land.

   عَمَّهُمُ ٱلْمَرَضُ

   ʕammahumu l-maraḍu

   The disease spread among them.

2. to extend, to stretch, to be diffused, to be prevailing

Conjugation

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عُمُوم ʕumūm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَامّ ʕāmm
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَعْمُوم maʕmūm
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عَمَمْتُ ʕamamtu	عَمَمْتَ ʕamamta	عَمَّ ʕamma		عَمَمْتُمَا ʕamamtumā	عَمَّا ʕammā		عَمَمْنَا ʕamamnā	عَمَمْتُمْ ʕamamtum	عَمُّوا ʕammū
	f		عَمَمْتِ ʕamamti	عَمَّتْ ʕammat			عَمَّتَا ʕammatā			عَمَمْتُنَّ ʕamamtunna	عَمَمْنَ ʕamamna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعُمُّ ʔaʕummu	تَعُمُّ taʕummu	يَعُمُّ yaʕummu		تَعُمَّانِ taʕummāni	يَعُمَّانِ yaʕummāni		نَعُمُّ naʕummu	تَعُمُّونَ taʕummūna	يَعُمُّونَ yaʕummūna
	f		تَعُمِّينَ taʕummīna	تَعُمُّ taʕummu			تَعُمَّانِ taʕummāni			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعُمَّ ʔaʕumma	تَعُمَّ taʕumma	يَعُمَّ yaʕumma		تَعُمَّا taʕummā	يَعُمَّا yaʕummā		نَعُمَّ naʕumma	تَعُمُّوا taʕummū	يَعُمُّوا yaʕummū
	f		تَعُمِّي taʕummī	تَعُمَّ taʕumma			تَعُمَّا taʕummā			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعُمَّ, أَعُمِّ, أَعْمُمْ ʔaʕumma, ʔaʕummi, ʔaʕmum	تَعُمَّ, تَعُمِّ, تَعْمُمْ taʕumma, taʕummi, taʕmum	يَعُمَّ, يَعُمِّ, يَعْمُمْ yaʕumma, yaʕummi, yaʕmum		تَعُمَّا taʕummā	يَعُمَّا yaʕummā		نَعُمَّ, نَعُمِّ, نَعْمُمْ naʕumma, naʕummi, naʕmum	تَعُمُّوا taʕummū	يَعُمُّوا yaʕummū
	f		تَعُمِّي taʕummī	تَعُمَّ, تَعُمِّ, تَعْمُمْ taʕumma, taʕummi, taʕmum			تَعُمَّا taʕummā			تَعْمُمْنَ taʕmumna	يَعْمُمْنَ yaʕmumna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		عُمَّ, عُمِّ, اُعْمُمْ ʕumma, ʕummi, uʕmum			عُمَّا ʕummā				عُمُّوا ʕummū
	f		عُمِّي ʕummī							اُعْمُمْنَ uʕmumna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عُمِمْتُ ʕumimtu	عُمِمْتَ ʕumimta	عُمَّ ʕumma		عُمِمْتُمَا ʕumimtumā	عُمَّا ʕummā		عُمِمْنَا ʕumimnā	عُمِمْتُمْ ʕumimtum	عُمُّوا ʕummū
	f		عُمِمْتِ ʕumimti	عُمَّتْ ʕummat			عُمَّتَا ʕummatā			عُمِمْتُنَّ ʕumimtunna	عُمِمْنَ ʕumimna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعَمُّ ʔuʕammu	تُعَمُّ tuʕammu	يُعَمُّ yuʕammu		تُعَمَّانِ tuʕammāni	يُعَمَّانِ yuʕammāni		نُعَمُّ nuʕammu	تُعَمُّونَ tuʕammūna	يُعَمُّونَ yuʕammūna
	f		تُعَمِّينَ tuʕammīna	تُعَمُّ tuʕammu			تُعَمَّانِ tuʕammāni			تُعْمَمْنَ tuʕmamna	يُعْمَمْنَ yuʕmamna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعَمَّ ʔuʕamma	تُعَمَّ tuʕamma	يُعَمَّ yuʕamma		تُعَمَّا tuʕammā	يُعَمَّا yuʕammā		نُعَمَّ nuʕamma	تُعَمُّوا tuʕammū	يُعَمُّوا yuʕammū
	f		تُعَمِّي tuʕammī	تُعَمَّ tuʕamma			تُعَمَّا tuʕammā			تُعْمَمْنَ tuʕmamna	يُعْمَمْنَ yuʕmamna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعَمَّ, أُعَمِّ, أُعْمَمْ ʔuʕamma, ʔuʕammi, ʔuʕmam	تُعَمَّ, تُعَمِّ, تُعْمَمْ tuʕamma, tuʕammi, tuʕmam	يُعَمَّ, يُعَمِّ, يُعْمَمْ yuʕamma, yuʕammi, yuʕmam		تُعَمَّا tuʕammā	يُعَمَّا yuʕammā		نُعَمَّ, نُعَمِّ, نُعْمَمْ nuʕamma, nuʕammi, nuʕmam	تُعَمُّوا tuʕammū	يُعَمُّوا yuʕammū
	f		تُعَمِّي tuʕammī	تُعَمَّ, تُعَمِّ, تُعْمَمْ tuʕamma, tuʕammi, tuʕmam			تُعَمَّا tuʕammā			تُعْمَمْنَ tuʕmamna	يُعْمَمْنَ yuʕmamna

    Conjugation of عَمَّ (I, geminate, a ~ u, full passive, verbal noun عُمُوم)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕamm/

Noun

عَمّ • (ʕamm) m (plural أَعْمام (ʔaʕmām) or عُمُوم (ʕumūm), feminine عَمَّة (ʕamma))

1. paternal blood uncle (one's father's brother)
2. (informal) term of address to an older person

Declension

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَمّ ʕamm	الْعَمّ al-ʕamm	عَمّ ʕamm
Nominative	عَمٌّ ʕammun	الْعَمُّ al-ʕammu	عَمُّ ʕammu
Accusative	عَمًّا ʕamman	الْعَمَّ al-ʕamma	عَمَّ ʕamma
Genitive	عَمٍّ ʕammin	الْعَمِّ al-ʕammi	عَمِّ ʕammi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَمَّيْن ʕammayn	الْعَمَّيْن al-ʕammayn	عَمَّيْ ʕammay
Nominative	عَمَّانِ ʕammāni	الْعَمَّانِ al-ʕammāni	عَمَّا ʕammā
Accusative	عَمَّيْنِ ʕammayni	الْعَمَّيْنِ al-ʕammayni	عَمَّيْ ʕammay
Genitive	عَمَّيْنِ ʕammayni	الْعَمَّيْنِ al-ʕammayni	عَمَّيْ ʕammay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عُمُوم ʕumūm	الْعُمُوم al-ʕumūm	عُمُوم ʕumūm
Nominative	عُمُومٌ ʕumūmun	الْعُمُومُ al-ʕumūmu	عُمُومُ ʕumūmu
Accusative	عُمُومًا ʕumūman	الْعُمُومَ al-ʕumūma	عُمُومَ ʕumūma
Genitive	عُمُومٍ ʕumūmin	الْعُمُومِ al-ʕumūmi	عُمُومِ ʕumūmi

Declension of noun عَمّ (ʕamm)

Descendants

• → Swahili: ami

Etymology 4

Noun

عَمٍ • (ʕamin) (masculine plural عَمُونَ (ʕamūna), feminine plural عَمِيَات (ʕamiyāt))

1. blind
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 27:66:

     بَلِ ٱدَّارَكَ عِلْمُهُمْ فِي ٱلْآخِرَةِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْهَا ۖ بَلْ هُم مِنْهَا عَمُونَ

     bali ddāraka ʕilmuhum fī l-ʔāḵirati bal hum fī šakkin minhā bal hum minhā ʕamūna

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Singular	Masculine		Feminine
	singular triptote in ـٍ (-in)		singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَمِي ʕamī	الْعَمِي al-ʕamī	عَمِيَة ʕamiya	الْعَمِيَة al-ʕamiya
Nominative	عَمٍ ʕamin	الْعَمِي al-ʕamī	عَمِيَةٌ ʕamiyatun	الْعَمِيَةُ al-ʕamiyatu
Accusative	عَمِيًا ʕamiyan	الْعَمِيَ al-ʕamiya	عَمِيَةً ʕamiyatan	الْعَمِيَةَ al-ʕamiyata
Genitive	عَمٍ ʕamin	الْعَمِي al-ʕamī	عَمِيَةٍ ʕamiyatin	الْعَمِيَةِ al-ʕamiyati
Dual	Masculine		Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَمِيَيْن ʕamiyayn	الْعَمِيَيْن al-ʕamiyayn	عَمِيَتَيْن ʕamiyatayn	الْعَمِيَتَيْن al-ʕamiyatayn
Nominative	عَمِيَانِ ʕamiyāni	الْعَمِيَانِ al-ʕamiyāni	عَمِيَتَانِ ʕamiyatāni	الْعَمِيَتَانِ al-ʕamiyatāni
Accusative	عَمِيَيْنِ ʕamiyayni	الْعَمِيَيْنِ al-ʕamiyayni	عَمِيَتَيْنِ ʕamiyatayni	الْعَمِيَتَيْنِ al-ʕamiyatayni
Genitive	عَمِيَيْنِ ʕamiyayni	الْعَمِيَيْنِ al-ʕamiyayni	عَمِيَتَيْنِ ʕamiyatayni	الْعَمِيَتَيْنِ al-ʕamiyatayni
Plural	Masculine		Feminine
	sound masculine plural		sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَمِين ʕamīn	الْعَمِين al-ʕamīn	عَمِيَات ʕamiyāt	الْعَمِيَات al-ʕamiyāt
Nominative	عَمُونَ ʕamūna	الْعَمُونَ al-ʕamūna	عَمِيَاتٌ ʕamiyātun	الْعَمِيَاتُ al-ʕamiyātu
Accusative	عَمِينَ ʕamīna	الْعَمِينَ al-ʕamīna	عَمِيَاتٍ ʕamiyātin	الْعَمِيَاتِ al-ʕamiyāti
Genitive	عَمِينَ ʕamīna	الْعَمِينَ al-ʕamīna	عَمِيَاتٍ ʕamiyātin	الْعَمِيَاتِ al-ʕamiyāti

Declension of adjective عَمٍ (ʕamin)

Etymology 5

Verb

عَمِّ • (ʕammi) (form II) /ʕam.mi/

1. second-person masculine singular imperative of عَمَّى (ʕammā)

Egyptian Arabic

Noun

عم • (ʿamm) m (feminine عمه (ʿamma), plural أعمام (ʾaʿmām))

1. paternal uncle (“brother of one's father”)
2. (informal) Term of address to an older person

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَمّ (ʕamm, “paternal uncle”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕamm/

Noun

عم • (ʿamm) m (plural عموم (ʿmūm), feminine عمة (ʿamme))

1. paternal uncle
2. (informal, especially with vocative يا (yā)) term of address to an older person or stranger

Derived terms

• عمو (ʕammu)

Etymology 2

Clipping of عَمَّال (ʕammāl), an earlier form related to the verb عمل (ʕimil, “to do”). See also مّا (mma).

Particle

عم • (ʿam(m) or ʿamma)

1. Used with a following imperfect verb to mark the present progressive tense.

   عَمَّ بيِتسَاءَلُوا

   ʿamma byitsāʾalu

   They’re messing around.

   شو عم تعمل؟ — عم إشرب قهوة

   šū ʿam taʿmil? — ʿam ʾišrab ʾahwe.

   What are you doing? — I’m drinking coffee.

Usage notes

• Can be negated with either ما (mā) or مش (miš).
• The distribution of the two pronunciations, as well as of the b-prefix on the verb, varies by speaker and region. (Note that neither of these variables has any bearing on the construction's meaning.) Common possibilities follow, demoed using the phrase "I'm eating, he's eating":
  1. Verbs always appear with the prefix بـ (b-). Possibilities from here:
     1. عَم (ʕam) is used invariably: عَمْ باكل، عَمْ بياكل ― ʿam bākul, ʿam byākul
     2. عَم (ʕam) is used when the بـ (b-) precedes a vowel, and عَمَّ (ʕamma) when it precedes another consonant. This is to avoid a three-consonant cluster: عَمْ باكل، عَمَّ بياكل ― ʿam bākul, ʿamma byākul
  2. Verbs use the indicative prefix بـ (b-) when it precedes a vowel, and omit it when it would precede a consonant. This too is to avoid a three-consonant cluster. Therefore, عَم (ʕam) is used invariably: عَمْ باكل، عَمْ ياكل ― ʿam bākul, ʿam yākul
  3. Verbs never use the indicative prefix بـ (b-). Therefore, عَم (ʕam) is used invariably: عَمْ آكل، عَمْ ياكل ― ʿam ʾākul, ʿam yākul
• These are not constants, however. Speakers will often alternate between the options presented, even sometimes preserving the عَمَّ (ʕamma) pronunciation unconditioned.

South Levantine Arabic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕamm/, [ʕam]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Root
ع م م
2 terms

From Arabic عَمّ (ʕamm).

Noun

عمّ • (ʕamm) m (plural عمام (ʕmām), feminine عمّة (ʕamme))

1. paternal uncle (father's brother)

   Endearing form: عمّو (ʕammo)

2. father-in-law

   Synonym: حما (ḥama)

See also

• خال (ḵāl, “maternal uncle”)

Etymology 2

Clipping of عمّال (ʕammāl), an earlier form related to the verb عمل (ʕimil, “to do”).

Particle

عمّ • (ʕamm)

1. used to stress the ongoing nature of an action

   عمّ بشرب قهوة.

   ʕam bašrab ʔahwe.

   I'm drinking coffee right now.

Usage notes

• Although widely used, عمّ (ʕamm) is technically emphatic and thus optional; the present tense can already refer to continuous actions.
• In theory, عمّ (ʕamm) would be followed by the present tense; however, the بـ (b-) non-past marker is usually elided to avoid a consonant cluster — yielding the subjunctive. However, note that the elision does not occur to 1st-person singular forms, and is optional in cases where بتـ is realized as bit- (e.g. bitsawwi). Likewise, the elision does not occur at all when عمّ is realized as ʕamma.