ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ
Classical Syriac
Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, Aramaic, Eastern) · historical / hidden variety
Classical Syriac is a literary form of Aramaic that flourished from the 2nd to the 13th century as the lingua franca of Eastern Christianity, centred on Edessa (modern Şanlıurfa, Turkey). Produced one of antiquity's largest theological, philosophical, scientific, and historical corpora, including the Peshitta Bible (5th c.) and Aristotelian translations that shaped Islamic and European scholasticism. Written in three main scripts: Estrangela (oldest), Serto (West Syriac), and Madnhaya (East Syriac). Survives liturgically in Syriac, Maronite, and Assyrian churches.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Classical Syriac
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, Aramaic, Eastern)
| Meaning | Classical Syriac | Aramaic | Old Aramaic | Western Neo-Aramaic | Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | Mandaic | Turoyo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | מין /majin/ | ܡܘܝܐ /moːja/ | ܡܝܐ /mijja/ | ࡌࡉࡀ /mia/ | ܡܝܐ /majo/ |
| Fire | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | נור /nuːr/ | — /—/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nura/ | ࡍࡅࡓࡀ /nura/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuro/ |
| Sun | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | שמש /ʃamʃ/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃimʃa/ | ࡔࡀࡌࡔࡀ /ʃamʃa/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃamʃo/ |
| Moon | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | שהר /sahr/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahra/ | ࡎࡉࡓࡀ /sira/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahro/ |
| Star | ܟܘܟܒܐ /kawkβaː/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /koːχβaː/ | כוכב /kawkab/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /kawkba/ | ܟܵܘܟ݂ܒ݂ܵܐ /kawxva/ | ࡊࡅࡊࡁࡀ /ˈkukba/ | ܟܟܒܐ /kəxwo/ |
| Night | ܠܠܝܐ /lelja/ | ܠܠܝܐ /leljaː/ | לליא /leːljaː/ | ܠܠܝܐ /lelja/ | ܠܸܠܝܵܐ /lelja/ | ࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ /lilja/ | ܠܠܝܐ /laljo/ |
| Rain | ܡܛܪܐ /maˈtˤraː/ | ܡܛܪܐ /miˈtˤraː/ | 𐡌𐡈𐡓 /maːtˤar/ | — | ܡܛܪܐ /mɪˈtˤra/ | — | ܡܛܪܐ /metˤro/ |
| Snow | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | 𐡕𐡋𐡂 /talɡ/ | ܬܠܟܐ /ˈθelka/ | ܬܲܠܓܵܐ /talɡa/ | ࡕࡀࡋࡂࡀ /talɡa/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡo/ |
| Wind | ܪܘܚܐ /ˈruħɔ/ | ܪܘܚܐ /ˈruħaː/ | 𐡓𐡅𐡇 /riːħ/ | — | ܦܲܘܚܵܐ /ˈpawxa/ | — | ܗܘܐ /hawa/ |
| Earth | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕɑ/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕaː/ | 𐡀𐡓𐡒 /ʔarq/ | ܐܪܥܐ /arʕɔ/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕa/ | ࡀࡓࡒࡀ /arqa/ | ܐܪܥܐ /arʕo/ |
| Stone | ܟܐܦܐ /keːpaː/ | ܐܒܢܐ /ʔaβnaː/ | אבן /ʔaben/ | ܟܐܦܐ /xefa/ | ܟܐܦܐ /ˈkeːpa/ | ࡂࡋࡀࡋࡀ /ɡlala/ | ܟܐܦܐ /kefo/ |
| Mountain | ܛܘܪܐ /tˤuːraː/ | ܛܘܪܐ /tˤuːraː/ | — | — | ܛܘܪܐ /ˈtˤuːra/ | ࡈࡅࡓࡀ /tˤura/ | ܛܘܪܐ /tˤuro/ |
| Sea | ܝܡܐ /jammaː/ | ܝܡܐ /jammaː/ | — | — | ܝܡܐ /jaːmaː/ | — | ܝܡܐ /jamo/ |
| Mother | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | אמ /ʔem/ | ܐܡܐ /emaː/ | ܝܡܐ /jimma/ | ࡀࡌࡀ /ama/ | ܐܡܐ /imo/ |
| Father | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | אב /ʔab/ | ܒܒܐ /babːaː/ | ܒܒܐ /baba/ | ࡀࡁࡀ /aba/ | ܒܒܐ /babo/ |
| Daughter | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | ברת /bart/ | ܒܪܬ̤ܐ /bertʃa/ | ܒܪܵܬܵܐ /ˈbrata/ | ࡁࡓࡀࡕࡀ /brata/ | ܒܪܬܐ /barto/ |
| I | ܐܢܐ /ʔenaː/ | ܐܢܐ /ʔanaː/ | אנה /ʔanaː/ | ܐܢܐ /ana/ | ܐܵܢܵܐ /ˈʔaːna/ | ࡀࡍࡀ /ˈana/ | ܐܢܐ /ono/ |
| You | ܐܢܬ /ʔat/ | ܐܢܬ /ʔatt/ | אנת /ʔantaː/ | ܚܐܟ /ħatʃ/ | ܐܲܢ݉ܬ /ʔat/ | ࡀࡍࡀࡕ /at/ | ܗܬ /hat/ |
| We | ܚܢܢ /ħnan/ | ܐܢܚܢܢ /ʔanaħnan/ | אנחנא /ʔanaħnaː/ | ܐܢܚ /anaħ/ | ܐܲܚܢܲܢ /ˈʔaxnan/ | ࡀࡍࡉࡍ /ˈanin/ | ܐܚܢܐ /aħna/ |
| Name | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | שם /ʃum/ | ܐܫܡܐ /eʃma/ | ܫܸܡܵܐ /ˈʃɪmma/ | ࡔࡅࡌࡀ /ˈʃuma/ | ܐܫܡܐ /eʃmo/ |
| Person | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | אנש /ʔenaːʃ/ | ܒܪܢܫܐ /barnoːʃa/ | ܒܲܪܢܵܫܵܐ /barnaːʃa/ | ࡀࡍࡀࡔࡀ /anaʃa/ | ܢܫܐ /noʃo/ |
| Head | ܪܝܫܐ /reːʃaː/ | ܪܝܫܐ /reːʃaː/ | — | — | ܪܝܫܐ /reːʃa/ | ࡓࡉࡔ /riʃ/ | ܪܝܫܐ /riʃo/ |
| Eye | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | עין /ʕajn/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajna/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajna/ | ࡏࡉࡍࡀ /ʔina/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajno/ |
| Ear | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnɑ/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnaː/ | 𐡀𐡃𐡍𐡀 /ʔuðnaː/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔiðnaː/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ˈʔɪðna/ | ࡏࡅࡃࡍࡀ /odna/ | ܐܕܢܐ /aðno/ |
| Nose | ܢܚܝܪܐ /nħiːrɔ/ | ܢܚܝܪܐ /nħiːraː/ | אפא /ʔappaː/ | — | ܢܚܝܪܐ /naxxiːra/ | ࡍࡄࡉࡓࡀ /nhira/ | ܢܚܝܪܐ /nħiro/ |
| Mouth | ܦܘܡܐ /puːmaː/ | ܦܘܡܐ /pumːaː/ | פם /pum/ | — | ܦܘܡܐ /pumma/ | ࡐࡅࡌࡀ /puma/ | ܦܡܐ /femo/ |
| Tooth | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | שנא /ʃenːaː/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːa/ | ܟܵܟܵܐ /kaka/ | ࡔࡉࡍࡀ /ʃinːa/ | ܐܪܫܐ /arʃo/ |
| Tongue | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | לשנא /liʃːaːnaː/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃona/ | ܠܫܵܢܵܐ /liʃana/ | ࡋࡉࡔࡀࡍࡀ /liʃana/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃono/ |
| Hand | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | יד /jad/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iða/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iːða/ | ࡏࡃࡀ /ʔida/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iðo/ |
| Foot | ܪܓܠܐ /reɡlaː/ | ܪܓܠܐ /reɡlaː/ | רגל /reɡel/ | — | ܥܩܠܐ /ʕaqla/ | ࡋࡉࡂࡓࡀ /liɡra/ | ܪܓܠܐ /raɣlo/ |
| Heart | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | לב /leb/ | ܠܒܐ /lebaː/ | ܠܒܐ /libba/ | ࡋࡉࡁࡀ /liba/ | ܠܒܐ /lebo/ |
| Bone | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | גרמא /ɡarmaː/ | ܓܪܡܐ /xerma/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarma/ | ࡂࡉࡓࡌࡀ /ɡerma/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmo/ |
| Blood | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | דמא /dmaː/ | ܐܙܡܐ /ezma/ | ܕܡܵܐ /dɪmma/ | ࡆࡌࡀ /zma/ | ܐܕܡܐ /admo/ |
| Poop | ܙܒܠܐ /zeblaː/ | ܚܪܝܐ /ħerjaː/ | — | — | ܐܚܪ̈ܐ /ʔɪxre/ | — | — |
| Love | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | רחם /raħem/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubaː/ | ܚܘܒܐ /xubba/ | ࡓࡅࡄࡌࡀ /ruhma/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubo/ |
| Tree | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | עץ /ʕeːsˤ/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /elona/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ilana/ | ࡏࡋࡀࡍࡀ /ilana/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ilono/ |
| Dog | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | כלב /kalb/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalba/ | ࡊࡀࡋࡁࡀ /kalba/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbo/ |
| Cat | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | — /—/ | ܩܛܘܢܐ /qatˤuna/ | ܩܛܘ /qaːtˤo/ | ࡔࡅࡍࡀࡓࡀ /ʃunara/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunoro/ |
| Fish | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | נונא /nuːnaː/ | — /—/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuna/ | ࡍࡅࡍࡀ /nuna/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuno/ |
| Bird | ܦܪܚܬܐ /paːˈraħtaː/ | ܨܦܪܐ /sˤefraː/ | צפר /sˤippar/ | — | ܛܲܝܪܵܐ /tˤajra/ | ࡑࡉࡐࡓࡀ /sipra/ | ܛܝܪܐ /tˤajro/ |
| Egg | ܒܥܬܐ /beːʕtɔ/ | ܒܝܥܬܐ /beːʕtaː/ | ביעתא /beːʕtaː/ | — | ܒܝܥܬܐ /beːta/ | — | ܒܥܬܐ /baʕto/ |
| Bear | ܕܒܐ /debaː/ | ܕܒܐ /debbaː/ | דבא /dubbaː/ | — | ܕܒܐ /dɪbba/ | — | ܕܒܐ /debo/ |
| Horse | ܣܘܣܝܐ /suːsjaː/ | ܣܘܣܝܐ /suːsjaː/ | — | — | ܣܘܼܣܹܐ /suːse/ | — | ܣܘܣܝܐ /susjo/ |
| House | ܒܝܬܐ /bajθaː/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajtaː/ | בית /beːt/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajθa/ | ܒܝܬܐ /beθa/ | ࡁࡉࡕࡀ /bita/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajto/ |
| Milk | ܚܠܒܐ /ħalbɔ/ | ܚܠܒܐ /ħalbaː/ | — | — | ܚܠܒܐ /xalwa/ | — | ܚܠܒܐ /ħalwo/ |
| Honey | ܕܒܫܐ /deβʃaː/ | ܕܒܫܐ /deβʃaː/ | דבשא /debʃaː/ | — | ܕܸܒ݂ܫܵܐ /dɪwʃa/ | — | ܕܒܫܐ /dawʃo/ |
| Salt | ܡܠܚܐ /melħaː/ | ܡܠܚܐ /melħaː/ | מלח /melaħ/ | — | ܡܠܚܐ /ˈmilxa/ | ࡌࡉࡄࡋࡀ /mihla/ | ܡܠܚܐ /melħo/ |
| Wine | ܚܡܪܐ /ħamrɔ/ | ܚܡܪܐ /ħamraː/ | חמרא /ħamraː/ | — | ܚܡܪܐ /ˈxamraː/ | ࡄࡀࡌࡓࡀ /hamra/ | ܚܡܪܐ /ħamro/ |
| Rice | ܪܘܙܐ /ruːzaː/ | ܪܘܙܐ /ruzzaː/ | — | — | ܪܙܐ /rɪzza/ | — | ܪܙܐ /rezo/ |
| Iron | ܦܪܙܠܐ /parzlaː/ | ܦܪܙܠܐ /parzlaː/ | פרזל /parzel/ | — | ܦܪܙܠܐ /ˈprizla/ | ࡐࡀࡓࡆࡋࡀ /parzla/ | ܦܪܙܠܐ /parzlo/ |
| Wheel | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiːɡlaː/ | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiɡlaː/ | גלגל /ɡalɡal/ | — | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiɡla/ | — | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiɡlo/ |
| Silk | ܩܙ /qaz/ | — | — | — | ܐܒܪܝܣܡ /abriːsim/ | — | ܫܐܪܐ /ʃiro/ |
| Book | ܟܬܒܐ /ktaːβaː/ | ܟܬܒܐ /ktaːβaː/ | — | — | ܟܬܵܒ݂ܵܐ /kθaːwa/ | ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ /draʃa/ | ܟܬܒܐ /kθowo/ |
| Eat | ܐܟܠ /ʔeχal/ | ܐܟܠ /ʔaːχel/ | אכל /ʔakal/ | ܐܟܠ /iʔχel/ | ܐܟܠ /axil/ | ࡀࡊࡀࡋ /akal/ | ܐܟܠ /oxulo/ |
| Drink | ܐܫܬܝ /ʔeʃtiː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃtaː/ | שתה /ʃataː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃetaː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃate/ | ࡔࡕࡀ /ʃta/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃote/ |
| Sleep | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | דמך /damek/ | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | ܕܡܟ /daːmeːx/ | ࡃࡌࡀࡊ /dmak/ | ܕܡܟ /domaχ/ |
| One | ܚܕ /ħað/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | חד /ħad/ | ܐܚܕ /ʔaħːað/ | ܚܕ /xa/ | ࡄࡀࡃ /had/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ |
| Two | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | תרין /treːn/ | ܐܬܪ /ʔeθər/ | ܬܪܹܝܢ /treːn/ | ࡕࡓࡉࡍ /tren/ | ܬܪܐ /tre/ |
| Three | ܬܠܬ /tlaːt/ | ܬܠܬ /tlaːθ/ | תלת /tlaːt/ | ܬܠܬܐ /θlɒːθa/ | ܬܠܵܬܵܐ /tˤlaːθa/ | ࡕࡋࡀࡕࡀ /tlata/ | ܬܠܬܐ /tloθo/ |
| Four | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | ארבע /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒ݆ܥܐ /ʔarpʕa/ | ܐܪܒܥܐ /arpa/ | ࡀࡓࡁࡀ /arba/ | ܐܪܒܥܐ /arbˤo/ |
| Five | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | חמש /ħamːeʃ/ | ܚܡܫܐ /ħamʃa/ | ܚܡܫܐ /xamʃa/ | ࡄࡀࡌࡔࡀ /hamʃa/ | ܚܡܫܐ /ħamʃo/ |
| Hundred | ܡܐܐ /maː/ | ܡܐܐ /maː/ | מאה /maː/ | — | ܐܡܐܐ /ʔɪmma/ | — | ܡܐ /mo/ |
| Hello | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | שלם /ʃəlaːm/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlomaː/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːma/ | ࡔࡋࡀࡌࡀ /ʃlama/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlomo/ |
| Thank you | ܫܘܒܚܐ /ʃubħaː/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdiː/ | — /—/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdiː/ | ܒܣܝܡܐ /basima/ | ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ /ʈabuta/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdi/ |
| Good | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | טב /tˤab/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβa/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːwa/ | ࡈࡀࡁࡀ /tˤaba/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤobo/ |
| New | ܚܕܬܐ /ħadtaː/ | ܚܕܬܐ /ħaðtaː/ | — | — | ܚܕܬܐ /xaːθa/ | — | ܚܕܬܐ /ħaθo/ |
| Red | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumːaqaː/ | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumqaː/ | סמק /summaːq/ | ܣܡܩܐ /smaqa/ | ܣܡܘܩܐ /smuqa/ | ࡎࡅࡌࡒࡀ /sumqa/ | ܣܡܘܩܐ /semoqo/ |
| White | ܚܶܘܳܪܳܐ /ħewɔːrɔ/ | ܚܘܪܐ /ħewwaːraː/ | חור /ħewːaːr/ | — | ܚܘܵܪܵܐ /xəwaːra/ | ࡄࡉࡅࡀࡓࡀ /hiwara/ | ܚܘܪܐ /ħwara/ |
| Black | ܐܘܟܡܐ /ʔukːaːmaː/ | ܐܘܟܡܐ /ʔukkaːmaː/ | — | — | ܟܘܡܐ /kuma/ | ࡊࡅࡌࡀ /kuma/ | ܟܘܡܐ /komo/ |
| Green | ܝܘܪܩܐ /jawrqaː/ | ܝܘܪܩܐ /jaroːqaː/ | ירק /jraːq/ | — | ܝܲܪܘܿܩܵܐ /jaroqa/ | — | ܝܪܩܐ /jaroqo/ |
| Ninety-nine | ܬܫܥܝܢ ܘܬܫܥܐ /teʃʕiːn wteʃʕaː/ | — | — | — | ܬܸܫܥܝܼ ܘܬܸܫܥܵܐ /tɪʃʔiː utɪʃʔaː/ | — | — |
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