Meaning & use
al jalabiya
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Meaning
nouncountable
A long, loose robe with long sleeves, traditionally worn in North Africa and the Middle East.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a jalabiya' or 'jalabiyas'. It is often used with 'wear' or 'in'.
Patterns
- wear a jalabiya
- in a jalabiya
- a traditional jalabiya
He wore a white jalabiya to the mosque.
She bought a brightly colored jalabiya at the market.
In many North African countries, men wear a jalabiya for special occasions.
Word forms
| plural | jalabiyas |
|---|
Common combinations
- traditional jalabiya
- The traditional jalabiya is often made of cotton.
- white jalabiya
- He wore a white jalabiya to the Friday prayer.
- wear a jalabiya
- Many people wear a jalabiya in hot weather.
- in a jalabiya
- She looked elegant in a jalabiya.
- long-sleeved jalabiya
- The long-sleeved jalabiya protects from the sun.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: al jalabiya or jilbab? al jalabiya or abaya?
al jalabiya vs jilbab
A jilbab is a long, loose garment worn by some Muslim women, but it is usually more fitted and covers the body more completely than a jalabiya.
al jalabiya vs abaya
An abaya is a simple, black cloak worn by some women in the Gulf region; a jalabiya is more colorful and worn by both men and women.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The preposition 'to' is used with 'wear' to indicate the event: 'wear something to an event'. 'In' would mean he was inside the wedding, which is not the intended meaning. 'On' and 'at' are not used in this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “al jalabiya”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.