Syriac Word Glossary

How to Use This Glossary

Words are listed from most to least frequently used in a table format
The “Count” column shows how many times the word appears
The “Hymns” column shows in how many different hymns it appears
Use the browser’s search function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to find specific words
The transliteration helps with pronunciation

Common Prepositions and Particles

These single-letter words and particles appear very frequently in Syriac texts:

Basic Prepositions

ܘ
w- = and
ܡܶܢ
men = from/of
ܥܰܠ
’al = on/upon/about
ܠ
l- = to/for
ܕ
d- = of/that/which
ܒ
b- = in/with/by

Common Pronouns & Suffixes

ܠܰܢ
lan = to us/for us
ܠܶܗ
leh = to him/for him
ܠܳܟ
lokh = to you
ܒܶܗ
beh = in him/by him
ܥܠܰܝܢ
’alayn = upon us
ܥܰܡܰܢ
’aman = with us

Most Common Syriac Words

Syriac	Transliteration	English	French	Arabic	Count	Hymns
ܡܶܢ	men	from/of	de	من	368	236
ܥܰܠ	’al	on/upon/about	sur	على	237	166
ܠܶܗ	leh	to him/for him	à lui/pour lui	له	207	137
ܠܳܟ	lokh	to you	à toi	لك	184	110
ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ	Aloho	God	Dieu	الله	177	128
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ	Shubho	Glory/Praise	Gloire/Louange	مجد/تسبيح	173	134
ܡܳܪܝܳܐ	moryo	Lord	Seigneur	رب/سيد	167	100
ܩܰܕܺܝܫ	qadish	holy	saint	قدوس	152	27
ܗܰܠܶܠܽܘܝܰܐ	Haleluya	Hallelujah	Alléluia	هللويا	143	85
ܗ̱ܘ̣ܳܐ	Wo	Was/he was	Était	كان	134	94
ܡܳܪܝ	mori	my lord/Saint	mon seigneur/Saint	ربي/مار	123	99
ܠܰܢ	lan	to us/for us	à nous/pour nous	لنا	122	83
ܠܳܐ	lo	no/not	non/ne pas	لا	122	93
ܐܰܝܟ	aykh	like/as	comme	مثل/كما	93	75
ܡܳܪܰܢ	Moran	Our Lord	Notre Seigneur	ربّنا	92	75
ܕܠܳܐ	d’lo	without/that not	sans/qui ne	بدون/الذي لا	91	75
ܟܽܠ	kul	all/every	tout/chaque	كل	86	68
ܟܰܕ	kad	when/while	quand/pendant	عندما/بينما	78	65
ܥܰܡ	’am	with/people	avec/peuple	مع/شعب	77	62
ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ	Teshbuhto	Praise/Hymn	Louange/Hymne	تسبيح/ترنيمة	74	64
ܠܺܝ	Li	To me/for me	À moi	لي	72	50
ܥܠܰܝܢ	’alayn	upon us	sur nous	علينا	69	41
ܘܠܳܐ	W’lo	And not	Et ne pas	ولا	69	58
ܒܶܝܬ	beyt	house/between	maison/entre	بيت/بين	65	55
ܒܶܗ	beh	in him/by him	en lui/par lui	به/فيه	65	55
ܡܰܪܝܰܡ	Maryam	Mary	Marie	مريم	64	48
ܗܳܐ	ho	behold/here	voici	ها/هوذا	64	49
ܐܶܢܽܘܢ	enun	they are	ils sont	هم	64	47
ܠܡܳܪܝܳܐ	l’moryo	to the Lord	au Seigneur	للرب	62	46
ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ	qadishat	you are holy	tu es saint	أنت قدوس	58	27
ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ	Mshiho	Christ/Messiah	Christ/Messie	المسيح	57	47
ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ	Nuhro	Light	Lumière	نور	53	33
ܩܽܘܕܫܳܐ	qudsho	holiness/sanctuary	sainteté/sanctuaire	قداسة/قدس	52	43
ܐܰܒܳܐ	Abo	Father	Père	أب	50	42
ܒܰܪ	bar	son of/outside	fils de/dehors	ابن/خارج	50	47
ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ	Haye	Life	Vie	حياة	49	44
ܠܥܳܠܰܡ	l’olam	forever	pour toujours	إلى الأبد	49	37
ܪܰܒܳܐ	rabo	great/large	grand	عظيم/كبير	47	40
ܡܶܛܽܘܠ	metul	because/for	parce que/pour	لأن/بسبب	47	40
ܒܪܺܝܟ	brikh	blessed	béni	مبارك	46	35
ܒܓܰܘ	b’gaw	within/inside	à l’intérieur	في داخل	46	40
ܕܡܶܢ	D’men	Who is from / of	Qui est de	الّذي من	45	35
ܐܳܘ	O	O (vocative)	Ô	يا	44	25
ܥܰܡܰܢ	’aman	with us	avec nous	معنا	43	26
ܐܳܦ	Of	Also/even	Aussi	أيضًا	41	35
ܡܶܢܶܗ	Meneh	From him/from it	De lui	منه	40	32
ܫܰܒ̣ܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ	Shabhouy	Praise Him	Louez-le	سبّحوه	39	6
ܘܗܳܐ	W’ho	And behold	Et voici	وها	38	36
ܗܳܢܳܐ	Hono	This	Ceci/ce	هذا	38	22
ܐܰܡܺܝܢ	amin	amen	amen	آمين	36	32
ܢܶܗ̣ܘܶܐ	Nehwé	May it be	Que ce soit	ليكُن	36	30
ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ	Qadisho	Holy	Saint	قديس/مقدّس	35	33
ܠܗܽܘܢ	Lhoun	To them	À eux	لهم	35	26
ܛܽܘܒܳܐ	Toubo	Blessedness	Béatitude	طوبى	35	26
ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ	l’aloho	to God	à Dieu	لله	34	31
ܠܰܐܒܳܐ	l’abo	to the Father	au Père	للآب	34	31
ܘܡܶܢ	W’men	And from	Et de	ومن	34	29
ܒܟܽܠ	B’khoul	In all/with all	En tout	بكلّ	33	28
ܕܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ	d’haye	of life	de vie	الحياة	32	28
ܐܰܪܥܳܐ	Ar’o	Earth/Land	Terre	أرض	31	31
ܒܬܽܘܠܬܳܐ	Btulto	Virgin	Vierge	بتول/عذراء	31	27
ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ	mithe	dead (plural)	morts	أموات	30	23
ܥܠܰܝ	’alay	upon me	sur moi	عليّ	29	20
ܩܰܒܪܳܐ	qabro	tomb/grave	tombeau	قبر	29	20
ܪܰܘܡܳܐ	rawmo	height/heaven	hauteur/ciel	علو/سماء	29	28
ܡܳܐ	Mo	What	Que/quoi	ما	29	25
ܕܶܝܢ	deyn	but/then	mais/alors	لكن/ثم	28	16
ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ	Kiné	The righteous	Les justes	الأبرار	28	25
ܡܰܠܟܳܐ	Malko	King	Roi	ملك	27	23
ܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ	Shariro	True/truthful	Véritable	الحقّ	27	16
ܩܕܳܡ	qdom	before/in front of	devant	أمام/قدام	26	24
ܩܰܝܣܳܐ	qayso	wood/cross	bois/croix	خشبة/صليب	26	22
ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ	b’ar’o	on earth	sur terre	على الأرض	26	26
ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ	d’aloho	of God	de Dieu	الله	26	25
ܕܰܘܺܝܕ	dawid	David	David	داود	26	25
ܥܳܠܡܳܐ	’Olmo	World/Age	Monde/Siècle	عالم/دهر	25	21
ܛܳܒܳܐ	tobo	good	bon	صالح/جيد	25	25
ܒܪܳܐ	Bro	Son	Fils	ابن	24	23
ܩܽܘܪܒܳܢܳܐ	Qurbono	Offering/Eucharist	Offrande/Eucharistie	قربان	24	21
ܒܗܳܢܳܐ	b’hono	in this	en ceci	في هذا	24	16
ܚܠܳܦ	hlof	instead of/for	au lieu de/pour	بدلاً من/لأجل	24	23
ܐܰܚܰܝ̈	ahay	my brothers	mes frères	إخوتي	24	22
ܝܶܫܽܘܥ	Yeshu’	Jesus	Jésus	يسوع	23	20
ܠܰܒܪܳܐ	l’abro	to the Son	au Fils	للابن	23	23
ܨܶܝܕ	seyd	at/near	chez/près de	عند/لدى	23	21
ܒܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ	b’haymanutho	in faith	dans la foi	بالإيمان	22	20
ܒܳܟ	bokh	in you	en toi	بك/فيك	21	20
ܦܳܪܽܘܩܰܢ	foruqan	our savior	notre sauveur	مخلصنا	21	21
ܦܰܓܪܶܗ	paghreh	his body	son corps	جسده	20	15
ܕܒܶܗ	d’beh	by which/in which	par lequel	الذي به	20	18
ܐܶܢܳܐ	eno	I am	je suis	أنا	20	16
ܡܶܢܰܢ	menan	from us	de nous	منا	19	16
ܡܰܠܟܽܘܬܳܐ	malkutho	kingdom	royaume	ملكوت	19	19
ܫܠܳܡܳܐ	Shlomo	Peace	Paix	سلام	18	14
ܠܰܚܡܳܐ	Lahmo	Bread	Pain	خبز	18	17
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ	Paghro	Body	Corps	جسد	18	18
ܘܗܰܠܶܠܽܘܝܰܐ	w’haleluya	and hallelujah	et alléluia	وهللويا	18	14
ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ	’anide	departed/deceased	défunts	راقدين/منتقلين	18	18
ܚܰܕ	had	one	un	واحد	17	14
ܐܶܢ	en	if	si	إن/لو	17	15
ܕܺܝܠܝ	dili	my/mine	mon/mien	لي/خاصتي	17	11
ܪܽܘܚܳܐ	Ruho	Spirit	Esprit	روح	16	15
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ	Mawto	Death	Mort	موت	16	13
ܕܰܠܥܳܠܰܡ	dal’olam	forever/eternal	éternel	أبدي	16	11
ܥܶܠܳܝ̈ܶܐ	’elaye	heavenly ones	célestes	علويين	16	14
ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ	bashmayo	in heaven	au ciel	في السماء	16	15
ܟܳܣܳܐ	koso	cup/chalice	coupe/calice	كأس	15	12
ܣܰܒܪܳܟ	sabrokh	your hope	ton espérance	رجاؤك	15	12
ܝܰܘܡܳܐ	yawmo	day	jour	يوم	14	14
ܫܡܰܝܳܐ	Shmayo	Heaven/Sky	Ciel	سماء	13	13
ܨܰܘܡܳܐ	Sawmo	Fast/Lent	Jeûne/Carême	صوم	13	8
ܕܡܳܐ	dmo	blood	sang	دم	13	12
ܛܽܘܒܶܝܗܿ	tubeyh	blessed is she	bienheureuse	طوبى لها	13	2
ܠܟܽܘܡܪܽܘܬܳܐ	l’kumrutho	to the priesthood	au sacerdoce	للكهنوت	13	2
ܨܰܦܪܳܐ	safro	morning	matin	صباح	12	10
ܚܰܡܪܳܐ	Hamro	Wine	Vin	خمر	11	9
ܠܟܳܗܢܽܘܬܳܐ	l’kohnutho	to the priesthood	au sacerdoce	للكهنوت	11	2
ܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܳܐ	Furqono	Salvation	Salut	خلاص	10	10
ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬܳܐ	Tawdito	Thanksgiving	Action de grâce	شكر	10	10
ܡܰܕܒܚܳܐ	Madbho	Altar	Autel	مذبح	10	9
ܟܳܗܢܳܐ	Kohno	Priest	Prêtre	كاهن	7	7
ܢܰܦܫܳܐ	Nafsho	Soul	Âme	نفس	7	6
ܒܪܺܝܬܳܐ	Brito	Creation	Création	خليقة	7	7
ܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ	Mal’akho	Angel	Ange	ملاك	4	4
ܥܺܕܬܳܐ	’Idto	Church	Église	بيعة/كنيسة	3	3
ܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ	Slibo	Cross	Croix	صليب	3	3
ܚܰܛܳܝܳܐ	Htoyo	Sin	Péché	خطيئة	3	3
ܫܠܺܝܚܳܐ	Shliho	Apostle	Apôtre	رسول	3	3
ܠ	l-	to/for	à/pour	لـ	3	2
ܘ	w-	and	et	و	2	1
ܕ	d-	of/that/which	de/qui	الذي	2	1
ܒ	b-	in/with/by	dans/avec/par	في/بـ	2	1
ܥܳܠܡܺܝܢ	’olmin	worlds/ages	mondes/siècles	عوالم/دهور	2	2
ܩܝܳܡܬܳܐ	Qyomto	Resurrection	Résurrection	قيامة	1	1
ܪܰܚܡܶܐ	Rahme	Mercy/Love	Miséricorde/Amour	رحمة/محبة	1	1
ܗܰܘ	haw	that/he	celui/il	ذلك/هو	1	1
ܚܰܝ	hay	living/alive	vivant	حي	1	1
ܐܰܢܬ	ant	you (masculine)	tu/toi	أنتَ	1	1
ܠܗܰܘ	l’haw	to that	à celui	لذلك	1	1
ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗܝ	itawhi	he is	il est	هو	1	1
ܗܳܝ	hoy	that/she	celle/elle	تلك/هي	1	1
ܛܽܘܒܶܝܗ	tubeyh	blessed is he	bienheureux	طوبى له	1	1
ܥܺܕܳܢܺܝ̈ܢ	’idonin	times/seasons	temps/saisons	أزمنة/أوقات	1	1
ܠܥܺܕܬܳܐ	l’idto	to the church	à l’église	للكنيسة	1	1
ܝܰܠܕܶܝ̈ܗܿ	yaldeyh	her children	ses enfants	أولادها	1	1

Learning Tips

Start with the basics: Learn the prepositions and particles first as they appear in almost every sentence
Focus on liturgical terms: Words like ܡܳܪܰܢ (Our Lord), ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ (God), and ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ (Holy) appear frequently
Practice with hymns: Find these words in the hymns to see them in context
Use the transliteration: It helps with pronunciation until you’re comfortable with the Syriac script
Learn word families: Many words share the same root - learning one helps you understand related words