مال

Arabic

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maː.li/

Adverb

مَالِ • (māli)

1. Obsolete spelling of مَا لِ (mā li).
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 61:2-3:

     فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟...

     So what is with those who disbelieve...

Etymology 2

Probably a univerbation of مَا (mā, “what”) + ل (l-, “to; belonging to”), as in مَا لِي (mā lī, “what belongs to me”). The root م و ل (m-w-l) then developed denominally. While this may seem like popular etymology, similar univerbations do exist in Arabic; compare particularly the dialectal verb جَاب (jāb). Compare also Classical Syriac ܡܵܠܵܐ (mālā, “property, wealth”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maːl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

مَال • (māl) m (plural أَمْوَال (ʔamwāl))

1. property, possessions, chattels, goods
2. wealth, affluence
3. fortune, estate
4. money
5. income, revenue
6. assets, capital, stock, fund
7. (Islam, law) marketable title
8. (Egypt) tax, land tax

Declension

Declension of noun مَال (māl)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مَال māl	الْمَال al-māl	مَال māl
Nominative	مَالٌ mālun	الْمَالُ al-mālu	مَالُ mālu
Accusative	مَالًا mālan	الْمَالَ al-māla	مَالَ māla
Genitive	مَالٍ mālin	الْمَالِ al-māli	مَالِ māli
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مَالَيْن mālayn	الْمَالَيْن al-mālayn	مَالَيْ mālay
Nominative	مَالَانِ mālāni	الْمَالَانِ al-mālāni	مَالَا mālā
Accusative	مَالَيْنِ mālayni	الْمَالَيْنِ al-mālayni	مَالَيْ mālay
Genitive	مَالَيْنِ mālayni	الْمَالَيْنِ al-mālayni	مَالَيْ mālay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَمْوَال ʔamwāl	الْأَمْوَال al-ʔamwāl	أَمْوَال ʔamwāl
Nominative	أَمْوَالٌ ʔamwālun	الْأَمْوَالُ al-ʔamwālu	أَمْوَالُ ʔamwālu
Accusative	أَمْوَالًا ʔamwālan	الْأَمْوَالَ al-ʔamwāla	أَمْوَالَ ʔamwāla
Genitive	أَمْوَالٍ ʔamwālin	الْأَمْوَالِ al-ʔamwāli	أَمْوَالِ ʔamwāli

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: mal
• → Bashkir: мал (mal)
• → Bengali: মাল (mal)
• → Crimean Tatar: mal
• → Kazakh: мал (mal)
• → Kyrgyz: мал (mal)
• → Northern Kurdish: mal
• → Maltese: miel
• → Mongolian: мал (mal)
• → Old Armenian: մալ (mal)
  • Middle Armenian: մալ (mal)
    • Armenian: մալ (mal)
• → Nogai: мал (mal)
• → Persian: مال (mâl)
  • → Assamese: মাল (mal)
  • → Hindustani:

    Hindi: माल (māl)

    Urdu: مال (māl)

  • → Sindhi: 𑋗𑋠𑋚𑋣 (mālu)
• → Swahili: mali
  • → Ila: madi
  • → Northern Ndebele: imali
  • → Rwanda-Rundi: imari
  • → Shona: mari
  • → Tswana: madi
  • → Xhosa: imali
  • → Zulu: imali
    • → English: mali
• → Tatar: мал (mal)
  • → Georgian: მალი (mali)
  • → Middle Armenian: մալ (mal)
• → Tofa: мал
• → Turkish: mal
  • → Albanian: mall
• → Tuvan: мал (mal)
• → Uzbek: mol
• → Yakut: мал (mal)

References

• Bauer, Hans (1935) “Etymologica I”, in Zeitschrift für Semitistik und verwandte Gebiete (in German), volume 10, page 1
• Freytag, Georg (1837) “مال”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[2] (in Latin), volume 4, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, page 221
• Kazimirski, Albin de Biberstein (1860) “مال”, in Dictionnaire arabe-français contenant toutes les racines de la langue arabe, leurs dérivés, tant dans l’idiome vulgaire que dans l’idiome littéral, ainsi que les dialectes d’Alger et de Maroc‎^[3] (in French), volume 2, Paris: Maisonneuve et C^ie, page 1168
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1884) “مال”, in The Student's Arabic–English Dictionary‎^[4], London: W.H. Allen, page 983
• Wehr, Hans with Kropfitsch, Lorenz (1985) “مال”, in Arabisches Wörterbuch für die Schriftsprache der Gegenwart‎^[5] (in German), 5th edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, published 2011, →ISBN, page 1233

Etymology 3

Root
م ي ل (m y l)
7 terms

Verb

مَالَ • (māla) I, non-past يَمِيلُ‎ (yamīlu)

1. to bend, incline to
2. to lean (عَلَى (ʕalā, “against”))
3. to be favorably disposed
4. to hang down
5. to sink
6. to move towards (not in a straight line)
7. to decline, deviate
8. to sympathize (إِلَى (ʔilā, “with”))
9. to have an antipathy (عَلَى (ʕalā, “against”))

Conjugation

Conjugation of

مَالَ

(form-I hollow, verbal nouns مَيْل or مَيَلَان or مَيْلُولَة or تَمْيَال or مَمَال or مَمِيل)

verbal nouns الْمَصَادِر						مَيْل or مَيَلَان or مَيْلُولَة or تَمْيَال or مَمَال or مَمِيل mayl or mayalān or maylūla or tamyāl or mamāl or mamīl
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مَائِل māʔil
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَمِيل mamīl
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	مِلْتُ miltu	مِلْتَ milta	مَالَ māla		مِلْتُمَا miltumā	مَالَا mālā		مِلْنَا milnā	مِلْتُمْ miltum	مَالُوا mālū
	f		مِلْتِ milti	مَالَتْ mālat			مَالَتَا mālatā			مِلْتُنَّ miltunna	مِلْنَ milna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَمِيلُ ʔamīlu	تَمِيلُ tamīlu	يَمِيلُ yamīlu		تَمِيلَانِ tamīlāni	يَمِيلَانِ yamīlāni		نَمِيلُ namīlu	تَمِيلُونَ tamīlūna	يَمِيلُونَ yamīlūna
	f		تَمِيلِينَ tamīlīna	تَمِيلُ tamīlu			تَمِيلَانِ tamīlāni			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَمِيلَ ʔamīla	تَمِيلَ tamīla	يَمِيلَ yamīla		تَمِيلَا tamīlā	يَمِيلَا yamīlā		نَمِيلَ namīla	تَمِيلُوا tamīlū	يَمِيلُوا yamīlū
	f		تَمِيلِي tamīlī	تَمِيلَ tamīla			تَمِيلَا tamīlā			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَمِلْ ʔamil	تَمِلْ tamil	يَمِلْ yamil		تَمِيلَا tamīlā	يَمِيلَا yamīlā		نَمِلْ namil	تَمِيلُوا tamīlū	يَمِيلُوا yamīlū
	f		تَمِيلِي tamīlī	تَمِلْ tamil			تَمِيلَا tamīlā			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		مِلْ mil			مِيلَا mīlā				مِيلُوا mīlū
	f		مِيلِي mīlī							مِلْنَ milna
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	—	—	مِيلَ mīla		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	—	—	يُمَالُ yumālu		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	—	—	يُمَالَ yumāla		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	—	—	يُمَلْ yumal		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—

Verb

مَالَ • (māla) I, non-past يَمِيلُ‎ (yamīlu)

1. to turn towards setting
2. (transitive or construed with إِلَى (ʔilā)) to be favorably disposed towards

Conjugation

Conjugation of

مَالَ

(form-I hollow, verbal noun مُيُول)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						مُيُول muyūl
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مَائِل māʔil
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَمِيل mamīl
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	مِلْتُ miltu	مِلْتَ milta	مَالَ māla		مِلْتُمَا miltumā	مَالَا mālā		مِلْنَا milnā	مِلْتُمْ miltum	مَالُوا mālū
	f		مِلْتِ milti	مَالَتْ mālat			مَالَتَا mālatā			مِلْتُنَّ miltunna	مِلْنَ milna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَمِيلُ ʔamīlu	تَمِيلُ tamīlu	يَمِيلُ yamīlu		تَمِيلَانِ tamīlāni	يَمِيلَانِ yamīlāni		نَمِيلُ namīlu	تَمِيلُونَ tamīlūna	يَمِيلُونَ yamīlūna
	f		تَمِيلِينَ tamīlīna	تَمِيلُ tamīlu			تَمِيلَانِ tamīlāni			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَمِيلَ ʔamīla	تَمِيلَ tamīla	يَمِيلَ yamīla		تَمِيلَا tamīlā	يَمِيلَا yamīlā		نَمِيلَ namīla	تَمِيلُوا tamīlū	يَمِيلُوا yamīlū
	f		تَمِيلِي tamīlī	تَمِيلَ tamīla			تَمِيلَا tamīlā			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَمِلْ ʔamil	تَمِلْ tamil	يَمِلْ yamil		تَمِيلَا tamīlā	يَمِيلَا yamīlā		نَمِلْ namil	تَمِيلُوا tamīlū	يَمِيلُوا yamīlū
	f		تَمِيلِي tamīlī	تَمِلْ tamil			تَمِيلَا tamīlā			تَمِلْنَ tamilna	يَمِلْنَ yamilna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		مِلْ mil			مِيلَا mīlā				مِيلُوا mīlū
	f		مِيلِي mīlī							مِلْنَ milna
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	مِلْتُ miltu	مِلْتَ milta	مِيلَ mīla		مِلْتُمَا miltumā	مِيلَا mīlā		مِلْنَا milnā	مِلْتُمْ miltum	مِيلُوا mīlū
	f		مِلْتِ milti	مِيلَتْ mīlat			مِيلَتَا mīlatā			مِلْتُنَّ miltunna	مِلْنَ milna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُمَالُ ʔumālu	تُمَالُ tumālu	يُمَالُ yumālu		تُمَالَانِ tumālāni	يُمَالَانِ yumālāni		نُمَالُ numālu	تُمَالُونَ tumālūna	يُمَالُونَ yumālūna
	f		تُمَالِينَ tumālīna	تُمَالُ tumālu			تُمَالَانِ tumālāni			تُمَلْنَ tumalna	يُمَلْنَ yumalna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُمَالَ ʔumāla	تُمَالَ tumāla	يُمَالَ yumāla		تُمَالَا tumālā	يُمَالَا yumālā		نُمَالَ numāla	تُمَالُوا tumālū	يُمَالُوا yumālū
	f		تُمَالِي tumālī	تُمَالَ tumāla			تُمَالَا tumālā			تُمَلْنَ tumalna	يُمَلْنَ yumalna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُمَلْ ʔumal	تُمَلْ tumal	يُمَلْ yumal		تُمَالَا tumālā	يُمَالَا yumālā		نُمَلْ numal	تُمَالُوا tumālū	يُمَالُوا yumālū
	f		تُمَالِي tumālī	تُمَلْ tumal			تُمَالَا tumālā			تُمَلْنَ tumalna	يُمَلْنَ yumalna

References

• Freytag, Georg (1837) “مال”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[6] (in Latin), volume 4, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, page 225
• Kazimirski, Albin de Biberstein (1860) “مال”, in Dictionnaire arabe-français contenant toutes les racines de la langue arabe, leurs dérivés, tant dans l’idiome vulgaire que dans l’idiome littéral, ainsi que les dialectes d’Alger et de Maroc‎^[7] (in French), volume 2, Paris: Maisonneuve et C^ie, page 1174
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1884) “مال”, in The Student's Arabic–English Dictionary‎^[8], London: W.H. Allen, page 1089
• Wehr, Hans with Kropfitsch, Lorenz (1985) “مال”, in Arabisches Wörterbuch für die Schriftsprache der Gegenwart‎^[9] (in German), 5th edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, published 2011, →ISBN, page 1239

Gulf Arabic

Adverb

مال • (māl)

1. Followed by a noun or a pronominal suffix to indicate possession

   الكتاب كان مالها.

   l-kitāb kān mālha.

   The book belonged to her.

Laki

Etymology

Related to Persian ماندن (mândan, “to stay, remain”).

Noun

مال (mal)

1. house

Persian

Etymology 1

From Arabic مَال (māl). The pronominal use is also found in Iraqi Arabic, hence it may have entered Persian through dialectal Arabic or it may be a Persian influence on the former.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [mɑːl]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [mɑːl]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [mɑːl]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [mɑːl]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [mɔːl̥]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [mɒːl̥]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [mɔl]

Readings
Classical reading?	māl
Dari reading?	māl
Iranian reading?	mâl
Tajik reading?	mol

• Audio (Iran):

  (file)

Noun

مال • (mâl) (plural اموال (amvâl) or مال‌ها (mâl-hâ))

1. Used in the singular with a subsequent ezâfe to form constructions equivalent to English possessive pronouns and constructions.

   Synonym: از آن (az ân-e)

   آن سگ بزرگ مال توست؟ ― ân sag-e bozorg mâl-e to-st? ― Is that big dog yours?

   این کتاب مال من نیست. ― in ketâb mâl-e man nist. ― This book isn't mine.

   این مال ایران است؟ ― in mâl-e irân ast? ― Is this from Iran?

2. (as an independent noun) property, wealth, money, assets

Usage notes

This noun forms the Persian equivalent to English possessive pronouns and constructions. For example, "mine" is مال من (mâl-e man) and "yours" is مال تو (mâl-e to). However, the sense is broader than the English equivalents: مال ایران (mâl-e irân) means not only "something belonging to Iran" but also "something from Iran" or even "something pertaining to Iran".

In the literary language, از آن (az ân-e, “that”) can be used for similar purposes: این پول از آن کیست؟ از آن ماست (in pul az ân-e ki-st? az ân-e mâ-st, “Whose money is this? It's ours”). While it is not commonly used in the modern speech of Iran, it is more prevalent than مال (mâl-e) in the eastern dialects of Persian.

Related terms

• مالی (mâli)

Descendants

• → Assamese: মাল (mal)
• → Hindustani:

  Hindi: माल (māl)

  Urdu: مال (māl)

• → Sindhi: 𑋗𑋠𑋚𑋣 (mālu)

Etymology 2

Verb

مال • (mâl)

1. present stem form of مالیدن (mâlidan, “to rub”)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From ما (mā, “what”) +‎ لـ (la-, “to”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maː.lo/, [ˈmæː.lo]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Phrase

مال • (māl)

1. what's up with, what's wrong with

   (شو) مالك؟

   (šū) mālak?

   What's wrong with you?

   (شو) مال أحمد؟

   (šū) māl ʔaḥmad?

   What's up with Ahmad?

   ماله الحمار؟

   mālo l-ḥmār

   What's up with the donkey?

Inflection

Inflected forms of مال
Base form					مال (māl)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		مالي (māli)		مالنا (mālna)
2nd person		مالك (mālak)	مالك (mālek)	مالكم (mālkom)
3rd person		ماله (mālo)	مالها (mālha)	مالهم (mālhom)

Urdu

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Classical Persian مال (māl), from Arabic مَال (māl).

Noun

مال • (māl) m (Hindi spelling माल)

1. property, possessions, goods
2. wealth
3. fortune, estate
4. merchandise, stock
5. money
6. income, revenue
7. finance
8. prize
9. assets, capital, fund

Derived terms

• مال گاڑی (māl gāṛī)

Related terms

• مالی (mālī)

Etymology 2

From Sanskrit मल्ल (malla).

Noun

مال • (māl) m (Hindi spelling माल)

1. wrestler
2. boxer
3. prizefighter
4. athlete
5. champion
6. hero

Etymology 3

From Sanskrit माल्य (mālya) or माला (mālā).

Noun

مال • (māl) f (Hindi spelling माल)

1. wreath
2. garland