Haze in Arabic: Words & Phrases
Ustazah Alaa · October 17, 2026 · 8 min read
Quick Answer
Haze in Arabic is ضباب دخاني (ḍabāb dukhānī), which literally means "smoky fog". In Malay, haze is jerebu. The key related words are دخان (dukhān, smoke), تلوّث الهواء (talawwuth al-hawā', air pollution), and كمامة (kammāma, face mask).
Introduction
Since around September 2026, forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, have been sending thick smoke across Southeast Asia. Dry weather and a strong El Niño made the fires worse, and by early October the smoke had reached Malaysia. Air quality fell to unhealthy levels in many areas, and on 9 October 2026 schools were closed in several states. Malaysians call this haze jerebu, and it suddenly filled weather reports, school announcements and everyday conversation.
That raises a useful question for anyone learning Arabic: how do you talk about it in Arabic? Many learners search for "haze in Arabic" and find a single word, ضباب (ḍabāb). But that word on its own means natural fog, not haze.
The Arabic word for haze is built from two parts that you already know how to use: ضباب (fog) and دخاني (smoky). Once you understand how they fit together, the rest of the vocabulary around air quality, weather and health becomes much easier to learn.
In this guide, we will start with the term itself, separate it from similar words, learn the key vocabulary with pronunciation, and then practise with example sentences, a short dialogue and a quiz. These words are useful for talking about weather, air quality and health at any time of year.
How Do You Say Haze in Arabic?
The most accurate Arabic term is ضباب دخاني (ḍabāb dukhānī). It combines a noun and an adjective:
| Arabic word | Pronunciation | English meaning | Malay meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ضباب | ḍabāb | fog | kabus |
| دخان | dukhān | smoke | asap |
| دخاني | dukhānī | smoky | berasap |
| ضباب دخاني | ḍabāb dukhānī | haze | jerebu |
Put together, the phrase describes fog that is mixed with smoke, which is exactly what haze is.
ضباب دخاني ḍabāb dukhānī "haze"
Haze or Fog in Arabic: What Is the Difference?
Learners often use one word for all three of these. The table shows how to keep them apart:
| Arabic word | Pronunciation | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ضباب | ḍabāb | fog | natural fog, such as morning fog |
| ضباب دخاني | ḍabāb dukhānī | haze | fog mixed with smoke |
| غبار | ghubār | dust | dust carried by the wind |
If you say ḍabāb alone, an Arabic speaker will picture morning fog. Add dukhānī to make it clear that you mean haze.
What Is the Vocabulary for Air Quality and Health?
These words appear most often when people talk about haze and air quality:
| Arabic word | Pronunciation | English meaning | Malay meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| هواء | hawā' | air | udara |
| تلوّث الهواء | talawwuth al-hawā' | air pollution | pencemaran udara |
| مؤشر جودة الهواء | mu'ashshir jawdat al-hawā' | air quality index | indeks kualiti udara |
| كمامة | kammāma | face mask | pelitup muka |
| حرائق الغابات | ḥarā'iq al-ghābāt | forest fires | kebakaran hutan |
| مدرسة مغلقة | madrasa mughlaqa | closed school | sekolah ditutup |
How Do You Pronounce These Words?
Several sounds in these words do not exist in English. This table gives the simple version:
| Letter | How to pronounce it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ā | a long "a", held a little longer than a normal "a" | ḍabāb |
| ḍ | a "heavy" d, with the tongue pressed firmly to the roof of the mouth | ḍabāb |
| kh | a rough sound from the back of the throat, like clearing your throat softly | dukhān |
| gh | similar to kh, but softer and voiced | ghubār |
| ḥ | a breathy "h" from the middle of the throat | ḥarā'iq |
How Do You Say "The Weather Is Hazy" in Arabic?
Arabic describes weather with short, simple sentences. The adjective for hazy is ضبابي (ḍabābī).
| Arabic sentence | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| الجو ضبابي. | al-jaww ḍabābī | The weather is hazy. |
| الهواء غير صحي. | al-hawā' ghayr ṣiḥḥī | The air is unhealthy. |
| مؤشر جودة الهواء مرتفع. | mu'ashshir jawdat al-hawā' murtafi' | The air quality index is high. |
You can add اليوم (al-yawm, today) to the end of any of these sentences to talk about the current day.
How Do You Say "Because of the Haze" in Arabic?
The word بسبب (bisabab) means "because of". It is one of the most useful words for explaining why something happens.
المدارس مغلقة بسبب الضباب الدخاني. al-madāris mughlaqa bisabab al-ḍabāb ad-dukhānī "Schools are closed because of the haze."
The same pattern works with other reasons:
| Arabic phrase | Pronunciation | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| بسبب المطر | bisabab al-maṭar | because of the rain |
| بسبب الرياح | bisabab ar-riyāḥ | because of the wind |
What Phrases Are Useful on Haze Days?
| Arabic sentence | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| ارتدِ الكمامة قبل أن تخرج. | irtadi al-kammāma qabla an takhruj | Wear a mask before you go out. |
| أغلق النوافذ. | aghliq an-nawāfidh | Close the windows. |
| اشرب ماءً كثيراً. | ishrab mā'an kathīran | Drink a lot of water. |
Arabic commands change depending on who you are speaking to. The sentences above are for one man. Here is the same mask sentence for a woman:
| Speaking to | Arabic sentence | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| one man | ارتدِ الكمامة قبل أن تخرج. | irtadi al-kammāma qabla an takhruj |
| one woman | ارتدي الكمامة قبل أن تخرجي. | irtadī al-kammāma qabla an takhrujī |
What Other Weather Words Should You Learn?
These words go naturally with haze vocabulary:
| Arabic word | Pronunciation | English meaning | Malay meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| مطر | maṭar | rain | hujan |
| غائم | ghā'im | cloudy | berawan |
| حار | ḥārr | hot | panas |
| رطوبة | ruṭūba | humidity | kelembapan |
| رياح | riyāḥ | wind | angin |
| شمس | shams | sun | matahari |
Short Dialogue
- أحمد: هل سمعت الأخبار؟ المدارس مغلقة غداً. (Did you hear the news? Schools are closed tomorrow.)
- سارة: نعم، الضباب الدخاني كثير. (Yes, there is a lot of haze.)
- أحمد: خذي الكمامة معك. (Take a mask with you.)
Quick Quiz
- What does kammāma mean?
- Complete the sentence: المدارس ___ بسبب الضباب (مغلقة / مفتوحة)
- What is the difference between ḍabāb and ḍabāb dukhānī?
- How would you say "because of the rain"?
Answers: 1. Face mask. 2. مغلقة (closed). 3. ḍabāb is fog, ḍabāb dukhānī is haze. 4. بسبب المطر.
Did You Know?
Adding the ending ـيّ to a noun is one of the most common ways to make an adjective in Arabic. It is called the nisba ending. That is exactly how دخان (dukhān, smoke) becomes دخاني (dukhānī, smoky), and ضباب (ḍabāb, fog) becomes ضبابي (ḍabābī, foggy or hazy). The same rule turns شمس (shams, sun) into شمسي (shamsī, solar). Learning this one ending lets you build many adjectives from nouns you already know.
Summary
- Haze in Arabic is ضباب دخاني (ḍabāb dukhānī), literally "smoky fog".
- ضباب alone means fog, and غبار means dust.
- Adding ـي to a noun makes an adjective, as in دخاني and ضبابي.
- بسبب means "because of" and is useful for explaining reasons.
- Commands change for a man and a woman, as in ارتدِ and ارتدي.
- These words are Modern Standard Arabic, understood across the Arabic-speaking world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is "Jerebu" in Arabic?
Jerebu is the Malay word for haze. In Arabic, it is ضباب دخاني (ḍabāb dukhānī).
Is ضباب the Same as Haze?
Not exactly. ضباب means fog. For haze, say ضباب دخاني, which adds the idea of smoke.
How Do You Say Smoke in Arabic?
Smoke is دخان (dukhān).
How Do You Say Face Mask in Arabic?
A face mask is كمامة (kammāma).
Are These Words Modern Standard Arabic or Dialect?
The words and phrases in this guide are Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). They are understood across the Arabic-speaking world, although in everyday speech some phrases change from dialect to dialect.
Keep Learning
Not sure which kind of Arabic to start with? Read Syrian Dialect vs MSA: Which First?.
Want to speak Arabic confidently in everyday situations? Take a look at my Levantine Arabic book, written for learners who want real spoken Arabic.