# Arabic label translation needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210 "2007-11-04T19:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/1 "2007-11-04T19:08:39Z")
My daughter was stationed in the middle east for around 15 months, and she purchased some spice for me. Neither she nor I know what is in it. It was purchased in Manama, Bahrain. I have posted a link to a Photobucket photograph [here](http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/Bill220/) . If anyone knows what this is, let me know, I’m running out of it, and it’s good on chicken and lamb. ---
**Author:** ![caverject](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@caverject](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caverject)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/2 "2007-11-05T03:34:18Z")
It’s just the brand name, “Al Fares Brand” in arabic. Do you have another pic with the label of the spice itself? ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/3 "2007-11-05T07:13:19Z")
**Bill** The Al Fares company packages a lot of different spices. The shop up the street sells them. Regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/4 "2007-11-05T11:31:53Z")
I can post another picture of the front of the bottle this Friday when I get home. I’ll update it then. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/5 "2007-11-09T12:58:24Z")
[QUOTE=Bill Door] I can post another picture of the front of the bottle this Friday when I get home. I’ll update it then. Thanks. [/QUOTE] I got your PM and am also standing by to translate this thing for you. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/6 "2007-11-09T15:28:41Z")
Four responses and not a single bacon salt reference? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/7 "2007-11-09T15:51:35Z")
Here we go. [This](http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/Bill220/MiddleEasternSpice007.jpg) is a picture of the side label with what I think are the ingredients. [This](http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/Bill220/MiddleEasternSpice001.jpg) is a picture of the front of the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/8 "2007-11-09T15:55:35Z")
I have a Svea No. 1 kerosene stove that has Arabic writing on it. I haven’t been able to find a photo online, and I have been unsuccessful in snapping a photo of it. I thought about copying it and taking a photo of the ‘drawing’, but I haven’t the patience. I tried rubbing it, but I’ve never done a rubbing of anything so I wasn’t successful. Has anyone seen the Arabic writing on the Svea No. 1 stove? Do you know what it says? (I suspect it says ‘The King Of Stoves’, but that’s just a guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/9 "2007-11-09T20:56:56Z")
> [@Bill Door](#): > > Here we go. This is a picture of the side label with what I think are the ingredients. You are correct. Courtesy of the amazing, totally asskicking on-line [Multilingual Spice Index](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/spice_multi.html), I have assembled the following translation for you, in order of appearance in the ingredients list. (Check on the “Show foreign names” link in each spice page to compare for yourself the name of the ingredient on your jar with the standard Arabic name, even if you don’t read a lick of Arabic! Did I mention that Multilingual Spice Index kicks ass?) [Cumin](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Cumi_cym.html) [Turmeric](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Curc_lon.html) [Coriander](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Cori_sat.html) [Chili](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Caps_fru.html) msmar bazar makhlut? (I don’t understand this one) [Cassia (cinnamon)](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Cinn_cas.html) [Ginger](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Zing_off.html) [Some kind of licorice?](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Glyc_gla.html) (the first part of the Arabic name is the same as that of the Arabic word for licorice, but the second is different) [Black pepper](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pipe_nig.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/10 "2007-11-09T21:50:27Z")
Thanks **Kimstu**. I think the spice you can’t recognize is cloves, at least it smells and tastes that way. I recognized a lot of the flavor notes, but the turmeric and ginger was beyond me. I also thought there was cardomom in there, but I guess I was wrong. I should be able to put together an analogous mixture from here. Is there an accepted or customary use for this? It seems like an unusual mixture for normal use. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/11 "2007-11-09T22:21:17Z")
> [@Bill Door](#): > > I think the spice you can’t recognize is cloves, at least it smells and tastes that way. I’ll take your word for it, but according the MSI, the Arabic word for cloves ought to be “kabsh”, and I can’t see anything on your label that looks remotely close to that. Nor do any of the other [spices in the family Myrtaceae](http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/spice_bot.html?style=&query=clove#Myrtaceae), which might taste similar to cloves, have an Arabic name that resembles the unidentified words on your label. I am officially baffled and will just have to wait and see if **Paul** shows up with better information. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/12 "2007-11-09T22:25:46Z")
Is the licorice-namey one possibly fenugreek? It’s somewhat reminiscent of licorice or anise, and is a common spice in mixtures like that one (honestly, it looks like McCormick or somebody’s curry powder from the ingredients). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/13 "2007-11-09T22:38:23Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Is the licorice-namey one possibly fenugreek? I don’t think so: fenugreek in Arabic is “hulba”, which doesn’t resemble the name on the label. BUT…the name on the label is more or less “`irq al-hayl", AFAICT. Now licorice in Arabic is "`irq al-suss”, while cardamom (which **Bill** thought was in there) is “hayl” (and variants). Maybe that ingredient **is** some kind of cardamom. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/14 "2007-11-15T23:31:56Z")
Oh, that’s cardamom root; “irq al-” indicates the root instead of the seed. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-label-translation-needed/425210/15 "2007-11-16T01:28:32Z")
“msmar bazar makhlut” – this one’s a mystery to me, too. I’ve puzzled out the writing, and I concur with your transliteration; I’ve looked up the words, and _makhlut_ means “mix” or “blend,” while _msmar_ (or masmar) means “nail.” I have no idea what _bazar_ or _bzar_ might mean, though. It’s interesting to note that almost every language calls cloves “nail spice,” but I can’t think of or find any word that lends itself to this interpretation. I notice the package is from Bahrain; might this be some local term?