🕌 The Arabic Legacy in Spanish: Words that Tell a Shared History

Spain’s history is marked by centuries of cultural encounters, none more influential than the nearly eight hundred years of Arab and Islamic presence on the Iberian Peninsula (711–1492). This long coexistence left a profound legacy visible in many aspects of Spanish life:

• In architecture, with iconic landmarks such as the Alhambra in Granada or the Mezquita of Córdoba.

• In food and gastronomy, where ingredients like rice, citrus fruits, and spices such as saffron were introduced and became staples of Spanish cuisine.

• In customs and daily life, from irrigation techniques that transformed agriculture to traditions in art, science, and music.

• And of course, in the Spanish language itself, where thousands of words of Arabic origin survive to this day.

It is estimated that around 4,000 Spanish words come from Arabic, many of them still used in everyday life. These words reflect not only the practical exchanges of the past—agriculture, trade, science—but also the blending of two worlds that shaped Spain’s cultural identity.

🌿 Everyday Life and Home

• aceituna (olive) – from al-zaytūn

• azúcar (sugar) – from al-sukkar

• alfombra (carpet) – from al-ḥunbah. (In older Spanish, “alhombra” was also used, though it has since fallen out of use.)

• almohada (pillow) – from al-mukhadda

• naranja (orange) – from nāranj

• limón (lemon) – from laymūn

• ojalá (hopefully) – from inshā’ Allāh, “God willing”

🏡 Architecture and Urban Life

• alcázar (castle, palace) – from al-qaṣr

• alminar (minaret) – from al-manār

• azulejo (tile) – from al-zulaij, “polished stone”

• arrabal (suburb) – from ar-rabaḍ

• barrio (neighborhood) – possibly from barri, “outside”

• alameda (tree-lined avenue) – from al-‘alāmah, “place with poplars”

🍋 Food and Agriculture

• aceite (oil, olive oil) – from al-zayt

• alcachofa (artichoke) – from al-ḵuršūf

• arroz (rice) – from ar-ruzz

• azafrán (saffron) – from za‘farān

• berenjena (eggplant) – from bāḏinjān

• taza (cup) – from ṭāsah

• jarabe (syrup) – from šarāb

🔬 Science and Knowledge

• álgebra (algebra) – from al-jabr

• algoritmo (algorithm) – from al-Khwarizmi, Persian mathematician

• cero (zero) – from ṣifr

• nadir (nadir) – from naẓīr

• zenit (zenith) – from samt

• azimut (azimuth) – from al-sumūt

• almanaque (almanac) – from al-manākh

⚔️ Power and Society

• alcalde (mayor) – from al-qāḍī, “the judge”

• aduana (customs) – from al-diwan

• hazaña (feat, heroic deed) – possibly from ḥasanah, “good deed”

• alférez (ensign, officer) – from al-fāris, “the knight”

• zanahoria (carrot) – debated, possibly from Arabic safunnāriyah

✨ Words as Bridges

The Arabic footprint in Spanish is more than a list of borrowed words—it’s a testament to centuries of coexistence, exchange, and creativity. These words remind us that languages are living archives of history, carrying within them not only sounds and meanings but also the memory of civilizations in dialogue.

So next time you say azúcar in your morning coffee, or dream with an ojalá, remember: you are also speaking a little piece of Arabic history through Spanish.