قريب

To use it correctly, you usually need the word من (min), which means 'from' or 'to' in this context. You say something is قريب من (qareeb min) followed by the location. For example, المطعم قريب من هنا (The restaurant is near here). Remember that Arabic words change based on gender. If you are describing something feminine, like a school (مدرسة), you must add a 'ta-marbuta' at the end to make it قريبة (qareeba). It is a simple tweak that makes you sound much more fluent.

Use it when you are giving directions to a lost tourist. Use it when you are texting a friend to say you are almost at the meeting spot. It is perfect for describing family members too. In fact, the plural form of this word actually means 'relatives.' Use it in a meeting to say a deadline is approaching. It fits perfectly in almost any conversation about time or space.

Do not use it if something is literally touching another object. In that case, use بجانب (beside) or لاصق (stuck to). Also, avoid using it for 'soon' in very formal writing without the 'an' ending (قريباً). If you are talking about a long distance, obviously stay away and use بعيد (ba'eed) instead. Using it for a person you just met might feel a bit too intimate. Keep it for people you actually know well.

In Arabic culture, the concept of being 'close' is deeply tied to family and hospitality. The word for relative, قريب, literally comes from this root. It suggests that blood relations are the people physically and emotionally nearest to you. There is a famous proverb that says 'The neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far.' This shows how much value is placed on physical proximity and community support.

In daily life, you will hear different versions depending on the country. In Egypt, they might say أريب (areeb) because they often drop the 'q' sound. In the Levant, it sounds more like أريب as well. The feminine version is قريبة (qareeba). If you want to say 'closer,' you use the word أقرب (aqrab). For 'very close,' you can say قريب جداً (qareeb jiddan).