غم

See also: عم

Arabic

Etymology 1.1

Root
غ م م (ḡ m m)
12 terms

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣam.ma/

Verb

غَمَّ • (ḡamma) I (non-past يَغُمُّ (yaḡummu), verbal noun غَمّ (ḡamm))

1. to cover, to veil, to shroud
2. (passive voice) to be obscure, to be unapparent
   • 7th century CE, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 13:6:

     فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدِرُوا ثَلَاثِينَ

     faʔin ḡumma ʕalaykum fāqdirū ṯalāṯīna

     If [the sky] is masked for you [by clouds], then calculate thirty days [for the month of Ramaḍān.

3. to fill with grief, to grief, to chagrin

Conjugation

Conjugation of غَمَّ (I, geminate, a ~ u, full passive (?), verbal noun غَمّ)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						غَمّ ḡamm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						غَامّ ḡāmm
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَغْمُوم maḡmūm
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	غَمَمْتُ ḡamamtu	غَمَمْتَ ḡamamta	غَمَّ ḡamma		غَمَمْتُمَا ḡamamtumā	غَمَّا ḡammā		غَمَمْنَا ḡamamnā	غَمَمْتُمْ ḡamamtum	غَمُّوا ḡammū
	f		غَمَمْتِ ḡamamti	غَمَّتْ ḡammat			غَمَّتَا ḡammatā			غَمَمْتُنَّ ḡamamtunna	غَمَمْنَ ḡamamna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَغُمُّ ʔaḡummu	تَغُمُّ taḡummu	يَغُمُّ yaḡummu		تَغُمَّانِ taḡummāni	يَغُمَّانِ yaḡummāni		نَغُمُّ naḡummu	تَغُمُّونَ taḡummūna	يَغُمُّونَ yaḡummūna
	f		تَغُمِّينَ taḡummīna	تَغُمُّ taḡummu			تَغُمَّانِ taḡummāni			تَغْمُمْنَ taḡmumna	يَغْمُمْنَ yaḡmumna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَغُمَّ ʔaḡumma	تَغُمَّ taḡumma	يَغُمَّ yaḡumma		تَغُمَّا taḡummā	يَغُمَّا yaḡummā		نَغُمَّ naḡumma	تَغُمُّوا taḡummū	يَغُمُّوا yaḡummū
	f		تَغُمِّي taḡummī	تَغُمَّ taḡumma			تَغُمَّا taḡummā			تَغْمُمْنَ taḡmumna	يَغْمُمْنَ yaḡmumna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَغُمَّ, أَغُمِّ, أَغْمُمْ ʔaḡumma, ʔaḡummi, ʔaḡmum	تَغُمَّ, تَغُمِّ, تَغْمُمْ taḡumma, taḡummi, taḡmum	يَغُمَّ, يَغُمِّ, يَغْمُمْ yaḡumma, yaḡummi, yaḡmum		تَغُمَّا taḡummā	يَغُمَّا yaḡummā		نَغُمَّ, نَغُمِّ, نَغْمُمْ naḡumma, naḡummi, naḡmum	تَغُمُّوا taḡummū	يَغُمُّوا yaḡummū
	f		تَغُمِّي taḡummī	تَغُمَّ, تَغُمِّ, تَغْمُمْ taḡumma, taḡummi, taḡmum			تَغُمَّا taḡummā			تَغْمُمْنَ taḡmumna	يَغْمُمْنَ yaḡmumna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		غُمَّ, غُمِّ, اُغْمُمْ ḡumma, ḡummi, uḡmum			غُمَّا ḡummā				غُمُّوا ḡummū
	f		غُمِّي ḡummī							اُغْمُمْنَ uḡmumna
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	غُمِمْتُ ḡumimtu	غُمِمْتَ ḡumimta	غُمَّ ḡumma		غُمِمْتُمَا ḡumimtumā	غُمَّا ḡummā		غُمِمْنَا ḡumimnā	غُمِمْتُمْ ḡumimtum	غُمُّوا ḡummū
	f		غُمِمْتِ ḡumimti	غُمَّتْ ḡummat			غُمَّتَا ḡummatā			غُمِمْتُنَّ ḡumimtunna	غُمِمْنَ ḡumimna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُغَمُّ ʔuḡammu	تُغَمُّ tuḡammu	يُغَمُّ yuḡammu		تُغَمَّانِ tuḡammāni	يُغَمَّانِ yuḡammāni		نُغَمُّ nuḡammu	تُغَمُّونَ tuḡammūna	يُغَمُّونَ yuḡammūna
	f		تُغَمِّينَ tuḡammīna	تُغَمُّ tuḡammu			تُغَمَّانِ tuḡammāni			تُغْمَمْنَ tuḡmamna	يُغْمَمْنَ yuḡmamna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُغَمَّ ʔuḡamma	تُغَمَّ tuḡamma	يُغَمَّ yuḡamma		تُغَمَّا tuḡammā	يُغَمَّا yuḡammā		نُغَمَّ nuḡamma	تُغَمُّوا tuḡammū	يُغَمُّوا yuḡammū
	f		تُغَمِّي tuḡammī	تُغَمَّ tuḡamma			تُغَمَّا tuḡammā			تُغْمَمْنَ tuḡmamna	يُغْمَمْنَ yuḡmamna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُغَمَّ, أُغَمِّ, أُغْمَمْ ʔuḡamma, ʔuḡammi, ʔuḡmam	تُغَمَّ, تُغَمِّ, تُغْمَمْ tuḡamma, tuḡammi, tuḡmam	يُغَمَّ, يُغَمِّ, يُغْمَمْ yuḡamma, yuḡammi, yuḡmam		تُغَمَّا tuḡammā	يُغَمَّا yuḡammā		نُغَمَّ, نُغَمِّ, نُغْمَمْ nuḡamma, nuḡammi, nuḡmam	تُغَمُّوا tuḡammū	يُغَمُّوا yuḡammū
	f		تُغَمِّي tuḡammī	تُغَمَّ, تُغَمِّ, تُغْمَمْ tuḡamma, tuḡammi, tuḡmam			تُغَمَّا tuḡammā			تُغْمَمْنَ tuḡmamna	يُغْمَمْنَ yuḡmamna

Etymology 1.2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣamm/

Noun

غَمّ • (ḡamm) m (plural غُمُوم (ḡumūm))

1. grief, sorrow, chagrin
   • 7th century CE, Jamīʿ at-Tirmiḏiyy, section 37:

     وَتَدْنُو الشَّمْسُ، فَيَبْلُغُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَالْكَرْبِ مَا لَا يُطِيقُونَ وَلَا يَحْتَمِلُونَ

     wa-tadnū š-šamsu, fa-yabluḡu n-nāsa mina al-ḡammi wa-l-karbi mā lā yuṭīqūna wa-lā yaḥtamilūna

     The sun will come so close to the people that they will suffer such distress and trouble as they will not be able to bear or stand.

Declension

Declension of noun غَمّ (ḡamm)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	غَمّ ḡamm	الْغَمّ al-ḡamm	غَمّ ḡamm
nominative	غَمٌّ ḡammun	الْغَمُّ al-ḡammu	غَمُّ ḡammu
accusative	غَمًّا ḡamman	الْغَمَّ al-ḡamma	غَمَّ ḡamma
genitive	غَمٍّ ḡammin	الْغَمِّ al-ḡammi	غَمِّ ḡammi
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	غَمَّيْن ḡammayn	الْغَمَّيْن al-ḡammayn	غَمَّيْ ḡammay
nominative	غَمَّانِ ḡammāni	الْغَمَّانِ al-ḡammāni	غَمَّا ḡammā
accusative	غَمَّيْنِ ḡammayni	الْغَمَّيْنِ al-ḡammayni	غَمَّيْ ḡammay
genitive	غَمَّيْنِ ḡammayni	الْغَمَّيْنِ al-ḡammayni	غَمَّيْ ḡammay
plural	basic broken plural triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	غُمُوم ḡumūm	الْغُمُوم al-ḡumūm	غُمُوم ḡumūm
nominative	غُمُومٌ ḡumūmun	الْغُمُومُ al-ḡumūmu	غُمُومُ ḡumūmu
accusative	غُمُومًا ḡumūman	الْغُمُومَ al-ḡumūma	غُمُومَ ḡumūma
genitive	غُمُومٍ ḡumūmin	الْغُمُومِ al-ḡumūmi	غُمُومِ ḡumūmi

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: qəm
• → Catalan: gamar-se
• → Pashto: غَم (ǧam)
• → Classical Persian: غَم (ġam)
  • → Ottoman Turkish: گَام (gam)
    • Turkish: gam
    • Crimean Tatar: ğam
  • → Urdu: غَم (ġam)
  • → Hindi: ग़म (ġam), गम (gam)
• → Northern Kurdish: xem
• → Swahili: ghamu
• → Tatar: гамь (ğam’), ğäm
• → Turkmen: gam
• → Uyghur: غەم (ghem)
• → Uzbek: gʻam

References

• Freytag, Georg (1835) “غم”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[1] (in Latin), volume 3, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, pages 292–293
• Lane, Edward William (1863-1893) “غم”, in Arabic-English Lexicon, London: Williams & Norgate, page 2289.
• Wehr, Hans with Kropfitsch, Lorenz (1985) “غم”, in Arabisches Wörterbuch für die Schriftsprache der Gegenwart‎^[2] (in German), 5th edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, published 2011, →ISBN, page 926

Pashto

Etymology

From Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣam/

Noun

غم • (ǧam) m

1. grief, sorrow

Derived terms

• غمجن (ǧamjan)

Persian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic غ م م (ḡ m m)

Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm)bor.

Persian غم

Borrowed from Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm), from غ م م (ḡ m m).

Pronunciation

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

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ɣäm]

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

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [qæm]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʁäm]

Readings
Classical reading?	ġam
Dari reading?	ġam
Iranian reading?	ġam
Tajik reading?	ġam

Noun

غم • (ġam)

1. grief, sorrow

   Synonym: گرم (gorm)

Derived terms

• غمگین (ġamgin)
• غمناک (ġamnâk)

Punjabi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic غ م م (ḡ m m)

Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm)bor.

Classical Persian غَم (ġam)bor.

Punjabi غَم (ġam)

Borrowed from Classical Persian غَم (ġam), borrowed from Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm), from غ م م (ḡ m m).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Punjabi) IPA^(key): /ɣəm/, [ɣɐ̃mᵊ]
• (rustic) IPA^(key): [ɡɐ̃mᵊ]

Noun

غَم • (ġam) m (Gurmukhi spelling ਗ਼ਮ)

1. sorrow; sadness; grief
2. mourning
3. worry (ie. distress)
4. depression
5. melancholy

Declension

Declension of غم

	singular	plural
direct	غَم (ġam)	غَم (ġam)
oblique	غَم (ġam)	غَماں (ġamāṉ)
vocative	غَما (ġamā)	غَمو (ġamo)
ablative	غَموں (ġamoṉ)	غَماں (ġamāṉ)
locative	غَمے (ġame)	غَمِیں (ġamīṉ)
instrumental	غَموں (ġamoṉ)	–

Further reading

• Iqbal, Salah ud-Din (2002) “غم”, in vaḍḍī panjābī lughat‎ (in Punjabi), Lahore: ʻAzīz Pablisharz
• Bashir, Kanwal (2012) “غم”, in Punjabi-English Dictionary, Hyattsville, MD: Dunwoody Press
• “ਗ਼ਮ”, in Punjabi-English Dictionary, Patiala: Punjabi University, 2025

Urdu

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic غ م م (ḡ m m)

Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm)bor.

Classical Persian غَم (ġam)bor.

Urdu غَم (ġam)

Borrowed from Classical Persian غَم (ġam), borrowed from Arabic غَمّ (ḡamm), from غ م م (ḡ m m). First attested in c. 1503 as Middle Hindi غم (ġm /⁠ġam⁠/).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɣəm/

• Audio (Pakistan):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əm

Noun

غَم • (ġam) m (formal plural غُمُوم (ġumūm), Hindi spelling ग़म)

1. sorrow; sadness

   Synonym: دُکھ (dukh)

2. mourning

   اُس کی موت پر گہرا غم منایا گیا۔

   uskī maut par gahrā ġam manāyā gayā.

   His death was deeply mourned.

3. worry; distress
4. depression
5. (obsolete) concern

Declension

Declension of غم

	singular	plural
direct	غَم (ġam)	غَم (ġam)
oblique	غَم (ġam)	غَموں (ġamõ)
vocative	غَم (ġam)	غَمو (ġamo)

Derived terms

• غمگین (ġamgīn)

Further reading

More information

• “غم”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2025.
• Qureshi, Bashir Ahmad (1971) “غم”, in Kitabistan's 20th Century Standard Dictionary‎, Lahore: Kitabistan Pub. Co.
• S. W. Fallon (1879) “غم”, in A New Hindustani-English Dictionary, Banaras, London: Trubner and Co.
• John Shakespear (1834) “غم”, in A dictionary, Hindustani and English: with a copious index, fitting the work to serve, also, as a dictionary of English and Hindustani, 3^rd edition, London: J.L. Cox and Son, →OCLC