Meaning
Emphasizing the gravity, importance, or potential negative consequences of a situation.
Cultural Background
The phrase is often followed by 'Insha'Allah khair' (God willing, it will be fine) to balance the gravity with hope. In these regions, 'khatir' can be used to describe a person who is very skilled or 'dangerous' in their field (like a 'killer' lawyer). Egyptians often use 'khatir' to mean 'amazing' or 'delicious' when talking about food or art. Context is vital! In formal Gulf settings, 'Amr' is often replaced by 'Mawdoo' (topic) or 'Salfa' (story/matter) in casual speech, but 'Amr' remains for official business.
Use it to get attention
If people are ignoring your emails, start with 'هذا أمر خطير' to ensure they read the content.
Don't over-use
If everything is 'khatir', then nothing is. Save it for truly significant issues.
Meaning
Emphasizing the gravity, importance, or potential negative consequences of a situation.
Use it to get attention
If people are ignoring your emails, start with 'هذا أمر خطير' to ensure they read the content.
Don't over-use
If everything is 'khatir', then nothing is. Save it for truly significant issues.
Check the dialect
In Egypt, if someone says your shirt is 'khatir', say thank you—it's a compliment!
Test Yourself
Choose the correct demonstrative pronoun to complete the phrase.
____ أمر خطير جداً.
Since 'Amr' is a masculine singular noun, we must use 'Hādhā'.
Fill in the missing adjective to mean 'This is a serious matter'.
هذا أمر ______.
'Khatir' means serious/dangerous, which fits the context of a grave matter.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate response.
أحمد: 'لقد فقدت كل أموالي في البورصة.' خالد: '________________'
Losing all money is a grave situation, making 'Hādhā amrun khatīr' the only logical response.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
When would you say 'هذا أمر خطير'?
A warning light on a plane indicates a serious/dangerous matter.
Match the Arabic phrase to its English equivalent.
Match the following:
Direct translation practice.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Serious vs. Trivial
Practice Bank
5 exercises____ أمر خطير جداً.
Since 'Amr' is a masculine singular noun, we must use 'Hādhā'.
هذا أمر ______.
'Khatir' means serious/dangerous, which fits the context of a grave matter.
أحمد: 'لقد فقدت كل أموالي في البورصة.' خالد: '________________'
Losing all money is a grave situation, making 'Hādhā amrun khatīr' the only logical response.
When would you say 'هذا أمر خطير'?
A warning light on a plane indicates a serious/dangerous matter.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Direct translation practice.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, 'هو شخص خطير' can mean he is a dangerous person or a very influential/skilled person depending on context.
Only if you are discussing a serious challenge you solved. Don't use it to describe the interview itself!
هذه مسألة خطيرة (Hādhihi mas'ala khatīra).
هذا أمر بسيط (This is a simple matter) or ليس خطيراً.
The root is used, but this specific three-word phrase is a more modern construction.
No, in Modern Standard Arabic it strictly means serious/dangerous. The 'cool' meaning is dialect-only.
'Sa'b' means difficult. A math problem is 'sa'b', but a heart attack is 'khatir'.
Yes, it is very appropriate for news, business, and formal writing.
Yes, as a headline or a sudden exclamation: 'أمر خطير!'
It can, but it usually implies a situation that needs fixing rather than a personal threat.
Related Phrases
مسألة حياة أو موت
specialized formA matter of life or death
وضع حرج
similarCritical situation
شيء لا يستهان به
similarSomething not to be underestimated
كارثة حقيقية
builds onA real catastrophe
أمر تافه
contrastA trivial matter
