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Think before you ink: 13 of the worst Arabic tattoos found on the Internet

Published July 24th, 2015 - 06:03 GMT

Want a tattoo in Arabic? Using Google Translate to get inspiration for ink stencils? Think again. Although there are many beautiful calligraphic designs, it doesn’t take a genius to work out using the internet to translate Arabic is an epic fail. Most Arabic keyboard fonts aren’t great for a start, and Google Translate tends to break letters into unconnected individual forms that don’t make sense. For all you know, you could be getting gibberish inked on your body (is your temple)!

 

Bad tattoos in other languages are nothing new. Remember when tattoos with Chinese and Japanese writing were trendy? Words like “water” and “air” in Mandarin were a common brand, not for the meaning of course, but because they apparently looked aesthetically good.

 

We’ve all seen Arabic tattoos in the mainstream. From Rihanna’s “Al hurriyeh fi al maseeh”, which translates to Freedom in the Lord, to a long line of celebs; Angelina Jolie, Colin Farrel, Selena Gomez and many more converts to the Arabic body art mania.


What you’re now about to see, however, are some of the worst Arabic tattoos in existence. If you’re thinking about getting inked up in an 'exotic' script, just remember - tattoos are PERMANENT, so do your research! 

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‘?????’: The first rule in getting a tattoo in Arabic is making sure you have the right word. Then, make sure you spell it correctly. And, finally, you have to write the letters in their correct form. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with gibberish on your arm, like this guy.

‘?????’: The first rule in getting a tattoo in Arabic is making sure you have the right word. Then, make sure you spell it correctly. And, finally, you have to write the letters in their correct form. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with gibberish on your arm, like this guy.

‘The large mother’: Not everything translates well from English. ‘Big Mama’ is a common phrase in America but once you write it in Arabic it kind of loses its appeal.

‘The large mother’: Not everything translates well from English. ‘Big Mama’ is a common phrase in America but once you write it in Arabic it kind of loses its appeal.

‘Kafir’: Most commonly translated as ‘disbeliever,’ this occaisionally offensive word is used to describe someone who has rejected Islam. It also has ties to apartheid in South Africa. Either way, you wouldn't want to be sporting this tattoo if Daesh were to ever get their hands on you.

‘Kafir’: Most commonly translated as ‘disbeliever,’ this occaisionally offensive word is used to describe someone who has rejected Islam. It also has ties to apartheid in South Africa. Either way, you wouldn't want to be sporting this tattoo if Daesh were to ever get their hands on you.

‘The honey is sweeter from’: Another classic example of an English phrase comically lost in translation. We’re pretty sure she was going for ‘sweeter than honey’.

‘The honey is sweeter from’: Another classic example of an English phrase comically lost in translation. We’re pretty sure she was going for ‘sweeter than honey’.

‘Fighter’: He got the word right, and he spelled it correctly, but every Arabic speaker knows you have to connect the letters. Sorry, dude - regardless of what your other tattoo might stay - this is a mistake you’ll have to live with the rest of your life.

‘Fighter’: He got the word right, and he spelled it correctly, but every Arabic speaker knows you have to connect the letters. Sorry, dude - regardless of what your other tattoo might stay - this is a mistake you’ll have to live with the rest of your life.

‘Giving away to the weak’: Giving away what, exactly, we’ll never know.

‘Giving away to the weak’: Giving away what, exactly, we’ll never know.

‘6588992’: I guess I’ll call you?

‘6588992’: I guess I’ll call you?

‘I am rotten’: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” is something you might hear from the guy who got this inked onto his body. A while ago this phrase circulated the internet with the English translation ‘Appreciate life’. Do yourself a favor and check with an Arabic speaker before heading off to the tattoo parlor.

‘I am rotten’: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” is something you might hear from the guy who got this inked onto his body. A while ago this phrase circulated the internet with the English translation ‘Appreciate life’. Do yourself a favor and check with an Arabic speaker before heading off to the tattoo parlor.

‘Waves crashing them’: So close, yet so far. This is what happens when you rely on Google Translate for your tattoo ideas.

‘Waves crashing them’: So close, yet so far. This is what happens when you rely on Google Translate for your tattoo ideas.

‘?????’: It should be obvious to you by now where this tattoo went wrong. We’re not even sure what they were going for.

‘?????’: It should be obvious to you by now where this tattoo went wrong. We’re not even sure what they were going for.

‘????? ????? ?????’: Apparently, this tattoo is supposed to say “serenity, strength, courage.” Except that it doesn’t. It just . . . doesn’t.

‘????? ????? ?????’: Apparently, this tattoo is supposed to say “serenity, strength, courage.” Except that it doesn’t. It just . . . doesn’t.

‘????? ???? ?? ? ???? ????’: Your guess is as good as ours.

‘????? ???? ?? ? ???? ????’: Your guess is as good as ours.

If you happen to find yourself in the same position as the rest of these unfortunate souls, just remember the words this guy had tattooed on his arm in giant, unconnected letters: ‘What does not kill you, make you stronger.’

If you happen to find yourself in the same position as the rest of these unfortunate souls, just remember the words this guy had tattooed on his arm in giant, unconnected letters: ‘What does not kill you, make you stronger.’

‘?????’: The first rule in getting a tattoo in Arabic is making sure you have the right word. Then, make sure you spell it correctly. And, finally, you have to write the letters in their correct form. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with gibberish on your arm, like this guy.
‘The large mother’: Not everything translates well from English. ‘Big Mama’ is a common phrase in America but once you write it in Arabic it kind of loses its appeal.
‘Kafir’: Most commonly translated as ‘disbeliever,’ this occaisionally offensive word is used to describe someone who has rejected Islam. It also has ties to apartheid in South Africa. Either way, you wouldn't want to be sporting this tattoo if Daesh were to ever get their hands on you.
‘The honey is sweeter from’: Another classic example of an English phrase comically lost in translation. We’re pretty sure she was going for ‘sweeter than honey’.
‘Fighter’: He got the word right, and he spelled it correctly, but every Arabic speaker knows you have to connect the letters. Sorry, dude - regardless of what your other tattoo might stay - this is a mistake you’ll have to live with the rest of your life.
‘Giving away to the weak’: Giving away what, exactly, we’ll never know.
‘6588992’: I guess I’ll call you?
‘I am rotten’: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” is something you might hear from the guy who got this inked onto his body. A while ago this phrase circulated the internet with the English translation ‘Appreciate life’. Do yourself a favor and check with an Arabic speaker before heading off to the tattoo parlor.
‘Waves crashing them’: So close, yet so far. This is what happens when you rely on Google Translate for your tattoo ideas.
‘?????’: It should be obvious to you by now where this tattoo went wrong. We’re not even sure what they were going for.
‘????? ????? ?????’: Apparently, this tattoo is supposed to say “serenity, strength, courage.” Except that it doesn’t. It just . . . doesn’t.
‘????? ???? ?? ? ???? ????’: Your guess is as good as ours.
If you happen to find yourself in the same position as the rest of these unfortunate souls, just remember the words this guy had tattooed on his arm in giant, unconnected letters: ‘What does not kill you, make you stronger.’
‘?????’: The first rule in getting a tattoo in Arabic is making sure you have the right word. Then, make sure you spell it correctly. And, finally, you have to write the letters in their correct form. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with gibberish on your arm, like this guy.
‘?????’: The first rule in getting a tattoo in Arabic is making sure you have the right word. Then, make sure you spell it correctly. And, finally, you have to write the letters in their correct form. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with gibberish on your arm, like this guy.
‘The large mother’: Not everything translates well from English. ‘Big Mama’ is a common phrase in America but once you write it in Arabic it kind of loses its appeal.
‘The large mother’: Not everything translates well from English. ‘Big Mama’ is a common phrase in America but once you write it in Arabic it kind of loses its appeal.
‘Kafir’: Most commonly translated as ‘disbeliever,’ this occaisionally offensive word is used to describe someone who has rejected Islam. It also has ties to apartheid in South Africa. Either way, you wouldn't want to be sporting this tattoo if Daesh were to ever get their hands on you.
‘Kafir’: Most commonly translated as ‘disbeliever,’ this occaisionally offensive word is used to describe someone who has rejected Islam. It also has ties to apartheid in South Africa. Either way, you wouldn't want to be sporting this tattoo if Daesh were to ever get their hands on you.
‘The honey is sweeter from’: Another classic example of an English phrase comically lost in translation. We’re pretty sure she was going for ‘sweeter than honey’.
‘The honey is sweeter from’: Another classic example of an English phrase comically lost in translation. We’re pretty sure she was going for ‘sweeter than honey’.
‘Fighter’: He got the word right, and he spelled it correctly, but every Arabic speaker knows you have to connect the letters. Sorry, dude - regardless of what your other tattoo might stay - this is a mistake you’ll have to live with the rest of your life.
‘Fighter’: He got the word right, and he spelled it correctly, but every Arabic speaker knows you have to connect the letters. Sorry, dude - regardless of what your other tattoo might stay - this is a mistake you’ll have to live with the rest of your life.
‘Giving away to the weak’: Giving away what, exactly, we’ll never know.
‘Giving away to the weak’: Giving away what, exactly, we’ll never know.
‘6588992’: I guess I’ll call you?
‘6588992’: I guess I’ll call you?
‘I am rotten’: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” is something you might hear from the guy who got this inked onto his body. A while ago this phrase circulated the internet with the English translation ‘Appreciate life’. Do yourself a favor and check with an Arabic speaker before heading off to the tattoo parlor.
‘I am rotten’: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” is something you might hear from the guy who got this inked onto his body. A while ago this phrase circulated the internet with the English translation ‘Appreciate life’. Do yourself a favor and check with an Arabic speaker before heading off to the tattoo parlor.
‘Waves crashing them’: So close, yet so far. This is what happens when you rely on Google Translate for your tattoo ideas.
‘Waves crashing them’: So close, yet so far. This is what happens when you rely on Google Translate for your tattoo ideas.
‘?????’: It should be obvious to you by now where this tattoo went wrong. We’re not even sure what they were going for.
‘?????’: It should be obvious to you by now where this tattoo went wrong. We’re not even sure what they were going for.
‘????? ????? ?????’: Apparently, this tattoo is supposed to say “serenity, strength, courage.” Except that it doesn’t. It just . . . doesn’t.
‘????? ????? ?????’: Apparently, this tattoo is supposed to say “serenity, strength, courage.” Except that it doesn’t. It just . . . doesn’t.
‘????? ???? ?? ? ???? ????’: Your guess is as good as ours.
‘????? ???? ?? ? ???? ????’: Your guess is as good as ours.
If you happen to find yourself in the same position as the rest of these unfortunate souls, just remember the words this guy had tattooed on his arm in giant, unconnected letters: ‘What does not kill you, make you stronger.’
If you happen to find yourself in the same position as the rest of these unfortunate souls, just remember the words this guy had tattooed on his arm in giant, unconnected letters: ‘What does not kill you, make you stronger.’

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