This is the 2078th most frequent Arabic word.
بدلا
"بدلا" means "instead" or "in place of."
The word بدلا is used to indicate a substitution or an alternative choice.
ذهبت إلى المكتبة بدلا من الحديقة.
I went to the library instead of the park.
Here, بدلا is used to suggest a preferable alternative to an action.
يفضل أن نعمل بجهد بدلا من الانتظار بلا فائدة.
It is preferable to work hard instead of waiting in vain.
In this instance, بدلا specifies a selected option over another.