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| Audio with Theyab's pronunciation |
Being a foreigner bi-l kuwait brings its challenges, bas none
more so than matters of time.
People may ask "as-saa:ah cham?" but knowing the time
doesn't mean someone won't be late for chai adh-dhuha,
lunch or even a wedding.
Coming from England where being 'fashionably late' equals
5 - 15 daagiigah, it's surprising to learn that in Kuwait someone
could possibly show up saa:atain after the meeting time.
I remember being invited to ghadaa' at 2pm, and on the stroke of 2pm,
being driven to the saluun to prepare my hair for the lunch.
At that point, hand on my heart, I couldn't make sense of anything.
yimkin it's nicer to be relaxed about time, neither too strict nor too lax.
So when Theyab wants to leave the house to not be on time,
but in fact early for a ministry appointment, it's a good time to say:
"taw an-naas inruuH!"
بالكويت
|
bi-l kuwait | In Kuwait |
بس
|
bas | But |
الساعه كم؟
|
as-saa:ah cham? | What time is it? |
شي الظهة
|
chai aDH-DHuhah | Elevenses |
داقيقه
|
daagiigah | Minute (daagiigtain 2 mins, digaayig 3-10 mins, daagiigah thereafter) |
ساعتين
|
saa:atain | Two hours |
الغداء
|
al-ghadaa’ | Lunch |
السلون
|
as-saluun | Beauty parlour |
يمكن
|
yimkin | maybe |
