khal-naa n3iid



Though today's word is written khal-naa n3iid you're more likely to hear it pronounced khan3iid. This type of shortening of 'contraction' is common in spoken Kuwaiti, and is worth listening out for.

Here are some other examples:

khanshuuf  from khal-naa nshuuf meaning 'let's see'
khanruu7 from is khal-naa nruu7 meaning 'let's go' 
khansawiih from khal-naa nsawii-ah meaning 'let's do it'

Today's word, whether contracted or said in full, is a good one to learn for those moments when you've tried (way too many times) to pronounce a Kuwaiti word and people are looking at you the way they might say, an exotic species from outer space.  With a quick khan3iid, you wipe the slate clean and swiftly move on to something else.

If however, you're on the other end of the communication struggle, by simply saying 3iid! (>m) or 3iiday! (>f) the person you're speaking to will repeat shinuu gaal, hopefully more slowly and with fewer verbal shortcuts.


Arabic Pronounced? English

عيد!
3iid! Say that again (>m)!
عيدي!
3iiday! Say that again (>f)!
عيدوا!
3iidaw! Say that again (>pl)!
عيد
3iid festival
شنو قال shinuu gaal what he said
شنو قالت shinuu gaalat what she said

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