ammur

When I'm on the way out of the house, maybe someone will ask me if ammur such-and-such a place, and whether I can pick something up for them.

If I'm headed in the opposite direction, I'll remember the itinerary of someone else in the house and say: "maa agdr ammur-ah ('I can't pass by there') but I think your aunt b-tammur that particular store this morning, so maybe ask her to get what you need?"

If however, I can carry out the favour, the likelihood is that on Kuwait's roads, I'll get lost. So unless I know the destination already, I'll end up parked on a sandy verge in the middle of nowhere - and calling around for more instructions. And these were: 

"6uuf-ay the roundabout, then take the second left, then take a right and 6uuf-ay the big white house."

Whatever happened to navigating by road names? There seem to be a lot of big white houses. I start to panic, not able to find the store. But suddenly, what luck! The driver who yammur looks familiar. And he's slowing down to greet me. It's my uncle!

I roll down the window. "mistaansah ashuuf-ik!" I say, then blurt out: "I need to get to this store, if you have time can we nammur together?" 

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
أمر	ammur	I pass by
تمر	tmmur	You pass by (>m)
تمرين	tmuriin	You pass by (>f)
تمرون	tmuruun	You pass by (>pl)
نمر	nmmur	We pass by
يمر	ymmur	He passes by
تمر	tmmur	She passes by
يمرون	ymmuruun	They pass by
طوف!	6uuf!	go past! (>m)
طوفي!	6uuf-ay!	go past! (>f)
طوفوا!	6uuf-aw!	go past! (>pl)
مستانسة أشوفك	mistaansah ashuuf-ik	I’m pleased to see you (f>m)