ghayart raay-ik?

wakhir 3an wayh-ii!

waraa-nii

bas-ik!

laa t2adhii-nii!

tsaji-l-ii

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

Most mornings, I ask Theyab: "tigdr tsaji-l-ii 9awt-ik?" so I can hear and learn the sounds of Kuwaiti Arabic.

تقدر...؟	tigdr ...?	Can you ...?
صوتك	9awt-ik	Your voice (>m)
صوتچ	9awt-ich	Your voice (>f)

dawr-ik

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

Some phrases don't seem obvious ones to learn, but when you do commit them to memory, they open doors and buy you time.

"Please tighasl the dishes."

"What? Why me?"

"It's dawr-ik!"

دورك	dawr-ik	Your turn (>m)
دورچ	dawr-ich	Your turn (>f)
تغسل	tighasl	You clean (>m)
تغسلين	tighasliin	You clean (>f)

3aa2ilt-ii

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

I live in Barcelona but 3aa2ilt-ii saakniin in England and Kuwait.

cham 9aar-lii living here? Close to three sniin now. al-ayaam tarki’9!

barshaluunah is a great place to live, but ta3jib-nii always? 3ala 7asab.

It's like algebra: if on a given (D)ay there are a greater number of (T)opless women on the beach relative to freshly grilled (S)ardines, then yimkin laa.

عائلتي	3aa2ilt-ii	My family
ساكنين	saakniin	Lives (pl)
چم صارلي	cham 9aar-lii	How long have I been
سنة سنتين سنين سنة	sanah santayn sniin sanah	1 year 2 years 3 - 10 years 11+ years
الايام تركض	al-ayaam tarki'9	Time flies
برشلونة	barshaluunah	Barcelona
تعجبني	ta3jib-nii	Do I like it
على حسب	3ala 7asab	It depends

makwit-ii

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

Today's phrase is a double-edged sword. Say ikhidh-ay raa7-tich to any woman between the age of adolescence and retirement and you may as well begin that jigsaw puzzle that you've been putting off.

So "ikhidh raa7-tik" means "take your time" as said to a man, “ikhidhay raa7-tich” to a woman.

This phrase certainly comes in handy when the following crops up:

"Shall I try on this dress? Or shall akhidh this nafnuuf instead?"

"What about al-nafnuuf al-azrag?"

"shraay-ik b-hadhaa al-akh’6ar?"

"Does maqwit-ii look kabiirah in this?"

"Should I try any of them on?"

"maa 3nd-ik maani3 tan6ir-ii shwayah ba3d?"

اخذ! اخذي!	ikhidh! ikhidhay!	Take (>m/>f)!
اخذي راحتچ!	ikhidhay raa7-tich!	Take your time (>f)
النفنوف	an-nafnuuf	The dress
الازرق	al-azrag	The blue one (m)
شرايك	shraay-ik?	What do you think? (>m)
بهذا	b-hadhaa	About
الأخظر	al-akh'6ar	The green one (m)
مكوتي	maqwit-ii	My bum
كبيرة	kabiirah	Big (f)
عندي مانع	3ind-ik maani3	Do you mind? (>m)
تنطرني شوية بعد	tan6ir-ii shwayah ba3d	You'll wait for me a little longer?

wayh-ik

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

According to official statistics, the third largest religion in Kuwait is Instagram. I've tried very hard to escape its clutches, and have failed miserably.

Instagram would initially take pride of place at the odd event, but now it has moved into shuqqat-naa, eats dinner ma3aa-naa and wears khaatam zawaaj.

mumkin t9awr-lii 9uurah? is code for spiritual surrender to the almighty Apple. Out comes Father iPhone. And worship begins.

"What shakl of filter?"

"shinuu aktib for Facebook?"

"ay social media?"

"I look bad in that shot ... take it again!"

"inzayn, nabii shay thaanii?" I wonder.

شقتنا	shuqqat-naa	Our apartment
معانا	ma3aa-naa	With us
جاتم  زواج	khaatam zawaaj	A wedding ring
ممكن تصورلي صورة؟	mumkin t9awr-lii 9uurah?	Can you take a photo?
شكل	shakl	Shape, sort, type
شنو اكتب	shinuu aktib	What should I write
اي	ay	Which
انزين، نبي شي ثاني؟	inzayn, nabii shay thaanii?	So I wonder what else we want?