agu6-ah

ay naw3?

ay 7azzah?

shlawn al-ahal?

laysh?

yanayt?

staanast?

staanist bi l-wiikind? is a classic a conversation starter on your first day back of work. But mind who you ask - especially when a colleague comes into the office wearing a look of death. Then their answer is going be about as far from "kaan 3ajiib" as possible.

staanistay bi l-wiikind? the chipper intern asks her boss as the stern-eyed lady swoops onto her desk, dumps her YSL bag, disarms her bluetooth, tablet, iPhone, spritzes her wrists with Chanel No. 5 then slumps into her leather seat with a pout. The rest of the workers silently cringe at the intern's naivety. Because they know what's coming.

The boss lady growls at her intern "Fun? laa wa aallah," she sneers, before lighting up a cigarette. "It should have been a nice peaceful getaway ma3a my husband, and only ma3a-h, but as always, mother insists on joining us. Then that ungrateful man cancels at the last minute, so I ends up going on holiday ma3a-haa."

The intern bites her lip, struggling to think of an appropriate reply, but before she does the office door bursts open to reveal a fur-clad lady who is the spitting image of the boss lady, only a generation older.

"7abiibtii ('darling') forgive me barging in on you at work, but I was passing by and wanted to know if you'd join me next weekend for another trip. Seeming as we had so much fun bi l-wiikind."

The boss lady goes pale. And the intern pipes up: "Looks like the weekend maa khala9!"

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
ستانست بالويكند؟	staanist bi l-wiikind?	Did you have fun at the weekend? (>m)
ستانستي بالويكند؟	staanistay bi l-wiikind?	Did you have fun at the weekend? (>f)
ستانستوا بالويكند؟	staanistaw bi l-wiikind?	Did you have fun at the weekend? (>pl)
لا والله	laa wa aallah	not really
كان عجيب	kaan 3ajiib	it was amazing
ما خلص	maa khala9	is not over yet
معه	ma3a-h	with him
معها	ma3a-haa	with her
معهم	ma3a-hum	with them

shdaraa-k?

Today we meet another contraction which has been formed from a crush of shinuu (what) darraa ('made realise') -ik (you, male).

The question shdaraa-k? could be made out of genuine curiosity, for instance: shdaraa-k that I'm going out on a secret date?

Depending on the tone however, the very same question could be bitterly ironic. shdaraa-k? you pout when somebody mean accuses you of having raas full of air. A more apt translation in English would be, 'how would you know?'

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
شدراك؟	shdaraa-k?	How do you know (>m)?
شدراچ؟	shdaraa-ch?	How do you know (>f)?
شدراكم؟	shdaraa-kum?	How do you know (>pl)?
راس	raas	a head
شنو دراني؟	shinuu daraa-nii?	How would I know?

mitaa as-sahrah?

I remember well those late night conversations around a library table that begin with a rueful nod and the words: ana sahraan ('I'm staying up late').

Or when the next day a friend stares deeply into your bloodshot eyes wondering whether it was business or pleasure that has left you in such a state. I will confirm the former: no, it's just that sahart ams ('I stayed up late last night') and not 7ag sahrah ('for a gathering') but to finish an essay that was successfully ignored for over a month.

Ah, she says somewhat concerned, b-tishariin al-laylah 3ashaan tshuufiin al-muubaarah?

Oh yes, b-ashar, I reply loyally. Even if I'm so tired that men throwing balls into nets will stop making sense to me altogether.

	Arabic	Pronounced?	English
	انا سهران	ana sahraan	I’m staying up late (m)
	انا سهرانة	ana sahraanah	I’m staying up late (f)
	احنا سهرانين	a7naa sahraaniin	We’re staying up late (pl)
	باسهر	bi-as-har	I will be staying up late
	سهرت	sahart	I stayed up late
	بتسهر الليلة عشان تشوف المباراة؟	bi-tis-har al-laylah 3ashaan tshuuf al-mubaaraah?	Will you stay up late to watch the match (>m)?
	بتسهرين الليلة عشان تشوفين المباراة؟	bi-tis-hariin al-laylah 3ashaan tshuufiin al-mubaaraah?	Will you stay up late to watch the match (>f)?
	بتسهرون الليلة عشان تشوفون المباراة؟	bi-tis-haruun al-laylah 3ashaan tshuufuun al-mubaaraah?	Will you all stay up late to watch the match (>pl)?

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)