9ub-l-ii

shuufii-nii!

ziid!

9ubray!

Recently we met with rifjaan (rif-jahn) for lunch who happened to be travelling around awrubaa (ow-ruhb-aa). They brought their three sons, the youngest of whom was slightly daluu3 maamaa (dal-oo-aa mah-mah) but no less gorgeous for it.

Every time his mother would speak to someone at the table, the little boy acted as if it was his cue to start asking her questions.

"Yes, it's much better than -"
"Mama?"

"I mean, it's a much better op -"
"Mama?"

She turned to him, annoyed. "shinuu maamaa?" (shin-oo mah-mah)

The little boy turned red at the unexpected attention. "Um, er, I.."

And with that he scuttled off and started charming some diners on the other side of the restaurant, his toy dog in hand.

Finally sensing she had a bit of peace and quiet, the lady continued listing the pros of being a working mother, when suddenly her youngest came running to her side, his eyes brimming with excitement.

"Mama, Mama, those, those people, over there, they -"

With that, his mother pinched her fingers together and pulled down on the air. "u9bir!" she commanded (us-bir). Instantly he fell silent. The two older boys started giggling.

As she turned back to us with a long-suffering look, her son stuck out his tongue at her and muttered, "no Mama, you, 9ubray!" before running off again as carefree as a only a child can be.

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
رفجان	rifjaan	friends
أوربا	awrubaa	Europe
دلوع ماما	daluu3 maamaa	spoilt / mama's boy (m)
شنو ماما	shinuu maamaa?	What is it, darling?
اصبر!	u9bir!	wait! (>m)

hid-nii

lim-nii

shim!

imsik!

laa t9arikh!

laa t6ayi7-haa!

kammil

i6mur!

6aali3

3ishtaw!

kalimat al-yawm means well, but a9-9araa7ah it veers towards sarcasm.

Imagine for a moment there's a cute yaahil who wants to show you they can do a back flip. You are genuinely impressed that this tiny creature can execute a move that, let's face it, you've not mastered yourself. However, when al-yaahil does the flip again, and again, and again, each time seeking the same approval from you, it's time to nip things in the bud and say: "3ishtaw!"

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
ياهل	yaahil	a child
الياهل	al-yaahil	the child
اليهال	al-yahaal	the children
كلمة	kalimah	a word
كلمة اليوم	kalimat al-yawm	today’s word
الصراحة	a9-9araa7ah	honestly | basically

laa t7ik!

Yes, ash-shitaa2 ('the winter') brings with it frosty nights and dull days, but one of the reasons I grew to love it includes its lack of mosquitoes.

My patience is ma7duud, so when a sad, red welt appears on a leg or arm, I have to go for it. "laa t7ikiin!" comes the voice of reason, making me pocket the offending fingers. That is, until my accuser gets bitten in turn and then we're both shouting each other to "laa t7ik!" and "laa t7ikiin!" as well as co-sharing the scratching ritual. 

The you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours drill is deeply unsexy to an outsider, but one of near-perfect harmony and satisfaction for those involved.

That is, until life rushes in and someone inevitably says laazim amshii al-7ayn. 

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
لا تحك!	laa t7ik!	don’t scratch! (>m)
لا تحكين!	laa t7ikiin!	don’t scratch! (>f)
لا تحكون!	laa t7ikuun!	don’t scratch! (>pl)
محدود	mahduud	limited (m)
محدودة	mahduudah	limited (f)
محدودين	mahduudiin	limited (pl)
لازم أمشي الحين	laazim amshii al-7ayn	I have to go now

6annish

There's nothing like eating ghadaa ('lunch') at a cafe counter-top jiddaam ('in front of') all the action, from the hiss of frying fish to the soft thud of plates being placed before hungry eyes.

And today, there's an extra 9awt ('sound') in the mix: one of the counter-top zabaayin ('customers') is shouting at a waiter, pointing distastefully at the coffee before him. 

"7u6 ziyaadah!" the customer yells. 

The waiter rolls his eyes and reaches for the almost-empty qarsah ('bottle') behind him. He takes a pen and draws a line near the top of the bottle. "This is where the level was before you started coming here for lunch. Now look where it is."

The customer dismisses the waiter with his hand. "6annish!"

The waiter laughs, "ataghashmar, here you go" and proceeds to pour the remainder of the bottle until the coffee is ready to spill over onto the counter-top.

Suddenly the conversation to other side of me takes precedence.

"... and I really didn't want to hang out with her, so when she called 6annasht-haa."

"Nice. Then what happened?"

"She rang so much that I had to pick up in the end. And the first thing she says to me? 'shraay-ik baachir?' So I was like, 'shraay-ich ... al-qarn al-yaay?'"

Like I said, it's never a dull day when you're sat at a cafe counter-top.

Arabic	Pronounced?	English
طنّش	6annish	Forget it (>m)!
طنشي	6anshay	Forget it (>f)!
طنشوا	6anshaw	Forget it (>pl)!
طنّشته	6annasht-ah	I ignored him
طنّشتها	6annasht-haa	I ignored her
طنّشتهم	6annasht-hum	I ignored them
شرايك باچر؟	shraay-ik baachir?	How about tomorrow (>m)?
شرايچ القرن الياي؟	shraay-ich al-qarn al-yaay?	How about next century (>f)?

haak

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

- yibiil-ii biirrah!

shinuu? maa gilt-lii chithii, 9a7?

- imbalah, gilt-ich!

laa, maa gilt-ii wa maa yi9iir tguul-ii chidhii, 3aib.

- laa triddiin!

hadday, maabii athaawash.

- laazim tisma3ii-nii liin akhalli9 al-jumlah!

...

- yibiil-ii biirrah ... please ... darling!

...haak! (spills the beer on his lap).

يبيلي بيرة	yibiilii biirrah	Bring me beer! (>f)
ما قلتلي چذي	maa gilt-lii chidhii	You didn’t just say that
صح	9a7	Right?
إمبلة	imbalah	I did!
ما يصير تقولي چذي، عب	maa yi9iir tguul-ii chidhii, 3aib	You shouldn’t say things like that to me
لا تردين	laa triddiin	Don’t argue
هدي	hadd-ay	Calm down! (>f)
ما ابي اتهاوش	maabii athaawash	I don’t want to fight
لازم تسمعيني لين اخلص الجملة	laazim tisma3ii-nii liin akhalli9 al-jumlah	You should listen until I finish the sentence
هاك \ هاچ	haak / haach	Here, take it (>m/f)