Levantine Arabic: Lesson 1

Question 1

لا تواخذني رأفت بيك. تأخرت عليك. سيارتي تعطلت على الطريق (La tuwaakhizni Ra’fat Beyk. Ta’akhart Aleyk. Sayaarti ta’atalat ‘atari’.)

Answer 1

Don’t hold it against me Mr. Ra’fat. I’m late. My car broke down on the road.

Question 2

شفناك عمرو افندي لما وصلتك رشا لهون (Shifnak Omar Afundi limma wasalatek Rasha lihoon)

Answer 2

We saw you, Mr. Omar, when Rasha brought you here.

Question 3

خلينا نحكي. رأفت بيك, شو القصة؟ ليش ما عم نقدر نشتري الأرض؟ (Khalina nahki. Ra’fat Beyk, shoo al issa? Leysh ma am ne’der neshteri al ard?)

Answer 3

Let’s talk. Mr. Ra’fat, what’s the story? Why can’t we buy the land?

Question 4

المسألة هي… أول شي شو منضيفك عمرو بيك؟ شاي, قهوة, ميلو, كولا؟ (Al masali heyeh… Awal shi sho mindeyfek Omar Beyk? Shay, ahweh, milo, cola?)

Answer 4

The problem is… First of all, what can we get you Mr. Omar? Tea, Coffee, ????, Cola?

Question 5

يا ريت كولا باردة (Ya reyt cola baardeh)

Answer 5

I’d like a cold cola.

Question 6

تكرم. عدنان (Tikrum. Adnan!)

Answer 6

You’re welcome to it. Adnan!

Question 7

أمور معلم (Umoor muallim)

Answer 7

At your service, sir!

Question 8

جبلي كولا بسرعة! مبوز إكتير (Jibli cola bisura. Mbowwiz iktir)

Answer 8

Bring me a cola quickly! Very cold.

Question 9

حاضر معلم (Hadir muallim)

Answer 9

Yes sir!

Question 10

المشكلة إنه الأرض إللي عم تطلبها انت في قطعة منها صاحبها واحد من الضيعة. و هذا الزلمي عنده عناد بشكل إكبير إكتير. ما عم يقبل يتخلع عن أرضه بنوب (Al mishikli innoo al ard illi am tutluba enti fi ‘ata mina sahiba wahid min adaya. Wa hatha azelami andu anaad bi shekl ikbir iktir. Ma am ye’bel yetkhela an ardu ibnobe.)

Answer 10

The problem is that the land you’re asking for, there’s a piece of it that’s owned by someone from the village. And this man is very stubborn. He isn’t accepting to let his land go at all.

Question 11

كيف يعني؟ انت عرضت عليه سعر منيح؟ (Keyf yani? Enta aradt aley sar imneeh?)

Answer 11

How do you mean? You offered him a good price?

Question 12

عرضت عليه طبعاً. بس ما عجبه (Aradt aley taban. Bes ma ajabu.)

Answer 12

I offered him, of course, but he didn’t like it.

Question 13

طيب, المصاري مو مهمة. شو بده عطوه (Tayyib, al masaari moo muhim. Shoo bedu atoo.)

Answer 13

Ok, the money isn’t important. Whatever he wants, give it to him.

Question 14

شلون؟ شو ما بده؟ (Shloan? Shoo ma bedu?)

Answer 14

What? Whatever he wants?

Question 15

شو ما بده (Shoo ma bedu.)

Answer 15

Whatever he wants.

Question 16

بدي ياك تحلل لي هالقصة من هون لبكرة. و هلق عن إذنك (Bedi yak ithellili hal ussa min hoon li bookra. Helleh an iznek.)

Answer 16

I want you to solve this story (problem) for me by tomorrow. Now if you’ll excuse me.

Question 17

الكولا معلم (al cola muallim)

Answer 17

The cola, sir.

Question 18

وصلت الكولا يا بيك. أنا بشربها (wasalat al cola ya beyk. Ana bishruba.)

Answer 18

The cola arrived, sir! Eh, I’ll drink it.

Question 19

لا تواخذني

Answer 19

Don’t blame me/Don’t hold it against me. They say the ذ as a ز in this word and in many words in Levantine.

Question 20

شو منضيفك

Answer 20

What can we get you? The noun ضيف means guest. Here they are using it as a verb. So, you could say “What can we guest you?”, but that wouldn’t really make sense in English. The م in front of the word is added to make things flow better, just like the إ that is inserted before a lot of words like إكتير إكبير.

Question 21

يا ريت

Answer 21

I wish. In this context it means “I’d like” or “I want”.

Question 22

مبوز

Answer 22

cold. It also means angry.

Question 23

ضيعة

Answer 23

village

Question 24

زلمي

Answer 24

man

Question 25

بنوب

Answer 25

at all, ever

Question 26

مصاري

Answer 26

money

Question 27

عن إذنك

Answer 27

with your permission. You say this when you are leaving or asking someone if you can do something. Also, بعد إذنك means the same thing.