Table of Contents
Notes.......................................................................................................................... 3
Abbreviations............................................................................................................. 4
The Levant.................................................................................................................. 4
What is ash-Sham?.................................................................................................. 6
What to Expect in the Levantine Countries................................................................6
Lebanon.................................................................................................................. 6
Jordan...................................................................................................................... 6
Palestine.................................................................................................................. 7
Syria........................................................................................................................ 7
Levantine Cultural Notes............................................................................................ 7
The Levantine Dialect............................................................................................... 10
Spelling Conventions................................................................................................ 11
How Arabic Diglossia Works..................................................................................... 12
Levantine Alphabet Pronunciation............................................................................ 14
The Basics: Pronunciation & Possession...................................................................16
The LA ( taa-marbooTa) (lit. the tied taa)........................................................16
The LA ( qof)....................................................................................................... 17
LA Pronouns.......................................................................................................... 17
Possession: Differences from MSA........................................................................19
Possession........................................................................................................ 20
Question Words.................................................................................................. 21
To have............................................................................................................... 23
To Be Able To / Can................................................................................................ 25
An Alternative Method........................................................................................... 27
Negation................................................................................................................... 28
Demonstrative Pronouns.......................................................................................... 31
There is / There are.................................................................................................. 33
How much vs. How many?........................................................................................ 34
To Go..................................................................................................................... 35
Not at All! (And never).......................................................................................... 37
What happened?!..................................................................................................... 38
The Present Tense..................................................................................................... 39
The Future Tense...................................................................................................... 42
The Past Tense.......................................................................................................... 44
Expressing Desire, to want to................................................................................ 48
Which/That/Who... The Relative Pronoun...............................................................49
Usage of ghayr...................................................................................................... 50
Imperatives.............................................................................................................. 51
Negative Imperatives............................................................................................... 52
Comparatives........................................................................................................... 52
Superlatives.............................................................................................................. 54
Practice Passages..................................................................................................... 55
Passage One.......................................................................................................... 56
Passage Two.......................................................................................................... 58
Passage Three....................................................................................................... 60
Passage Four......................................................................................................... 61
Passage Five.......................................................................................................... 63
Passage Six........................................................................................................... 64
Passage Seven...................................................................................................... 65
Extended Dictionary................................................................................................. 67
Notes
3
Abbreviations
adj Adjective
LA Levantine Arabic
f. - feminine
m. - masculine
prep. - preposition
pl. - plural
The Levant
Levantine Arabic (LA) is the dialect of Arabic spoken in the Levant,
historically referred to as The Holy Land in the West. The word Levant
comes from the French word of the same spelling, meaning rising, a
metaphor alluding to the rise of the Sun in the east. We will see later that
Sunni Islam is by far the preeminent religion of the Levant, but other
religious groups exist in the region as well. It is home to Shi'a Muslims, the
Druze, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Yazidis, Alawites, and many
others. Anyone that keeps up with international news is well aware that this
melding of religious groups can often lead to political strife and bloody
conflicts, as showcased in the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and the
ongoing (at the time of writing) Syrian Civil War.
The Levant, however, offers stunning examples of natural beauty and human
ingenuity. From the Roman temple of Baalbek and Lebanons liberal capital of
Beirut, to Jordan's Petra (which attracts 600,000 visitors per year) the Levant
is truly the cultural hub of the Middle East and arguably the entire Arab
world.
What is ash-Sham?
The term
(ash-sham ) was originally a historical term for greater Syria.
Greater Syria can kind of be interpreted as the Levant, but not quite.
Basically, no one can say for sure where Greater Syria begins and ends. In
fact, it doesn't really matter anymore, because this usage is now nearly
obsolete.
The modern definition ash-sham is twofold: Syria and Damascus. You'll
really just have to determine which one is implied by examining the context.
If you're in Aleppo and a local tells you that he's about to head to ash-Sham,
you can assume he means Damascus. But if you're explaining to him that
you went to Damascus yesterday, and he suggests that you see the rest of
ash-Sham, it's obvious that he means Syria. Confused yet?
Lebanon
Along with Jordan, as a westerner on a typical vacation or business trip,
youre most likely to travel to Lebanon. Formerly referred to as the
Switzerland of the Middle East, Lebanons tourist industry suffered greatly
during its bloody sectarian civil war (1975-1990), but has rebounded a great
deal since. In Lebanon, you can travel from the beach for sunbathing to the
mountains to ski in a matter of hours. Nightclubs, bars, and shopping options
fill the streets of Beirut and other major cities. The Lebanese people are
famously welcoming, warm, and liberal, and it is possibly the most liberal of
any Arab nation.
Jordan
Teeming with history, Jordan attracts millions of tourists annually to its sites
and cities. The Jordanian people are incredibly hospitable, and while more
conservative than the Lebanese, are still among the most liberal of the Arab
nations. Jordanians enjoy relative peace and security within their borders, in
a region known for strife and violence. A trip around Jordan could involve
encounters with Bedouins, a camel ride across Wadi Rum (the Rum Valley), or
marveling in the ancient site of Petra, a Nabataean settlement dating to
before Christ.
7
Palestine
Considered part of the Holy Land, Palestine is a hub for Christian, Muslim,
and Jewish religious pilgrims. Because it is made up of two major regions, the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, your experiences can vary. Although it has
been under Israeli occupation for decades, the West Bank is a relatively
prosperous and safe place to visit. The Gaza Strip, however, is generally
considered quite dangerous and is facing serious problems resulting from an
Israeli blockade enacted years ago, as well as internal political strife.
Syria
Engulfed in a civil war at the time of writing, Syria is not exactly a hot-spot
destination for most westerners today. During peacetime, it was known to be
a secure country with a secular government. In recent history the Syrians
have been relatively liberal, but since the Civil War began, the government
has really begun to push secularism and liberality even further in an effort to
distance themselves from religious extremists to whom they are opposed.
Hopefully in the near future, Syria will once again be a great place to explore
the past and present.
10
12
Spelling Conventions
LA is not always as it seems! Because LA is a primarily spoken language, it is
absolutely crucial that when reading it (online, in text messages, etc.) you
pay more attention to the sounds which would be produced by the writing,
rather than trying to make it fit into a strict grammatical and orthographic
framework.
LA speakers will often write words exactly as they sound to them, rather than
as they should be written according to conventional rules of Arabic. Basically,
written LA has only one rule: there are no rules.
Examples:
13
This is where the dialects come into play. To an Arab, his dialect is his main
method of daily, spoken communication. You will only see dialects written in
very informal settings like on social media or in text messages with your
friends. Therefore, speaking a dialect is a great way to communicate with
Arabs at home or in the Arab world on a more personal level.
14
Arabic Letter
Anglicized
name
MSA
Pronunciation
Levantine
Pronunciation
Transliteration
in this book
alef
baa
jeem
zh
zh
dal
ha
waw (wow)
w, oo
w, oo
w, oo
zayn
haa (hard h
sound, as if
exhaling)
Taaw (hard t
sound)
taa
taa
ya
y, ee
y, ee
y, ee
15
kaf
laam
meem
nuun
seen
'ayn (the
sound comes
from the
throat)
'a
'a
'
faa
sod (hard s
sound, made
with lips in a
circular
shape)
qoff (gutteral
k sound)
q, or sound is
often
dropped
raa
sheen
sh
sh
sh
taa
thaa
th
th / s
th / s
khaa (throat
kh
kh
kh
16
sound that
everyone
associates
with Arabic
and German)
thal
th / dh
th / dh / z
z, dh, th (in
that order of
frequency)
dodd (hard d
sound)
dh
dh
zaa
za, dha
z, zah, th
z, th
gh
gh
ghyan (similar gh
to the French
r)
The LA
(taa-marbooTa)
17
MSA Pronunciation of
LA Pronunciation of
The LA
( certificate) shahada
shahade
( qof)
One of the most confusing features of LA for prior students of MSA is the LA
MSA pronounciation of
LA pronouncation of
( worried) qalqan
' al'an
18
LA Pronouns
LA Pronoun
LA transliteration
English meaning
Ana
Inta
Intee
huwa
hiyya
Intoo
( )
Nihna /
(sometimes Ihna)
hinneh
I
You (m.)
You (f.)
He / it (m.)
She / it (f.)
You (pl.)
We
They
To form possession in LA (as well as MSA), the speaker adds a letter or series
of letters to the end of the noun which is possessed. LA and MSA possession
is similar, but LA is generally more simple.
Pronoun
Possessive
Pronoun
Example
19
Transliterati
on
Translation
Kitabee
My book
(m.)
(-ak)
Kitabak
(f.)
(-ek)
Kitabek
Your (m.)
book
Your (f.) book
Kitabo
Kitabha
/ Kitaba Her book
Kitabko
n
Kitabna
Kitabho
n
His book
Your (pl.)
book
Our book
Their book
Possession
20
of
will create a structure that can be informally translated as the of
. For Example
Question Words
21
English
Arabic
Transliterati Alternatives
on
meen
Who
shu
What
wayn
Where
imta
When
Notes
( aysh)
( mita)
When not
asking a
question, use
( lemma ),
i.e. I saw you
when you
left
laysh
Why
keef
How
Which
( ley )
(shlawn)
ay (said
like the
English
letter I)
22
meen hadak alrajal?
Who is that man?
shu ismak?
What is your name?
wayn te'3 madinat Sayda?
Where is the city of Sidon located?
imta bidak tinzal 3 alhafl e?
When do you want to go (down) to the party?
laysh mish jahaze lissa?
Why are you (f) still not ready?
keef bidna noosal li honak
How are we going to arrive there? (Lit. How do we want to arrive to
there?)
23
To have
Pronoun
Conjugated
Transliteration
3ndee
3ndak
3ndek
3ndo
3nda
3ndkon
3ndna / (3nna
this is more
( m.)
( f.)
24
common)
3ndon
aysh 3ndak fi jaybtak?
What do you have in your pocket?
,
.
3ndee 'akl kteer fi baytee hala', mish Darooree tishtaree aktar
I have a lot of food in my house now; you don't have to buy more.
(lit. it's not necessary to buy more)
al-Hal 3nna (Note: this is the name of a Lebanese TV program)
We have the solution.
Another noteworthy feature of both MSA and Arabic dialects is the more
25
.
ana hala' 3nd rafee'ee Tare', bas rah arj3 b3d kem da'ee'a
I'm at my friend Tareq's house right now, but I'll return in a few
minutes.
abook 3ndak Haleeyan?
Is your father with you currently?
bil3Tlay ana wa martee ruhna 3nd emee
Over the break, my wife and I went to my mother's (house).
To Be Able To / Can
LA has two main ways to express ability, or that one can do something.
These two words are
Pronoun
Conjugated
Transliterated
Translated
b'idr
I can
26
(m.)
bt'idr
(f.)
bt'dree
by'idr
bt'idr
bt'idroo
min'idr
by'idroo
bat3rafee tiktabee bilkhaT al3rabi?
Can you write in Arabic script?
bt'idroo tijoo m3ee 3 almaktabe al-layla?
27
An Alternative Method
Pronoun
Conjugated
feenee
feek
feekee
( m.)
( f.)
Transliterated
Translated
I can
You (m) can
fee (like
feea
feekon
feena
He can
She can
You (pl) can
We can
28
feeon
They can
kaman feek taHkee bil-fus-Ha?
ey, feenee bas bafadhal ahkee bil lahje hayk
Yes, I can, but I prefer to speak in dialect like this.
29
Negation
The process of negating verbs and adjectives/adverbs in LA differs greatly
from its MSA counterpart. The following words are the most common and
universal ways to negate in LA:
LA Negator
Transliterati English
on
Equivalent
ma
mish
moo
Generally
used in
Notes
not
Entire Levant
Negates
verbs. Can be
used for
negating
commands.
not
Palestine /
Lebanon
Negates
adjectives
and adverbs
not
Syria / Jordan
Negates
adjectives
and adverbs
30
la
(do) not
Entire Levant
Generally
used for
negating
commands,
along with
Note that all of these words will be understood by all speakers of LA,
regardless of their nationality.
Examples:
ma ruhna 3alsoo' al-youm
We didn't go to the market today.
ya ustaz, inta mish falasTeenee?
(Hey) sir (or professor), are you not Palestinian?
alniswan albritaniyya moo mslime
The British woman is not Muslim.
31
la t3ml hayk, min fadhlak
Don't do that, please.
manee sagheer bilsin
I am not young. (lit. Small in age)
manak kteer b3eed 3nee
You are not very far (away) from me.
makon tawwal
You (pl) are not tall.
mana sooreyeen
We are not Syrians.
32
Demonstrative Pronouns
LA has masculine and feminine equivalents of the English demonstrative
pronouns (this, that, these, those) eight in total (not including alternates).
Dem.
Pronoun
(masculine)
Transliterati
on
(feminine)
Transliterati
on
hada
This
hadee /
hai
hadak
hadeek
That
Dem.
Pronoun
These
(masculine)
Transliterati
on
hadol
33
(feminine)
Transliterati
on
hadol
Those
hadolak
Alternatively, (and much more simply) you can just use the letter
by the definite pronoun
haidole
ek
followed
haidoleek assayarat kteer fakhme
Those cars are very luxurious.
meen hada arrajal? bt3rafo?
Who is this man? Do you know him?
hadak albint kteer jamile
That girl is very pretty
wallah halfundu' beeyakhad al3'al
I swear, this hotel is amazing! (Lit. this hotel takes the mind)
34
fee in
ma fee , or in some
localities,
(fi sh ) or
(ma fi sh ). You'll be universally
understood regardless of which option you choose.
fee lughat matakalame kteere fi babwa gheeniya aljadeede
There are many spoken languages in Papua New Guinea.
ma fee salam bihalbalad
There is no peace in this land.
35
fi sh nas bilhadi'a hala
There are no people in the park right now.
How much
'adaysh \ 'aday
How many
kem
'adaysh as-saa3a?
What time is it? (lit. how much is the hour?)
36
kem dolar 3ndak fi mahfathtak?
How many dollars do you have in your wallet?
'adaysh 3mrak
How old are you? (lit. how much is your age?)
kem benadoora ishtarayt bilsoo'?
How many tomatoes did you buy at the market?
37
To Go
(raH ).
Present
Past
Pronoun
38
) (m.
) (f.
ruHtoo inta wa Habib 3 aldakan alyom wala la?
Did you and Habib go to the shop today or not?
inta ruHt m3 rafee'ak 3 bayto
You went with your friend to his house.
raH nrooH sawa iza ma 3ndak man3
We'll go together if you don't have an objection.
3mar beerooH 3 almadrase kul yom
Amer goes to school every day.
39
to
guy.
with
( bnoub ).
Remember not to use
never
to say
What happened?!
Pronoun
( m.)
( f.)
Past
Present
41
shu Sar bilHafl e mbaraH billayl?
What happened at the party last night?
ana Surt muhamee b3d tadreeb S3b kteer
I became a lawyer after very diffi cult training.
lamma shufna alawlad, Surna nabkee ana wa martee
When we saw the children, my wife and I started crying.
!!
yellah! Sar lon khams sa3at 3m yenTarook
42
Come on! They've been waiting for you for fi ve hours (lit. It
became for them fi ve hours they are awaiting you)
Pronoun
Formula
Example
...
43
Transliteratio
n
Translation
ana
biktab
I write
inta
btiktab
inti
You (f) write
btiktabee
...
...
...
huwa
biyktab
He writes
hiyya
btaktab
She writes
intoo
You (pl) write
btiktaboo
niHna
minktab
We write
hinna
beeyikta
boo
They write
You can generally leave out the pronoun when speaking Arabic; it's really
only necessary for the purposes of clarification or emphasis.
huwwa beeyerkaD min baytee 3 bayt akhee
He runs from my house to my brother's house
!!
Mashallah! Hinna beeye'raoo kitab jdeed kul yom
How great! They read a new book every day.
44
Inta btakhad seeartee 3 shaghalak b3d althuhur
You take my car to your work in the afternoon.
Pronoun
Formula
...
Example
Transliterati
on
raH
ashoof
45
Translation
I will see
...
raH
tshoof
...
raH
tshoofe
e
...
raH
yeshoof
He will see
...
raH
tashoof
...
raH
tshoofo
o
....
raH
nshoof
We will see
....
raH
yeshoof
oo
Exercises:
raH nrooH 3 maktab almuHamee bukra
shu raH t3maloo yom letnayn? (NOTE: the alef is absorbed into
the word, thus not pronounced. This happens occasionally in
dialects)
raH yekoon 3ndek alforSa tijee m3na 3alshaT?
,
ay, raH rooH m3kon, bes awalan lazem ashtaree kam shee.
Translations:
48
The past tense is pretty logical to form if you are familiar with the other
tenses. Rather than prefixing letters to the root verb, you should suffix them
to create the past tense. Below is the past tense conjugation for
write* .
, to
* Note that in Arabic, the most simplified form of the verb (like the
infinitive in many Western languages) is the past-tense, masculine,
third-person conjugation. So while I (and others) will often say that
Pronoun
Formula
Example
Transliterati
on
Translation
...
katbit
I wrote
...
katbait
...
(change
nothing)
katab
He wrote
...
katabt
She wrote
...
...
katabn
a
We wrote
...
katabo
o
They wrote
49
Also note that just like in MSA, in LA, hollow verbs will drop letters in some
conjugations in the past tense. For example, I went
and we said
. .
alzahar ma fahamt. ma fi 3nna wazayaf
arrajal Sarakh fee baytna, faTaradna ya
shu Sar m3kon imbaraH bilmahrajan?
si'na min bayroot 3 damashq
3Taytoonee kam dolar bas ma beekefee
50
Translations:
51
Pronoun
Structure
Transliteration
bidee
bidak
bidek
bido
bida
bidkon
bidna
bidon
bidee ashoof hadak alfi lm 'abalma barja3 3 lubnan
52
bidna shwayet maSaree aDafee
We want a little bit of additional money.
shu bidak ya zalame?! kulna 3m nanTarak
What do you want, man?! We're all waiting for you
53
However, remember that just like in MSA, you need to refer back to the noun
that you're talking about when you form your verb. Here's an example:
She's the woman that I told you about [her]
Notice that while in English, we would end the sentence with about,
in Arabic you must clarify that you're talking about her
More examples:
He's the man who I saw [him] two days ago
This is the car which I traveled in [it] to Beirut.
54
So, the lesson here is to always refer back to your subject when using
incomplete.
Usage of ghayr
While its usage is pretty straightforward in MSA, learners of LA may find
the word
use
1
2
3
4
1. This book is un-Islamic
2. Life like that is unnatural
3. We can talk another time
4. I want to see someone other than him. [besides him]
55
Imperatives
The process of forming an imperative verb should be familiar to MSA
speakers. First, take your present-tense conjugated verb for third person
singular, such as
. Next, remove the
prefix (byuktub will now
be uktub ; byirja3 will now be irja3 ). Stop there if your imperative is
directed at a male.
Negative Imperatives
Then add
nd
Person conjugation
Comparatives
1. To form the comparative in LA, first take a look at your standard adjective.
- kabeer - big
2. Remove the final vowel from the adjective. If the adjective ends with a
vowel, remove the penultimate vowel. When there is no vowel in the
adjective, skip this step.
You may notice slight changes to this process when you're comparativeizing adjectives that end in vowels.
57
Other examples:
Original
Translitera
tion
English
Comparat
ive
Transliter
ation
English
Saghe
er
small
aSgh
ar
ghale
e
aghla
Heloo
aHla
zakee
azka
kteer
aktar
ghare
eb
aghra
b
more
expensive
nice/sweet
/
beautiful
smart
a lot /
much
strange
smaller
more
expensive
nicer/sweet
er/
more
beautiful
smarter
more
stranger
Tawee
l
tall
aTwal
muhi
m
aham
important
* irregular form
58
taller
more
important
Superlatives
beforehand.
For example,
You can also form the superlative contextually, by following the comparative
adjective with a noun.
'Emad is the tallest student in the class
The most important thing, in my opinion, is health.
59
Practice Passages
Passage One
1
marHhaba john. Keefak?
2 .
ana mneeH ya muHammad. wa inta?
1 .
kteer mneeH, shukran. keef alSaHa? shu akhbarak?
2 . ,
60
1 .
!
waSalt abal shee sa3tayn. Al-tas kteer shawb hawn bi-bayroot!
ashawb bi-kteer mn noo-york
2 . !
eh, m3k ha! izan, ahlan bik fee lubnan. Lazam t3ml shee abal ma
miniTl3 min almaTar?
1. .!
.
shukran! Bas lazam ajeeb shanaTee. B3d hayk, feena nrooH.
2.
tayeb, yellah
2 Everythings perfect, theres nothing new. When did you arrive to the
airport?
1- I arrived about two hours ago. Its very warm here in Beirut! Much warmer
than in New York.
2 Yeah, youre right! Well, welcome to Lebanon. Do you need to do
anything before we leave the airport?
1 Thanks! I just need to get my bags, then we can go.
2- Alright, come on.
Passage Two
1.
SabaH alkahyr ya sameer, shu 3m bt3ml?
2. ...
Ana... bas 3m b3ml shwayet baHhas
1.
3 shu 3m bitbaHas
2.
bidee aHjaz kam tazkara li raHala Tayran min damashq ila barees
62
1.
imta bitakhaTaT timshee?
2. .
alshahar aljaee inshallah. Iza balaee s3r munasib
1.
yellah, bi tawfi inshallah
63
Passage Three
1.
shakhbarak ya Habib? shu 3malt bil 3tle?
2. ,
fi sh akhbar ya samir, bil 3tle ana wa 3ayeltee ruHna 3 mantaza
yooseemeetee alwaTanee
1. .
Wallah? Sm3at asheeya kteer mumtaze 3no. huwa kteer jameel,
SaHiH?
2. .!
Ey! Beyakhad alaal. imbasaTna kteer kteer
64
1.
3ndkon khuTuT terj3oo?
2.
la lissa bas inshallah ma rah intawwal
1. Whats new with you, Habib? What did you over the weekend? (lit. in the
break)
2. Theres nothing new, Samir. During the weekend, my family and I went to
Yosemite National Park.
1. Really? I heard excellent things about it. Its very beautiful, right?
2. Yes, it blows your mind! We really really enjoyed ourselves.
1. Do you all have plans to return?
2. No, not yet, but hopefully we wont be too long
65
Passage Four
1.
ya sameera, shu hiya khaTaTek bil-jam3a?
2.
y3ni shu bidee adras? hayk taSad?
1.
eywa, y3ni adab aw shee min al-3loom?
2.
bilhaeea alwalidayn iqtn3oonee idras 3lm alaHiya alsine aljaya
1. !
3n jad? Ana GideG rah idras 3lm alaHiya! mumkin raH yekoon 3nna
SuF sawa
2. !
inshallah! raH nshoof areeban
66
Passage Five
1.
leyh 3m btDaHak? Fee shee beeDaHHak?
2.
la, abadan
1. ...!
shoo?! Hakeelee shoo beeDaHHak?
2.
Tayyeb, ana sm3t nikte min akhee abal kam yom wa hasa ana fakir feea
1. .
Okay bas inta fi maktaba hala. Min faDlak aHtarm alashkhaS
alakhreen
67
2. ,
n3m ya ustaz, samaHni
1. Why are you laughing? Is there something thats making (you) laugh?
2. No, not at all.
1. What?! Tell me... whats making (you) laugh?2.
2. Okay... I heard a joke a few days ago and Im just thinking about it now.
1. Okay, but youre in a library now. Please respect the other people.
2. Yes sir, forgive me.
68
Passage Six
1. ,
Ya karooleen, shu hiyya alaHlam yelli 3ndek?
2. .
mmm had sual kteer kwayes. Awalan wa akharan bide 3aile
kbeere m3 jawzee
1 ...
Mashallah. Wa b3dayn?
2
b3dayn Gide ashtareelna bayt
1
Bayt kbeer kteer?
2 ...
La shee m3ool lina wa bas
1! ...
69
Passage Seven
1 ! !
!Hamdallah 3salama! Sarlak shahrayn msaafr
2 .
Shukran ya ghalee shu fee ma fee alyom?
, ...
1 ...
3m fakar inno minDal bilbayt aad, irkhee wa med ijrayk
tafaDal
...
2
Ah shukran Habibi bas lazam akal rah mawt min aljoua3 ya
3mee
1 !
3n jad? Khaleena nrooH ntaghada lakaan*.
70
2
Feek tHmllee halshanTa abalma mnrooH? Kteer taeele biSaraHa.
1 .
Tayyeb, a3Teenee yaha wa minrooH.
1. Praise God for (your) safety! Youve been traveling for two months!
2. Thank you, dear. Whats up today?
1. Im thinking that well stay home, sit relax, and stretch (lit. extend) your
legs, here you go.
2. Oh thank you my love but I have to eat, Im going to die of hunger, man
(lit. my uncle)
1. Oh really? Lets go get lunch then! (Note: the strictly dialect
should not be confused with the very MSA
, meaning but/however)
2. Can you carry this bag for me before we go? Its really heavy
1. Okay, give it to me and well go.
71
Extended Dictionary
Below are a few hundred of the most common words in most western
languages, translated to LA for your convenience.
English
the
Transliteration
Levantine Arabic
Al
be
kan / yekoon
of
min
72
Notes
and
wa
---
---
to
\ \
3 / le / ila
in
fee / bi
he
huwa
have
3nd__
it
huwa/hiyya
that
hadak / hadeek
for
li
they
hinee
ana
with
m3
as
...
A translation
does not exist in
Arabic, except for
sometimes
substituting the
word for one,
listed below.
...
as the
manager
not
mish / moo
\
73
on
she
hiyya
at
bi
by
min abal
this
ha
also to
As in an action
done by
someone
this book
we
niHna
you
inta/inti/intoo
do
3ml
but
bas
from
min
or
aow
which
ay / yellee
one
waHid
would
raH
74
Alternatively
The conditional
mood does not
exist as such in
Arabic. Must be
expressed with
future tense and
often context
words.
all
kul
will
raH
there
hinak / hawneek
say
aal / yeool
who
meen
make
3ml
when
lemma / imta
can
adar / byidr
more
aktar
if
iza / loh
Also
each/every
for realistic
hypotheticals
for more
impossible things
If I went to the
market
If I had been
born in Bahrain
no
la
man
rajal
75
Also foot
out
khaarij
Also abroad
when definite
other
tanee
Lit. second
so
izan
as a filler word:
so, whats up?
what
shoo
time
waat
...
When we go
up
a3ala
go
raaH / yerooH
about
3an
than
min
into
ila
state
wilaya
only
bas
new
jadeed
year
sina
some
kam
76
Lit. higher
as in a country /
political area
take
akhad / yakhad
come
aja / yejee
these
know
3raf / ye3raf
see
shaf / yeshoof
use
get
yeHSal 3la
like
( )
mitl (ma)
then
istakhdam /
ast3mal
b3dayn
first
awl
any
ay
work
shaghal
now
hala / hasa
is a regional
contraction of
, this
hour
may
mumkin
such
mitl
give
3ata / ye3atee
77
over
faw
fakar / yefkar/
yezun
think
\ \
most
m3zem
even
Hata
find
laa / beelaee
day
yawm
also
kaman
after
b3d
Also still
Are you still a
student?
way
Tareea
many
kteer
must
lazam
look
shoof
before
abal
great
kabeer / 3zeem
back
ila Halaf
through
3bar
78
to cross when
used as a verb
long
Taweel
where
wayn
much
kteer
should
lazam
well
mneeH
people
nas / ashkhaS
down
taHat
own
malak / yemlek
just
bas
because
lianoh
good
mneeH
each
kul
those
hadol
feel
yeHas / yesh3r
seem
yebayen
how
keef
high
3alee
too
aktar mn allazm
79
also good
place
makaan
little
Sgheer
world
3alam
very
kteer
still
lissa
nation
waTan
hand
yed
old
kabeer
life
hayat
tell
Haka / byeHkee
write
katab / yektab
become
Sar / beeSeer
here
hawn
show
faraj / waraj
house
bayt
both
altneen
between
bayn
need
__
lazm__
80
I need water
mean
3na / y3nee
Call (me)
()
nadee(nee)
develop
under
taHat
last
akhar
right
SaH / yemeen
move
naal
thing
shee
general
3aam
school
madrasa
never
abadan
same
nafs
another
tanee
begin
balash
while
baynama
it means,
is an extremely
common filler
word
Tawwar /
beeTawwar
the same thing
81
number
raam
part
jaza
turn
dour
real
haeea
leave
Tala3
might
mumkin
want
bid__
point
naTa
form
shakal
Do you (pl.)
want food?
also
appearance
he looks weird/
his appearance
is weird
also used to
create adverbs
Lit. in a general
way, generally
child
walad
few
kam
small
Sagheer
82
since
min
against
Dud
ask
saal / yesal
late
mitakhar
home
bayt
interest
ihtimam
large
kabeer
person
shakhS
end
nihaya
open
fataH / maftooH
public
3am
follow
atab3
during
khilal
present
mawjood
without
bidoon
again
mara taniya
hold
amsak
Is Samir there?
83
also
Lit. also a time
Hakam /
byeHkam
govern
around
hawal
possible
mumkin
head
raas
consider
word
kilma
program
barnamaj
problem
meshkle
a3tibar /
ye3atabir
however
bas
lead
ad / byeed
system
nizam
set
majmoo3a
order
amar
eye
3yn
plan
khut
run
rakaD
keep
Hafaz
84
As a noun and
verb
keeper/guardian
face
wajah
fact
Haeea
group
majmoo3a
play
la3ab
stand
waaaf
increase
zad / yezeed
early
baker
course
misaar
change
ghayr
help
musaa3da
line
khuT
city
medina
put
HuT
close
areeb / sakar
case
Hale
85
Sometimes seen
as
force
awa
meet
talaa
once
mara waHida
water
my / meeah
upon
3la
war
Harb
Lit. familial war
Civil war
build
bina / yebnee
hear
sam3
light
noor / Doh
light emitted
from a source
like a
lightbulb, fixture,
etc.
unite
ataHad
live
3ayesh
every
kul
country
dawla
86
bring
jeeb / yejeeb
center
markaz
let
khala / beekhlee
side
janab
try
hawwal
provide
tawwafar
continue
name
ism
certain
mu3ayen
power
awa
pay
daf3
result
natije
question
sual
study
daras
woman
niswan
member
farad
until
Hata
istamar
khala
87
far
b3eed
night
layla
always
dayman
service
khadma
away
...
3la b3eed
report
tareer
something
shee
company
sharake
week
isboo3
mosque
masjid
toward
bitijah
start
balash
social
ajtimaa3ee
room
gharfa
figure
alshakal
nature
Tabee3a
88
though
m3 ino
young
Sagheer
less
aal
enough
kafee
almost
tareeban
read
ara
include
shamal
president
raees
nothing
wala shee
yet
lHad hala
better
aHsan
big
kabeer
boy
walad
cost
kilfe
business
sharake
value
eeme
second
tanee
89
up to now
for
measurement of
time
why
laysh
clear
waDaH
expect
tawee3
family
3ayle
complete
kamel
act
yemethal
sense
aHsas
mind
3al
experience
khubra
art
fen
next
ilee b3do
near
areeb
direct
mabashar
car
sayara
law
anoon
industry
sina3a
important
muhim
90
for just
parents
Lit. which is
after it
girl
bint
god
ilah / allah
several
3dad
matter
mawDoo3
usual
3aadee
rather
badalan
per
...
lakul
often
awat kteer
kind
laTeef
among
bayn
white
abyaD
reason
sabab
action
ijra
return
raja3
foot
adam
91
Depends on if
youre talking
about the specific
Abrahamic deity
or a generic
god, like Thor
for
feminine
care
yehtim
simple
baseeT
within
min bayn
love
Hub
human
insaan
along
3la Tool
appear
Zahar
doctor
Tabeeb / doktoor
believe
a3taad
speak
Haka
active
nashaT
student
Talab
month
shahar
drive
soo
concern
ihtimam
the best
alaHsan
door
baab
...
It seems/appears
that
92
hope
amal
example
mithal
inform
balagh
body
jisim
ever
abadan
least
aal
probable
mumkin
understand
faham
reach
mida
effect
beeathar
different
mukhtalaf
idea
fikra
whole
kaamel
control
Hukme
condition
Haal
field
majaal
pass
murr
93
Like field of
work
fall
saut
note
malaHaza
special
khaaS
talk
Haka
particular
mu3ayen
today
alyawm
measure
beeees
walk
masha / yemshee
teach
3lam / bee3lam
low
minkhafaD
hour
saa3a
type
nawa3
carry
Hamal
rate
nisbe
remain
Dul
full
kamel
street
shaara3
easy
sahal
94
also species
although
m3 ino
record
sajal
sit
3d / bee3d
determine
Haddad
level
mustawa
local
maHlee
sure
akeed
receive
istalam
thus
mishaan hayk
moment
laHaza
spirit
rawH
train
college
kaliye
religion
deen
perhaps
mumkin
music
mooseea
grow
zara3
darrab /
beedarrab
95
free
Hurr
cause
sabab
serve
khadam
age
3mar
book
kitaab
board
majlas
recent
Hadeeth
sound
Sawt
office
maktab
cut
T3
step
khaTwe
class
Suf
true
Haeeee
history
tareekh
position
mawa3
above
faw
strong
awee
friend
rafee
96
necessary
Darooree
add
Daaf / beeDeef
court
maHkama
deal
Safqa
tax
Dareeba
support
d3m
party
Hizb / Hafle
whether
iza
either
ya
for example:
...
either here or
there
land
arD
material
maada
happen
Sar / beeSeer
education
t3leem
97
death
mawt
agree
tawafa
mother
emm
across
3bar
quite
f3laan
anything
ay shee
town
balade
past
made
view
manZar
society
mujtam3
manage
adaar / beedeer
answer
jawaab
break
kasar / beekasar
organize
tanazam
half
nuS
fire
nar / haree
different from
MSA umm
is like a
campfire
is like an
uncontrolled fire
(e.g. house,
98
forest)
lose
faad
money
maSaree
stop
waaf
actual
Haeeee
already
min abal
effort
jahad
wait
inTur
department
asm
able
aadr
political
seeasee
learn
t3alam / byet3lm
voice
Sawt
air
hawa
together
sawa
cover
ghaTa / beeghTee
common
mushtarak
subject
mawDoo3
99
draw
rasam / byersem
short
aseer
wife
jawza
treat
3aalaj / by3alaj
limit
Had
road
Taree
letter
maktoob
color
lohn
behind
wara
produce
intaj
send
b3t / byeb3t
term
t3beer
total
ijmaalee
university
jaam3a
rise
rafaa3
century
arn
success
nijaH
100
Its plural, ,
means border
daeea
minute
remember
purpose
gharaD
test
faHaS
fight
watch
\
...
situation
Hale
south
janoob
ago
\ ......
min / abl
tazakar /
byetzakar
taaatal /
byetaatal
two months ago
difference
fara
stage
masraH
father
aab
table
Tawle
rest
irtaH
101
bear
taHamal /
byetHaml
entire
bilkaamil
market
soo
prepare
jahaz
explain
As a verb. The
animal is
sharaH /
byeshraH
offer
plant
zara3
charge
shaHan
ground
arD
west
ghurb
picture
Sawra
hard
S3b
front
adam
lie
kizb
modern
dark
mazlam
surface
saTaH
adam /
beeadam
Hadeeth /
Hadees
102
As in electricity
As in deceive
rule
anoon
dance
raaS
peace
salam
observe
raSad / byerSad
future
mustabal
farm
mazra3
claim
muTalabe
firm
thabit
operation
3maliye
pressure
DaghaT
property
malakeeye
morning
SabaH
amount
Kemiye
outside
bara
103
Can be used as a
greeting
As in a general
action or medical
procedures
104