Thread: Let's do an intro to arabic

So we can talk more :) Each person add 5 or 10 items...

1. Ahlan-Hi
2. Ana es me______-my name is
3. Sabah el nour/sabah el kher-good evening/morning
4. Izayek-how are you
5. Tammam-fine
6. Mashee-ok, yes, fine, etc.
7.Ana Min fudluck-I would like
8. shay-tea
9.La-no
10.Einy-eyes
11. Habibi/Habete-my darling, love, baby, etc.

Good idea..g.:

For anybody who gets Jareeda Magazine, the current issue features part 1 of a 2-part article I wrote on the process of learning Arabic from audio CD's. (I used the Pimsleur set.) It talks about how I decided which CD set to get, and what methodology I utilized to work with them. It compares the approach taken by these CD's to the approach my college classrooms took when I learned French, German, and Spanish.

hehe ill do vegetables:

banadura: tomato
fassulye : beans
khyar: cucumber


useless i know haha

shokran-thank you
ahwe-coffee
mabrouk-congratulations
shou-what

Aiwa - yes
Masri/Masreya - Egyptian (male/female)
Wahda - one
Etneen - two
Taleta - three
Arbaa - four
Hamsa - five

I love that you guys are doing Egyptian Dialect Arabic! ..g.:

[QUOTE=
shou-what[/QUOTE]

Except that!

We say
Eih- What?

Originally Posted by amity

So we can talk more :) Each person add 5 or 10 items...

3. Sabah el nour/sabah el kher-good evening/morning
4. Izayek-how are you
5. Tammam-fine

If someone who knows more Arabic than I do sees an error in what I'm about to say, please correct me!

On #3 in this list, "sabah en nour" is NOT "good evening". Instead, it's the correct response to sabah el kher. "Sabah el kher", literally, means "morning, the good" and "Sabah en nour" means "Morning, the light." In other words, "Sabah" means "morning".

So, "Sabah el kher" is "Good morning", and "Sabah en nour" is "And a good morning to you, as well."

For "Good evening", it would be "miseh el kher" and "miseh en nour". In the word "miseh", the second syllable is the one that's accented.

For #4, "Izayek?" is fine if asking a man "how are you?" but if you're talking to a woman, it should be "Izayik". Ie, the final vowel sound is different between what you'd use when talking to a man versus what you'd use when talking to a woman.

I haven't heard the use of "tammam" to be fine, but that could be just the limits of my study - I'm very much a beginner at Arabic. What I *have* heard is "kwyiss" (for a man) or "kwyissa" (for a woman), which means "well". And if you want to say "very well", it would be "kwyissa owie". Knowing this came in handy last June when I was in Egypt. I fell in front of Mena House and sprained my foot. Nice Egyptian men who didn't speak English clustered around to help me. They kept asking, "Kwyissa? Kwyissa?" and it was useful to know that what they were asking was, "Are you okay?"

yeah sabah means morning as far as i know too...


and izayek and izayek are egyptian dialect. in lebanese dialect is Kifak and Kifik


instead of "well" as a responce you can also say "mnih" or "mniha" which mean 'good'

Originally Posted by *Shira*

If someone who knows more Arabic than I do sees an error in what I'm about to say, please correct me!

On #3 in this list, "sabah en nour" is NOT "good evening". Instead, it's the correct response to sabah el kher. "Sabah el kher", literally, means "morning, the good" and "Sabah en nour" means "Morning, the light." In other words, "Sabah" means "morning".

So, "Sabah el kher" is "Good morning", and "Sabah en nour" is "And a good morning to you, as well."

For "Good evening", it would be "miseh el kher" and "miseh en nour". In the word "miseh", the second syllable is the one that's accented.

For #4, "Izayek?" is fine if asking a man "how are you?" but if you're talking to a woman, it should be "Izayik". Ie, the final vowel sound is different between what you'd use when talking to a man versus what you'd use when talking to a woman.

I haven't heard the use of "tammam" to be fine, but that could be just the limits of my study - I'm very much a beginner at Arabic. What I *have* heard is "kwyiss" (for a man) or "kwyissa" (for a woman), which means "well". And if you want to say "very well", it would be "kwyissa owie". Knowing this came in handy last June when I was in Egypt. I fell in front of Mena House and sprained my foot. Nice Egyptian men who didn't speak English clustered around to help me. They kept asking, "Kwyissa? Kwyissa?" and it was useful to know that what they were asking was, "Are you okay?"

Good catches Shira, I should have clarified

Originally Posted by aasiyah

instead of "well" as a responce you can also say "mnih" or "mniha" which mean 'good'

It's actually MiLih or MiLeeha. With an L.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

On #3 in this list, "sabah en nour" is NOT "good evening". Instead, it's the correct response to sabah el kher. "Sabah el kher", literally, means "morning, the good" and "Sabah en nour" means "Morning, the light." In other words, "Sabah" means "morning".

For "Good evening", it would be "miseh el kher" and "miseh en nour". In the word "miseh", the second syllable is the one that's accented.

For #4, "Izayek?" is fine if asking a man "how are you?" but if you're talking to a woman, it should be "Izayik". Ie, the final vowel sound is different between what you'd use when talking to a man versus what you'd use when talking to a woman.

I haven't heard the use of "tammam" to be fine, but that could be just the limits of my study - I'm very much a beginner at Arabic. What I *have* heard is "kwyiss" (for a man) or

Tamam is Egyptian. Kwais/a= fine.

Sabah al kheir/nour is more like a wishing reply. The implied word is (I wish you a Morning(sabah) full of good and light) So the polite reply is to return the good wishes.

Originally Posted by princessisabella

It's actually MiLih or MiLeeha. With an L.

really?? my palestinian and lebanese friends never say it with an "L" - I always learned it as "Mneha" (trying to write it as i say it... hard to do :P). Is it a dialect thing?

It's a hard word to hear, but I am certain. It's not an Egyptian word. It's used in Pl, Leb, JOR etc.. I teach Arabic. MSA and Dialect Specific. Here's a copy paste from some instructional material:

(مليح) – mali_H -
Filed under: Arabic, nouns
(مليح) – mali_Hun, fem. (مليحة) mali_hah, noun

Meanings

1. handsome
2. pretty (fem.)
3. nice, witty
4. Good

ok this thread inspired me to brush up on what I've learned from friends - not sure if its 100% correct, but here goes (oh, and I believe this is Levantine accent):

Imi - (my) Mother
Aboui - (my) Father
Oukhti - sister
Akhoui - brother
Siti - Grandmother
Sidi (seedi) - Grandfather
Marhaba - hello
Kefak/Keyfek - how are you?
Adesh - How (much)
Shu - what
Meen - who
Whein - where
Wheinta - when
Lesh - why
Ward - flower
Fawakeh - fruit
Khudra - vegetables
Ana mish fahmeh - I don't understand
Bahki arabe shway - I speak a little arabic
Keef bdi ahki... - how can I say...
Boukra - Tomorrow
Embarah - Yesterday
Elium - Today

and my fav:
A'tene Boseh - give me a kiss
;)

Originally Posted by princessisabella

It's a hard word to hear, but I am certain. It's not an Egyptian word. It's used in Pl, Leb, JOR etc.. I teach Arabic. MSA and Dialect Specific. Here's a copy paste from some instructional material:

(مليح) – mali_H -
Filed under: Arabic, nouns
(مليح) – mali_Hun, fem. (مليحة) mali_hah, noun

Meanings

1. handsome
2. pretty (fem.)
3. nice, witty
4. Good

thank you :)
I have been learning from friends, but I hope in the new year to take some real classes

Originally Posted by princessisabella

Except that!

We say
Ehi- What?

oh man thanks for correcting me...I swear I've heard people say "shoo???" like a question. I knew "eih", too

No, Safiya. Shoo is correct. It does mean what. I was just saying that Shoo is not Egyptian dialect.
Sorry to confuse you.

Originally Posted by princessisabella

No, Safiya. Shoo is correct. It does mean what. I was just saying that Shoo is not Egyptian dialect.
Sorry to confuse you.

Yeah, shoo is just Palestinians and Lebanese, am I right, Princess Isabella?

And did anybody mention "Alhamdulillah" as a response for "Kayf Halak" or "Kayfak"?


Oh, and here's one:
"Shoo akhbar?" What's up? (that's Palestinian/Lebanese dialect as well, I believe)

Yea, Shoo is more Lev Arabic. We do not use it much. Egyptian Arabic is the most widely understood because of the Egyptian films, Series, songs etc..

I love languages! I got my degree in Modern Language Development.

Here's my contribution today:



(ريف) ri_fun – noun, pl. (أرياف) arya_f

Meanings:

1. the countryside

Examples

1. za_ra ‘amrun al-ri_fa
(زار عمروٌ الريف);
Amr visited the countryside.
2. al-ri_fu jamilu ‘l-Tabi_’ah
(الريف جميل الطبيعة);
The countryside has beautiful landscapes.

Ah! I get it, thanks :) We have a large Lebanese population here so I'm finding that I have a combination of Lebanese and Egyptian words (from songs) in my brain. It's getting crazy; I should just take classes on MSA.

It would be best to indicate which dialect the words come from. Some words are used in many countries, but some not.

I spent some time with Lebanese freinds. They had VERY fun time, when anybody wished "Mabrouk" for me. When somebody buys anything new the others say "Mabrouk". In Lebanon answer would be "Merci" - thank you. But in Egypt (as the way I learnt) the answer "Allah Ya Barik Feek".

Originally Posted by outi

It would be best to indicate which dialect the words come from. Some words are used in many countries, but some not.

I spent some time with Lebanese freinds. They had VERY fun time, when anybody wished "Mabrouk" for me. When somebody buys anything new the others say "Mabrouk". In Lebanon answer would be "Merci" - thank you. But in Egypt (as the way I learnt) the answer "Allah Ya Barik Feek".

Most of what I posted on this thread is Egyptian Dialect. I am Egyptian, but it's a good idea to indicate the dialect.

In Egypt, we use Merci alot. Of course, it just means 'thank you.' You can actually combine that with "Allah Yibarek feek. " There is a lot of French influence in some Arabic countries. There are also many English words that have been 'borrowed' and 'arabicized.'

i'll do animals! hehe

zarafa = giraffe
fiil = elephant
asad = lion
batriq = penguin
kalb = dog


:)

I'm very limited in my Arabic, but here's some new stuff:

min fadla - please
shoof/shoofi - look
ahmar - red
schwya - little bit
inta kwize - good job
khalas - enough; I'm finished

Originally Posted by *Shira*

If someone who knows more Arabic than I do sees an error in what I'm about to say, please correct me!

I haven't heard the use of "tammam" to be fine, but that could be just the limits of my study - I'm very much a beginner at Arabic. What I *have* heard is "kwyiss" (for a man) or "kwyissa" (for a woman), which means "well". And if you want to say "very well", it would be "kwyissa owie". Knowing this came in handy last June when I was in Egypt. I fell in front of Mena House and sprained my foot. Nice Egyptian men who didn't speak English clustered around to help me. They kept asking, "Kwyissa? Kwyissa?" and it was useful to know that what they were asking was, "Are you okay?"

I've heard "tammam" used a lot in Egypt, usually as a followup to ezayak/ezayik:

Ahlan ya Leyla. Esayik? Kol tammam?
Hi Leyla. How are you? Is everything (or "are you") o.k.?

It seems to be interchangeable with "kwyiss" (m) kwyissa" (f).

Originally Posted by MellyBelly

thank you :)
I have been learning from friends, but I hope in the new year to take some real classes

I've been taught mnih/mniha by Levantine dialect speakers too.

On Michelle Joyce's "Secrets of the Stage 3", I teach a micro Arabic lesson including some gestures. I taught a workshop on survival Arabic for dancers at Desert Dance Festival last in September and will teach a 2-hour version including gestures and body language in Hayward, CA. It's called "Habibi, You are my WHAT?!"

I'll add some more to this thread, but it's too late tonight. Maybe I'll see some of you in Hayward on the first?

From my Cairo diary when I was staying with a family in Alex:

Cacou b' lebun min fudluk- cocoa with milk please
Kunti Fein? - Where were you?
Inta/i Fein? - Where are you?
Kedda - That's it
Mumkin - possible
Ana - me
Maashi - Ok