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1

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

This book is intended to be a dialect-acquisition manual. This course


assumes prior, modest knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or
another dialect, to the extent that you are familiar with the Arabic alphabet,
simple grammar, and basic conversational vocabulary. Some of the basics
will be reviewed, but only peripherally.

Abbreviations

adj Adjective

MSA Modern Standard Arabic

LA Levantine Arabic

f. - feminine

m. - masculine

lit. literal meaning

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

this term is roughly equivalent to the Arabic term al-mashraq


.
Historically, the Levant was the name for the entire Eastern Mediterranean
region, to include modern-day Turkey, Egypt, parts of Libya, Cyprus, Greece,
Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, among others.
By its modern definition, the Levant generally comprises Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories (also Israel, depending on
whom you ask). As the site of Roman occupation and the Crusades, the
Levant has a rich history that has seen the rise and fall of civilizations,
extensive trade networks, and incredible artistic achievements.

The area which composes the modern definition of The Levant

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?

What to Expect in the Levantine


Countries

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.

Levantine Cultural Notes


If you're learning Levantine Arabic (LA) in preparation for travels to the
Levant, you will of course want to see some of its world-famous historical,
archaeological, or cultural sites. Remember that the sites listed here are only
a small fraction of what you'll find on a journey to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon
and/or Palestine.

Damascus' Ummayyad Mosque

The Al-Aqsa Mosque (Masjid al-Aqsa), located in Jerusalem

10

The dramatic Mediterranean coastline of Lebanon

The ancient Roman ruins of Palmyra (Tadmur), in Syria


11

The Levantine Dialect


The Levant has a long history of colonial rule by European nations. The
British maintained control over Palestine and modern-day Jordan, while the
French claimed Syria and Lebanon. These deep-rooted ties have significantly
affected today's LA dialect. While Syrians have mostly distanced themselves
from their French past, much of the Lebanese population embraces it. While
strolling the streets of Beirut, you'll hear many locals speaking bits of French.
If you speak French, you will have an automatic vocabulary of hundreds of
loan words, such as
maillot (de bain).

( mayoo) for bathing suit from the French

The people of the Levant tend to be significantly more liberal and


Westernized than many other Arab nations, which is often a driving factor for
Westerners to learn the Levantine dialect, rather than the Gulf dialect, for
example. You'll find Levantine Arabs to be extremely welcoming and
hospitable (actually, this is a good rule of thumb for any Arab). Arabs will
also be very surprised to find that you speak Arabic, and are almost always
enthusiastic about speaking with you (especially in their dialect!)
A solid command of LA will enable you to communicate with just about
any Arab of the nearly 450 million worldwide, not just the 21 million speakers
of LA. This is primarily due to LA's prevalence in the media and culture of the
entire Arab world (perhaps just behind the Egyptian dialect). For example,
although you won't be able to understand a Moroccan speaking his/her own
dialect, he/she will understand you perfectly and will often even make an
attempt to speak in LA so that you can understand him/her.
Along with the dialect, the cuisine of the Levant is relatively
homogeneous, i.e. you'll be able to find similar food and drink just about
anywhere you go within the Levant.
With the mass influx of refugees into the West as a result of the Syrian
Civil War, speaking and understanding Levantine Arabic dialect will become
increasingly crucial for Westerners, especially in the public sector or service
industry. Knowledge of LA can really help you take your career or personal
life to the next level.

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:

While the word for now should probably be written


see it written
it's dialect.

you will often

. That doesn't mean it's incorrect, it just means that

( maktabo ) his office could easily be written , which may


almost look like a verb to beginners

13

How Arabic Diglossia Works


If you've only ever studied Modern Standard Arabic, you might be confused
about the dynamic between MSA and Arabic dialects. This is understandable,
because no such diglossia exists in English, or even most languages.
MSA is the official language of all Arab nations. It's the language of law,
government, formal education, the news, and just about any kind of
publication. It is understood universally by all Arabs who are at least decently
educated, although some may have a bit of trouble speaking/writing it.
PLEASE note that no Arabs actually speak MSA amongst themselves in
everyday life. They will, however, not find it strange if a Westerner speaks
MSA, as it's much more commonly taught in Western schools than any
dialect. However, for an Arab, speaking MSA to another Arab in an informal
situation would be the rough equivalent of an Englishman speaking like
Shakespeare to his friends with a straight face.

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

Levantine Alphabet Pronunciation

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 Basics: Pronunciation & Possession

The LA

(taa-marbooTa)

(lit. the tied taa)

generally makes the same sound as the ( alef), but in LA you


will often hear the sound more like an e. For example:
In MSA, the

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

, or qof. Most of the time, the Levantine is pronounced


as a glottal stop, or a ( hamza). This simple difference can prove very
rendering of the

challenging, but with practice can be mastered. For example:

MSA pronounciation of
LA pronouncation of

( worried) qalqan

' al'an

Note that the decision whether to pronounce the


or not is determined by
the speaker's region of origin. While some words almost never have the hard
q sound, others sometimes do.

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

Possession: Differences from MSA

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

Note: LA does not have a dual possession or a plural-feminine possession


form. Speakers would simply use the forms for they or it.

Possession

20

LA uniquely features a word that indicates possession


. Inserting a
definite noun and attaching the standard LA possessive pronouns to the end

of
will create a structure that can be informally translated as the of
. For Example

the car of mine


the computer of ours

the window of yours


- the house of yours (pl.)

and so on. This is a very common construction and familiarity with it is


essential to mastering LA.

Question Words

21

LA has significantly different interrogative (question) words than MSA, and


all of them (even the regional ones) are important to learn. Here are the
most commonly used ones:

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

ay seeara shuftoo-a mbareH?


Which car did you (pl.) see yesterday?

To have

The most common method to express to have in LA is by using the word

with an attached possessive-pronoun. It's quite simple really and has

an almost identical counterpart in MSA.

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

general usage of the word


. It is also used as a preposition that can
express that you are with someone or something, or even at someone's
house. It doesn't have an exact, direct translation into English, so you'll just
have to get used to its usages. If you are familiar with French, its roughly
equivalent to the word chez.

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

or ('adar ) and or (3raf )

First, the most straightforward one,

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

You (m) can


You (f) can
He can
She can
You (pl) can
We can
They can

actually simply means to know, just like in MSA. But saying



while literally meaning I know to speak Lebanese Arabic, essentially means
I can speak Lebanese Arabic.


bat3rafee tiktabee bilkhaT al3rabi?
Can you write in Arabic script?


bt'idroo tijoo m3ee 3 almaktabe al-layla?

27

Can you all come with me to the library tonight?

An Alternative Method

Another, more regional option to express ability is


, but not in the sense
that you're used to from MSA (in/at). It is extremely common in Lebanon,
and using it will really make you appear more proficient in Levantine Arabic.

Pronoun

Conjugated

feenee

feek

feekee

( m.)
( f.)

Transliterated

Translated
I can
You (m) can

You (f) 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?

Can you also speak in MSA? (


is the word used to express the
Classical Arabic language, or MSA today).


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.

Another option for negation in LA is the


... construction. It's very common
and used as a way to express I am not, we are not, they are not, etc.
quickly and simply.


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

We will see more usage of this construction later on.

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

to express this / these regardless of gender!


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

There is / There are

There is and there are are both very simply expressed as


LA. To say there is/are not, simply say

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 vs. How many?


Much like English, LA makes a clear distinction between nouns that can be
counted individually and mass, generally more abstract, nouns which can't
easily be counted.

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 ).

LA uses a unique, hollow verb to express to go,

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

Not at All! (And never)


To express that something is not at all the case, or you dont like
something at all, you can generally use two different words.

In Lebanon, youre most likely to hear


(abadan ). Literally it means
ever, but is often translated into Arabic as never. Consider this
sentence:

ma baHib aHkee m3 hash-shab abadan


I dont like talking with this guy at all

To express that something never happens, youll need to move the


the beginning of the thought:

to

I never like to talk to this

guy.

A good rule of thumb is if you place the


on the end of the thought, it
means at all. Otherwise, it will usually be understood as never.
40

---In Syria or Lebanon, to express at all, you can simply replace

with

( bnoub ).
Remember not to use
never

to mean never. Always use

to say

What happened?!

The LA word for to happen,


is extremely versatile, and can also be
used for to become, to begin/start or to express lengths of time. See the
present conjugation table and examples below. Remember that to conjugate

before the present-tense


version and drop the first letter on the verb ( or )
for the future tense, simply add the word

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)

The Present Tense


The Present Tense is formed in LA by appending and/or prepending letters to

the root verb. For example, given the word


to write (also he
wrote), we can form the present tense by using the following formulas:

Pronoun

Formula

Example

...

43

Transliteratio
n

Translation

ana
biktab

I write

inta
btiktab

You (m) write

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.

Examples of present tense sentences:


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.

The Future Tense


The future tense is very simple, in that it is exactly like the present tense,

just with the easy addition of the future particle


(raH) before the
conjugated verb. Below is the future conjugation table for the very common
LA word for to see -

Pronoun

Formula

...

Example

Transliterati
on
raH
ashoof

45

Translation
I will see

...

raH
tshoof

You (m) will


see

...

raH
tshoofe
e

You (f) will


see

...

raH
yeshoof

He will see

...

raH
tashoof

She will see

...

raH
tshoofo
o

You (pl) will


see

....

raH
nshoof

We will see

....

raH
yeshoof
oo

They will see

Exercises:

Translate the following sentences into English:


46


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:

1. We will go to the lawyer's office tomorrow.


2. What will you (pl) do on Monday?
47

3. Will you have the chance to come with us to the beach?


4. Yes, I will go with you (pl), but first I need to buy some things.

The Past Tense

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

means to write, in reality it means he wrote. Arabic does not

have an infinitive as we speakers of Germanic languages would think of


it.

Pronoun

Formula

Example

Transliterati
on

Translation

...

katbit

I wrote

...

katbait

You (m) wrote

...

katbtee You (f) wrote

(change
nothing)

katab

He wrote

...

katabt

She wrote

...

katabto You (pl) wrote


o

...

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

for and , respectively.


Exercises:

Translate the following sentences into English:

. .
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:

1. It seems that you didn't understand, we don't have (any) jobs.


2. The man yelled in our house, so we kicked him out.
3. What happened with you all yesterday at the festival?
4. We drove from Beirut to Damascus.
5. They gave me a few dollars, but it's not enough.

51

Expressing Desire, to want to...


Explaining that one wants to do something in LA is slightly counterintuitive,
but not difficult. LA does not have its own verb for to want/desire (although

you can always use MSA's


). In LA, simply take the word
(bid) and
attach an appropriate suffixed-pronoun as in the examples below.

Pronoun

Structure

Transliteration

bidee

bidak

bidek

bido

bida

bidkon

bidna

bidon


bidee ashoof hadak alfi lm 'abalma barja3 3 lubnan

52

I want to see that fi lm before I return to Lebanon.


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

Which/That/Who... The Relative


Pronoun
While you may know how complicated it is in MSA, the relative pronoun is

just about the easiest part of LA. We simply use


or
(illee /
yellee ), which are both interchangeable in any situation, and are used for
any gender or number. Easy, right?

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

or , otherwise your sentence will sound awkward and

incomplete.

Usage of ghayr
While its usage is pretty straightforward in MSA, learners of LA may find
the word
use

to be more flexible. Here are some ways that LA speakers

1. Saying something is un ... like Un-islamic, unnatural, etc


2. Expressing another of something another time/place/person/etc. or
something else
3. Simply the verb for to change (ghayyar )

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.

For females, add


uktubee .
For plural, add

ee to the end of the masculine form, such as

oo to the end of the masculine form. uktuboo

Negative Imperatives
Then add

or before the verb in its present, 2

nd

Person conjugation

- Don't do (it like) that.


Don't write (f.) it to me .
Don't go to my friend's house.
56

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.

- kabar - This doesn't really mean anything (except in

certain measures), it's just an intermediate step.


3. Add an

( alef ) before your result from step 2.


akbar - bigger

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

In a sentence, a comparative adjective should always be followed by


which in this case, translates to than.

He is taller than Muhammad


I'm smarter than my father

Jordan is smaller than Syria

Superlatives

In this distressing period of grammar-cramming, you may find solace in the


fact that the Arabic superlative uses the same form as the comparative, you
can just add

beforehand.

For example,

means "better", but means "the best"

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 . ,

kul shee tamam, ma fi shee jdeed. Imta waSalt 3 almaTar?

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

1 Hello John, how are you?


2- Im well Muhammad, and you?
1- Very well thank you. Hows your health? Whats new with you?
61

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

1. Good morning, Samir. What are you doing now?


2. Im... Im just doing some research.
1. What are you researching?
2. I want to reserve some tickets for a flight from Damascus to Paris
1. When do you plan on going?
2. Next month, hopefully. If I find a suitable price.
1. Alright, well good luck!

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

1. Hey Samira, what are your plans for university?


2. Like, what do I want to study? Is that what you mean?
1. Yeah, I mean like literature or something from the sciences?
2. Actually, (my) parents convinced me to study Biology next year.
1. Really? Im also going to study Biology! Maybe well have a class together.
2. Hopefully! Well see soon

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

Heloo.. haz sa3eed!

1. Hey Caroline, what dreams do you have?


2. Hmm, thats a very good question. First and foremost, I want a big family
with my husband
1. Wow! And then?
2. Then, I want to buy a house for us.
1. A very big house?
2. No something reasonable for us, and thats it.
1. Nice good luck!

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.

Prefix for a noun

...
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

Can also be used


as when

...
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

Lit. the two

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

One who has


memorized the
Quran

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

This noun is,


strangely,
feminine.


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

The root comes


from the word for
seven, referring
to the days in the
week

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

Root comes from


word for head

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

You may see this


used as another
name for Allah

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

Can also mean


right away

...
It seems/appears
that

92

verb, for vehicles

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

Lit. the day

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

Like Rafiki from

the Lion King


my friend.
Adopted from
Arabic into
Swahili

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

\
...

shoof / tafaraj 3la

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

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