For autodidact students of Levantine Arabic, the third word is "and," and like the article of Lesson 1 it is not a word standing alone but a single letter written against the front of the next word: و. This is the letter wāw, and it is the commonest conjunction in the language. أنا وإنت (ʔana w-ʔinte) is "you and I," literally "I and you," and خبز وحليب (khibz w-ḥalīb) is "bread and milk." No space is left between the و and the word it introduces, in the same way as nothing separates ال or ب from their words.
The letter is the same in every town, but it is not always said the same way. Reference grammars give it as w- before a vowel, u- (or wi-) before a single consonant, and we- before two consonants, and they note that in Lebanon it is normally u. So وأنا is said w-ʔana, almost "wana"; ستي وجدي is said sitti u-jiddi; and وتلاتة, with its two opening consonants, is said we-tlāte. All three sounds are understood everywhere. To keep the page steady this course writes the prefix as w- in every transliteration, and it asks you to say w-, u- or wi- as the sentence invites. The word is never stressed: the stress falls on the word it is attached to.
What "and" joins is almost anything. It joins nouns (الولد والبنت, il-walad w-il-bint, "the boy and the girl"), adjectives (كبير وحلو, kbīr w-ḥilu, "big and nice"), verbs (فتحت الباب ودخلت, fataḥt il-bāb w-dakhalt, "I opened the door and went in") and whole sentences. Where English leaves out every "and" in a list except the last, Levantine will often put one before each item: بندورة وخيار وبصل (banadōra w-khyār w-baṣal), "tomatoes, cucumbers and onions." And when two verbs follow each other, each takes its own ending: "I opened the door and went in and sat down" is three verbs, each with its own -t, and the و stands in front of the second and the third. After a command of motion the "and" can be dropped altogether: روح جيب (rūḥ jīb) is "go and get."
Two uses are specific to Arabic. In numbers, the smaller number comes first and the و joins it to the tens: تلاتة وعشرين (tlāte w-ʿišrīn), "three and twenty," that is, twenty-three. In telling the time, minutes past the hour are put on with و: الساعة تمانية وربع (is-sāʿa tmēne w-rubʿ) is "eight and a quarter," a quarter past eight, and تمانية ونص (tmēne w-nuṣṣ) is half past. In talk the و also begins sentences: وبعدين (w-baʿdēn), "and then," and وشو (w-šū), "and what?" And it hands a question back: كيفك؟ منيح، وإنت؟ (kīfak? mnīḥ, w-ʔinte?), "How are you? Well, and you?"
Script note: و is one of the six letters that join to the letter before them but never to the one after. Written alone before a word it therefore looks like a small separate unit, and the first letter of the word that follows is written in its initial shape, as though the word began there: و + بيت = وبيت, و + ال + مدرسة = والمدرسة. The same letter writes the vowels u and ū, as in بكون (bkūn) in Lesson 2, and the consonant w, as in ولد (walad), "boy." Which of these it is depends on where it stands; attached to the front of a word, it is nearly always "and." The Standard Arabic pronunciation is wa-, which you will hear in the news and in prayer, but not in the street.
Key Takeaways: - و (w-): "and." One letter, joined to the front of the next word, with no space - The sound changes: w- before a vowel (w-ʔana), u- or wi- before one consonant, we- before two (we-tlāte). The street does not say wa- - It is never stressed - And does not join to the letter after it: وبيت, and the next letter takes its initial shape - It joins nouns, adjectives, verbs and sentences; in a list it is often repeated before each item: بندورة وخيار وبصل - With a pronoun: وأنا (w-ʔana), وإنت (w-ʔinte), وهو (w-huwwe). With the article: والبيت (w-il-bēt) - In numbers: تلاتة وعشرين (tlāte w-ʿišrīn). In the time: تمانية وربع (tmēne w-rubʿ), تمانية ونص (tmēne w-nuṣṣ) - Between X and Y needs و: بين البيت والمدرسة (bēn il-bēt w-il-madrase) - After a verb of going: روح جيب (rūḥ jīb), "go and get," with no "and" - ولا (wala), "nor, not even," is learned as a word of its own; "and not" is و + ما or و + مش
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
3.1a أنا I وإنت and-you هون here
3.1b ʔana (A-na) I w-ʔinte (w-IN-te) and-you-M.SG hōn (hohn) here
3.2a جبت I-brought خبز bread وحليب and-milk
3.2b jibt (zhibt) bring-PAST.1SG khibz (khibz) bread w-ḥalīb (w-ha-LEEB) and-milk
3.3a الولد the-boy والبنت and-the-girl بالمدرسة at-the-school
3.3b il-walad (il-WA-lad) the-boy w-il-bint (wil-BINT) and-the-girl bil-madrase (bil-MAD-ra-seh) at-the-school.F
3.4a البيت the-house كبير big وحلو and-nice
3.4b il-bēt (il-BAYT) the-house.M kbīr (kbeer) big-M.SG w-ḥilu (w-HIL-oo) and-nice-M.SG
3.5a الدكانة the-shop بين between البيت the-house والمدرسة and-the-school
3.5b id-dikkāne (id-dik-KAA-neh) the-shop.F bēn (bayn) between il-bēt (il-BAYT) the-house.M w-il-madrase (wil-MAD-ra-seh) and-the-school.F
3.6a اليوم the-day الشمس the-sun حامية hot والمي and-the-water باردة cold
3.6b il-yōm (il-YOHM) the-day iš-šams (ish-SHAMS) the-sun.F ḥāmye (HAAM-yeh) hot-F.SG w-il-mayy (wil-MAYY) and-the-water.F bārde (BAAR-deh) cold-F.SG
3.7a اشتريت I-bought خبز bread وجبنة and-cheese وزيتون and-olives من from الدكانة the-shop
3.7b štarēt (shta-RAYT) buy-PAST.1SG khibz (khibz) bread w-jibne (w-ZHIB-neh) and-cheese.F w-zaytūn (w-zay-TOON) and-olives.COLL min (min) from id-dikkāne (id-dik-KAA-neh) the-shop.F
3.8a وين where رحتي you-went مبارح yesterday وشو and-what عملتي you-did
3.8b wēn (wayn) where ruḥti (RUḤ-ti) go-PAST.2F.SG mbāreḥ (m-BAA-reh) yesterday w-šū (w-SHOO) and-what ʿmilti (ʿMIL-ti) do-PAST.2F.SG
3.9a إجا he-came عندنا at-us وقعد and-sat وشرب and-drank قهوة coffee
3.9b ʔija (I-zha) come-PAST.3M.SG ʿindna (ʿIND-na) at-us w-ʔaʿad (w-A-ʿad) and-sit-PAST.3M.SG w-širib (w-SHI-rib) and-drink-PAST.3M.SG ʔahwe (AH-weh) coffee
3.10a ما not في there-is مي water وما and-not في there-is كهربا electricity
3.10b ma (ma) NEG fī (fee) there-is mayy (mayy) water w-ma (w-ma) and-NEG fī (fee) there-is kahraba (KAH-ra-ba) electricity
3.11a المدرسة the-school بتبلش starts الساعة the-hour تمانية eight وربع and-quarter
3.11b il-madrase (il-MAD-ra-seh) the-school.F btballeš (bt-bal-LESH) start-PRES.3F.SG is-sāʿa (is-SAA-ʿa) the-hour.F tmēne (TMAY-neh) eight w-rubʿ (w-RUBʿ) and-quarter
3.12a في there-is تلاتة three وعشرين and-twenty طالب student بالصف in-the-class
3.12b fī (fee) there-is tlāte (TLAA-teh) three w-ʿišrīn (w-ʿish-REEN) and-twenty ṭāleb (TAA-leb) student biṣ-ṣaff (biṣ-SAFF) in-the-class
3.13a البنت the-girl بتحب likes القهوة the-coffee وأخوها and-her-brother بيحب likes الشاي the-tea
3.13b il-bint (il-BINT) the-girl btḥibb (bt-HIBB) like-PRES.3F.SG il-ʔahwe (il-AH-weh) the-coffee.F w-ʔakhūha (w-a-KHOO-ha) and-brother-her biḥibb (bi-HIBB) like-PRES.3M.SG iš-šāy (ish-SHAAY) the-tea
3.14a روح go جيب bring الكتاب the-book وتعا and-come لهون to-here بسرعة with-speed
3.14b rūḥ (rooh) go-IMP.M.SG jīb (zheeb) bring-IMP.M.SG il-ktāb (il-KTAAB) the-book w-taʿa (w-TA-ʿa) and-come-IMP.M.SG la-hōn (la-HOHN) to-here bsurʿa (b-SUR-ʿa) with-speed
3.15a لما when رجعت I-returned عالبيت to-the-house فتحت I-opened الباب the-door ودخلت and-I-entered وقعدت and-I-sat عالكنبة on-the-sofa
3.15b lamma (LAM-ma) when rjiʿt (r-JIʿT) return-PAST.1SG ʿal-bēt (ʿal-BAYT) to-the-house fataḥt (fa-TAḤT) open-PAST.1SG il-bāb (il-BAAB) the-door w-dakhalt (w-da-KHALT) and-enter-PAST.1SG w-ʔaʿadt (w-a-ʿADT) and-sit-PAST.1SG ʿal-kanabe (ʿal-KA-na-beh) on-the-sofa.F
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
3.1 أنا وإنت هون. (ʔana w-ʔinte hōn) "You and I are here." 3.2 جبت خبز وحليب. (jibt khibz w-ḥalīb) "I brought bread and milk." 3.3 الولد والبنت بالمدرسة. (il-walad w-il-bint bil-madrase) "The boy and the girl are at school." 3.4 البيت كبير وحلو. (il-bēt kbīr w-ḥilu) "The house is big and nice." 3.5 الدكانة بين البيت والمدرسة. (id-dikkāne bēn il-bēt w-il-madrase) "The shop is between the house and the school." 3.6 اليوم الشمس حامية والمي باردة. (il-yōm iš-šams ḥāmye w-il-mayy bārde) "Today the sun is hot and the water is cold." 3.7 اشتريت خبز وجبنة وزيتون من الدكانة. (štarēt khibz w-jibne w-zaytūn min id-dikkāne) "I bought bread, cheese and olives at the shop." 3.8 وين رحتي مبارح وشو عملتي؟ (wēn ruḥti mbāreḥ w-šū ʿmilti) "Where did you go yesterday, and what did you do?" 3.9 إجا عندنا وقعد وشرب قهوة. (ʔija ʿindna w-ʔaʿad w-širib ʔahwe) "He came to our place, sat down and drank coffee." 3.10 ما في مي وما في كهربا. (ma fī mayy w-ma fī kahraba) "There is no water and there is no electricity." 3.11 المدرسة بتبلش الساعة تمانية وربع. (il-madrase btballeš is-sāʿa tmēne w-rubʿ) "School starts at a quarter past eight." 3.12 في تلاتة وعشرين طالب بالصف. (fī tlāte w-ʿišrīn ṭāleb biṣ-ṣaff) "There are twenty-three students in the class." 3.13 البنت بتحب القهوة وأخوها بيحب الشاي. (il-bint btḥibb il-ʔahwe w-ʔakhūha biḥibb iš-šāy) "The girl likes coffee and her brother likes tea." 3.14 روح جيب الكتاب وتعا لهون بسرعة. (rūḥ jīb il-ktāb w-taʿa la-hōn bsurʿa) "Go and get the book and come here quickly." 3.15 لما رجعت عالبيت فتحت الباب ودخلت وقعدت عالكنبة. (lamma rjiʿt ʿal-bēt fataḥt il-bāb w-dakhalt w-ʔaʿadt ʿal-kanabe) "When I got back to the house, I opened the door, went in and sat on the sofa."
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
3.1 أنا وإنت هون. 3.2 جبت خبز وحليب. 3.3 الولد والبنت بالمدرسة. 3.4 البيت كبير وحلو. 3.5 الدكانة بين البيت والمدرسة. 3.6 اليوم الشمس حامية والمي باردة. 3.7 اشتريت خبز وجبنة وزيتون من الدكانة. 3.8 وين رحتي مبارح وشو عملتي؟ 3.9 إجا عندنا وقعد وشرب قهوة. 3.10 ما في مي وما في كهربا. 3.11 المدرسة بتبلش الساعة تمانية وربع. 3.12 في تلاتة وعشرين طالب بالصف. 3.13 البنت بتحب القهوة وأخوها بيحب الشاي. 3.14 روح جيب الكتاب وتعا لهون بسرعة. 3.15 لما رجعت عالبيت فتحت الباب ودخلت وقعدت عالكنبة.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
These are the grammar rules for و (w-), "and."
Writing it. The و is attached to the front of the following word and never stands apart: خبز وحليب, not خبز و حليب. It joins backwards only, so the letter after it is written as the first letter of a new word. It is the same letter in Standard Arabic, where it is wa-; the Levantine speaker says w-, u- or wi- (see Introduction), and never stresses it.
The sounds. - before a vowel: w-. وأنا (w-ʔana), وإذا (w-ʔiza), وأخوها (w-ʔakhūha) - before one consonant: u- or wi-, w- in a quick style. ستي وجدي (sitti u-jiddi), خبز وحليب (khibz u-ḥalīb) - before two consonants: we- or wi-. وتلاتة (we-tlāte), وبسرعة (we-bsurʿa) - before the article: w-il- or u-l-. والبنت (w-il-bint), والمدرسة (w-il-madrase)
With the pronouns. The و does not change the pronoun. - and I: وأنا (w-ʔana) - and you (to a man): وإنت (w-ʔinte) - and you (to a woman): وإنتي (w-ʔinti) - and he: وهو (w-huwwe) - and she: وهي (w-hiyye) - and we: ونحنا (w-niḥna) - and you (several): وإنتو (w-ʔintu) - and they: وهني (w-hinne)
What it joins. Two nouns (3.3), two adjectives (3.4), the last two items of a list or every item of it (3.7), two verbs (3.9), two clauses (3.6, 3.13). In a series of verbs in the past, each verb carries its own ending and the و stands before each verb after the first: فتحت الباب ودخلت وقعدت (3.15). If the verbs are in the present with the prefix b-, each keeps it: بروح وبرجع (brūḥ w-brajjiʿ), "I go and I come back." The same repeats in commands: روح وتعا (rūḥ w-taʿa), "go and come" (3.14).
Go and do. After a verb of going the second verb can follow with no و at all and still mean "and": روح جيب الكتاب (rūḥ jīb il-ktāb) is "go and get the book." The two commands are said as one. If you want to put the two actions apart, you may say روح وجيب (rūḥ w-jīb).
Between X and Y. "Between" takes two items joined by و: بين البيت والمدرسة (bēn il-bēt w-il-madrase), 3.5. Leaving out the و, as English never has to do, gives a wrong sentence.
In numbers. From 21 to 99 the units come first and the tens after, with و between: واحد وعشرين (wāḥed w-ʿišrīn), تلاتة وعشرين (tlāte w-ʿišrīn), خمسة وتلاتين (khamse w-tlātīn). The thing counted is in the singular after eleven: تلاتة وعشرين طالب (3.12).
In the time. After the hour, minutes are added with و: الساعة تمانية وربع (is-sāʿa tmēne w-rubʿ), "a quarter past eight"; الساعة تمانية ونص (is-sāʿa tmēne w-nuṣṣ), "half past eight."
Circumstance. A و before a pronoun and a state means "while, being": رجعت وأنا تعبان (rjiʿt w-ʔana taʿbān), "I came back tired," literally "I came back, and I tired."
"And" in the negative. With a negative the و stands before the negative word: ما في مي وما في كهربا (3.10). A shorter way, ما في مي ولا كهربا (ma fī mayy wala kahraba), "there is neither water nor electricity," uses ولا (wala), which is a word of its own: "nor, not even." It is also found alone before a noun: ما في ولا واحد (ma fī wala wāḥed), "there is not even one," and ما عندي ولا شي (ma ʿindi wala šī), "I have nothing at all." Learn it as a unit. In the oath والله (wallāh), "by God," the و is a different و again, the particle of swearing.
And, but, or. "But" is بس (bass), as in Lesson 2, and "or" is أو (ʔaw). They are separate words and are not made with و.
Common Mistakes: - Writing a space after the و: وأنا is right, و أنا is not the usual spelling - Joining the next letter to the و. The و never joins forward - Saying wa- in conversation. This is the pronunciation of the Standard language; the street says w-, u- or wi- - Stressing the و: the stress falls on the word, w-ʔana, not WA-na - Leaving out the و after بين: *بين البيت المدرسة. Say بين البيت والمدرسة - Putting the tens first, as English does ("twenty-three"): the pattern is units-و-tens, تلاتة وعشرين, not *عشرين وتلاتة - Writing ولا (wala) for "and not." For "and not" say و + ما or و + مش: ومش قادرة (w-miš ʔādra), as in Lesson 2
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
The greeting السلام عليكم (is-salāmu ʿalēkum) is answered وعليكم السلام (w-ʿalēkum is-salām), literally "and upon you peace," and the "and" shows that the wish is being returned and not begun: the second speaker takes up the blessing of the first. A welcome is أهلا وسهلا (ʔahlan w-sahlan, in the street ʔahlēn w-sahlēn), "family and ease," and a host will say it as the guest crosses the threshold. At Eid and at the New Year, and at birthdays, people say كل عام وأنتم بخير (kull ʿām w-ʔintu bi-khēr), "every year and you well," the wish that the year may find them well.
The same و returns a question without asking it again. If someone asks كيفك؟ (kīfak?), "how are you?", the answer is منيح، الحمد لله، وإنت؟ (mnīḥ, il-ḥamdu lillāh, w-ʔinte?), "well, thank God, and you?" To leave out the وإنت is to answer and to leave the other person's own question unasked.
In speech the و does the work of English commas and full stops. A story is told in strings of "and ... and ... and," each short sentence beginning with و, and وبعدين (w-baʿdēn), "and then," is the commonest way to move a story on. Learners who try to avoid the repetition because English prefers variety will sound stiff. In a list, as at the market in the Genre Section, the و before each item sets the rhythm: بندورة وخيار وبصل.
In messages written in the Latin alphabet, the و is written w, as in "ana w inte." In the Arabic script it is always attached to the next word. As the Introduction says, grammars give u- or wi- for what is heard before a single consonant, and in Lebanon u- is the usual form; the writing and the grammar of the lesson are otherwise the same from Aleppo to Amman.
Where English manners say "you and I," a Levantine speaker may say أنا وإنت (ʔana w-ʔinte), "I and you," as in 3.1, and no discourtesy is meant by the order.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
الجار قبل الدار والرفيق قبل الطريق (The neighbour before the house, and the companion before the road)
This is one of the best-known proverbs of the Arab world. It is recorded in collections of proverbs, among them Zahr al-Akam fī l-Amthāl wa-l-Ḥikam by al-Ḥasan al-Yūsī, where it appears as a saying handed down from the Prophet, and the Arabic press repeats it with an account of its origin; tradition also gives a longer form, اسأل عن الجار قبل الدار وعن الرفيق قبل الطريق, "ask about the neighbour before the house, and about the companion before the road." The wording below is the short form common to these sources. It is a proverb of the whole Arabic language, not of the Levant alone, and it is read here in the urban Levantine pronunciation, which is why the Standard words رفيق and طريق are given with a glottal stop (ʔ) as in Lesson 2.
الجار قبل الدار والرفيق قبل الطريق
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a الجار the-neighbour قبل before الدار the-house
F.1b ij-jār (ij-ZHAAR) the-neighbour ʔabl (abl) before id-dār (id-DAAR) the-house
F.2a والرفيق and-the-companion قبل before الطريق the-road
F.2b w-ir-rafīʔ (wir-ra-FEE') and-the-companion ʔabl (abl) before iṭ-ṭarīʔ (iṭ-ṭa-REE') the-road
F-B: Original and Translation
الجار قبل الدار والرفيق قبل الطريق
"The neighbour before the house, and the companion before the road." (Translation: Latinum Institute.) The meaning: before you take a house, find out who your neighbour will be; before you set out on a journey, find out who goes with you. The place matters less than the company.
F-C: Original
الجار قبل الدار والرفيق قبل الطريق
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The proverb has two halves, and the و is what makes them one saying. Each half is complete without it, and with it they are a pair. The two halves are built the same way, with the same word, قبل (ʔabl), "before," in the middle: person, "before," thing. A proverb of this kind sets its words in matched pairs, and the و is the hinge between them, which is the work it does in every sentence of this lesson.
Neither half has a verb. Like the sentences of Lesson 1 and Lesson 2, each is two nouns put side by side, and the meaning ("should come") is left to the listener. The "is" of English, and the "should" of the advice, are supplied by the sense.
The sun letters of Lesson 1 are all at work. The article before جار (j), دار (d), رفيق (r) and طريق (ṭ) loses its l, and the consonant is doubled: ij-jār, id-dār, ir-rafīʔ, iṭ-ṭarīʔ. In والرفيق the و stands in front of the article, as in 3.3: w-ir-rafīʔ, with the l of the article already gone.
Two of the words lean toward the literary language. دار (dār), "house, home," is the word of the written language and of proverbs; in speech the Levantine says بيت (bēt), as in 3.5. And رفيق (rafīʔ) is the companion on a journey, a friend who goes along, where an everyday "friend" is صاحب (ṣāḥeb) or صديق (ṣadīʔ). The old words carry the saying, which is how proverbs keep their shape.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Reem and Sāmi are expecting guests, her grandfather and grandmother, and talk over the dinner. Reem speaks the first line and the two take turns, so that Reem speaks the lines numbered 16, 18, 20 and so on, and Sāmi 17, 19, 21 and the rest. The plan involves a menu, a list for the market, quantities, the time and the tasks, and every line of it uses the و: in lists, in sums, in the time, and as the "and then" that keeps a conversation going. Sāmi is a man and Reem a woman, so they address each other with the forms for "you (to a woman)" and "you (to a man)" that Lesson 2 gave.
3.16a يا O سامي Sami رح will يجوا come جدي my-grandfather وستي and-my-grandmother عالعشا to-the-dinner
3.16b yā (yaa) VOC sāmi (SAA-mi) Sami raḥ (raḥ) FUT yiju (YI-ju) come-SUBJ.3PL jiddi (ZHID-di) grandfather-my w-sitti (w-SIT-ti) and-grandmother-my ʿal-ʿaša (ʿal-ʿA-sha) to-the-dinner
3.17a منيح good وشو and-what بدك you-want نحضر we-prepare
3.17b mnīḥ (mneeh) good-M.SG w-šū (w-SHOO) and-what biddek (BID-dek) want-2F.SG nḥaḍḍer (n-HAD-der) prepare-SUBJ.1PL
3.18a بدي I-want ورق leaves-of عنب grapes وكوسا and-zucchini محشي stuffed وسلطة and-salad
3.18b biddi (BID-di) want-1SG waraʔ (WA-ra') leaves-of ʿinab (ʿI-nab) grapes.COLL w-kūsa (w-KOO-sa) and-zucchini.COLL maḥši (MAḤ-shi) stuffed-M.SG w-salaṭa (w-sa-LA-ṭa) and-salad
3.19a خلص enough أنا I بروح go عالسوق to-the-market وإنتي and-you حضري prepare السلطة the-salad
3.19b khalāṣ (kha-LAAṢ) enough ʔana (A-na) I brūḥ (b-ROOH) go-PRES.1SG ʿas-sūʔ (ʿas-SOO') to-the-market w-ʔinti (w-IN-ti) and-you-F.SG ḥaḍḍri (HAD-dri) prepare-IMP.F.SG is-salaṭa (is-sa-LA-ṭa) the-salad
3.20a بس but جيب bring بندورة tomatoes وخيار and-cucumbers وبصل and-onions
3.20b bass (bass) but jīb (zheeb) bring-IMP.M.SG banadōra (ba-na-DOH-ra) tomatoes.COLL w-khyār (w-KHYAAR) and-cucumbers.COLL w-baṣal (w-BA-ṣal) and-onions.COLL
3.21a وكم and-how-many كيلو kilo بندورة tomatoes بدك you-want
3.21b w-kam (w-KAM) and-how-many kīlo (KEE-lo) kilo banadōra (ba-na-DOH-ra) tomatoes.COLL biddek (BID-dek) want-2F.SG
3.22a كيلو kilo بندورة tomatoes وكيلو and-kilo خيار cucumbers ونص and-half كيلو kilo بصل onions
3.22b kīlo (KEE-lo) kilo banadōra (ba-na-DOH-ra) tomatoes.COLL w-kīlo (w-KEE-lo) and-kilo khyār (KHYAAR) cucumbers.COLL w-nuṣṣ (w-NUṢṢ) and-half kīlo (KEE-lo) kilo baṣal (BA-ṣal) onions.COLL
3.23a وإذا and-if ما not لقيت I-found خيار cucumbers منيح good
3.23b w-ʔiza (w-I-za) and-if ma (ma) NEG liʔēt (li-'AYT) find-PAST.1SG khyār (KHYAAR) cucumbers.COLL mnīḥ (mneeh) good-M.SG
3.24a ما not في there-is مشكلة problem منعمل we-make سلطة salad-of بندورة tomatoes وبصل and-onions
3.24b ma (ma) NEG fī (fee) there-is muškile (MUSH-ki-leh) problem.F minʿmel (min-ʿMEL) make-PRES.1PL salaṭit (sa-LA-ṭit) salad-of.F banadōra (ba-na-DOH-ra) tomatoes.COLL w-baṣal (w-BA-ṣal) and-onions.COLL
3.25a وبعدين and-then الساعة the-hour كم how-many بيجوا they-come جدك your-grandfather وستك and-your-grandmother
3.25b w-baʿdēn (w-baʿ-DAYN) and-then is-sāʿa (is-SAA-ʿa) the-hour.F kam (kam) how-many biju (bi-JOO) come-PRES.3PL jiddek (ZHID-dek) grandfather-your.F w-sittek (w-SIT-tek) and-grandmother-your.F
3.26a الساعة the-hour تمانية eight ونص and-half وبيجوا and-they-come مع with خالتي my-aunt
3.26b is-sāʿa (is-SAA-ʿa) the-hour.F tmēne (TMAY-neh) eight w-nuṣṣ (w-NUṢṢ) and-half w-biju (w-bi-JOO) and-come-PRES.3PL maʿ (maʿ) with khālti (KHAAL-ti) aunt-my
3.27a يعني that-is لازم necessary نخلص we-finish التحضير the-preparation والترتيب and-the-tidying قبل before تمانية eight
3.27b yaʿni (YAʿ-ni) that-is lāzem (LAA-zem) necessary nkhalleṣ (n-KHAL-leṣ) finish-SUBJ.1PL it-taḥḍīr (it-taḥ-DEER) the-preparation w-it-tartīb (wit-tar-TEEB) and-the-tidying ʔabl (abl) before tmēne (TMAY-neh) eight
3.28a وأنا and-I بدي I-want أرتب I-tidy الصالون the-living-room وأحط and-I-put الصحون the-plates عالطاولة on-the-table
3.28b w-ʔana (w-A-na) and-I biddi (BID-di) want-1SG ʔrattib (ʔ-RAT-tib) tidy-SUBJ.1SG iṣ-ṣālōn (iṣ-ṣaa-LOHN) the-living-room w-ʔḥuṭṭ (w-a-HUṬṬ) and-put-SUBJ.1SG iṣ-ṣḥūn (iṣ-ṣ-HOON) the-plates ʿaṭ-ṭāwle (ʿaṭ-TAAW-leh) on-the-table.F
3.29a وإذا and-if خلصنا we-finished بكير early منشرب we-drink قهوة coffee ومنحكي and-we-talk شوي a-little
3.29b w-ʔiza (w-I-za) and-if khallaṣna (khal-LAṢ-na) finish-PAST.1PL bakkīr (bak-KEER) early mnišrab (mni-SHRAB) drink-PRES.1PL ʔahwe (AH-weh) coffee w-mniḥki (w-mni-ḤKI) and-talk-PRES.1PL šwayy (SHWAYY) a-little
3.30a يالله come-on روح go وتعا and-come بسرعة with-speed وأنا and-I بحضر I-prepare السلطة the-salad
3.30b yalla (YAL-la) come-on rūḥ (rooh) go-IMP.M.SG w-taʿa (w-TA-ʿa) and-come-IMP.M.SG bsurʿa (b-SUR-ʿa) with-speed w-ʔana (w-A-na) and-I bḥaḍḍer (b-HAD-der) prepare-PRES.1SG is-salaṭa (is-sa-LA-ṭa) the-salad
3.16 يا سامي، رح يجوا جدي وستي عالعشا. (yā sāmi, raḥ yiju jiddi w-sitti ʿal-ʿaša) Reem: "Sāmi, my grandfather and grandmother are coming to dinner." 3.17 منيح، وشو بدك نحضر؟ (mnīḥ, w-šū biddek nḥaḍḍer) Sāmi: "Good. And what do you want us to prepare?" 3.18 بدي ورق عنب وكوسا محشي وسلطة. (biddi waraʔ ʿinab w-kūsa maḥši w-salaṭa) Reem: "I want stuffed vine leaves, stuffed zucchini and a salad." 3.19 خلص، أنا بروح عالسوق وإنتي حضري السلطة. (khalāṣ, ʔana brūḥ ʿas-sūʔ w-ʔinti ḥaḍḍri is-salaṭa) Sāmi: "Fine. I'll go to the market and you prepare the salad." 3.20 بس جيب بندورة وخيار وبصل. (bass jīb banadōra w-khyār w-baṣal) Reem: "But bring tomatoes, cucumbers and onions." 3.21 وكم كيلو بندورة بدك؟ (w-kam kīlo banadōra biddek) Sāmi: "And how many kilos of tomatoes do you want?" 3.22 كيلو بندورة وكيلو خيار ونص كيلو بصل. (kīlo banadōra w-kīlo khyār w-nuṣṣ kīlo baṣal) Reem: "A kilo of tomatoes, a kilo of cucumbers and half a kilo of onions." 3.23 وإذا ما لقيت خيار منيح؟ (w-ʔiza ma liʔēt khyār mnīḥ) Sāmi: "And if I don't find good cucumbers?" 3.24 ما في مشكلة، منعمل سلطة بندورة وبصل. (ma fī muškile, minʿmel salaṭit banadōra w-baṣal) Reem: "No problem, we'll make a tomato and onion salad." 3.25 وبعدين، الساعة كم بيجوا جدك وستك؟ (w-baʿdēn, is-sāʿa kam biju jiddek w-sittek) Sāmi: "And then, what time do your grandfather and grandmother come?" 3.26 الساعة تمانية ونص وبيجوا مع خالتي. (is-sāʿa tmēne w-nuṣṣ w-biju maʿ khālti) Reem: "At half past eight, and they're coming with my aunt." 3.27 يعني لازم نخلص التحضير والترتيب قبل تمانية. (yaʿni lāzem nkhalleṣ it-taḥḍīr w-it-tartīb ʔabl tmēne) Sāmi: "So we have to finish the preparing and the tidying before eight." 3.28 وأنا بدي أرتب الصالون وأحط الصحون عالطاولة. (w-ʔana biddi ʔrattib iṣ-ṣālōn w-ʔḥuṭṭ iṣ-ṣḥūn ʿaṭ-ṭāwle) Reem: "And I want to tidy the living room and put the plates on the table." 3.29 وإذا خلصنا بكير، منشرب قهوة ومنحكي شوي. (w-ʔiza khallaṣna bakkīr, mnišrab ʔahwe w-mniḥki šwayy) Sāmi: "And if we finish early, we'll drink coffee and talk a little." 3.30 يالله، روح وتعا بسرعة، وأنا بحضر السلطة. (yalla, rūḥ w-taʿa bsurʿa, w-ʔana bḥaḍḍer is-salaṭa) Reem: "Come on, go and come back quickly, and I'll prepare the salad."
3.16 يا سامي، رح يجوا جدي وستي عالعشا. 3.17 منيح، وشو بدك نحضر؟ 3.18 بدي ورق عنب وكوسا محشي وسلطة. 3.19 خلص، أنا بروح عالسوق وإنتي حضري السلطة. 3.20 بس جيب بندورة وخيار وبصل. 3.21 وكم كيلو بندورة بدك؟ 3.22 كيلو بندورة وكيلو خيار ونص كيلو بصل. 3.23 وإذا ما لقيت خيار منيح؟ 3.24 ما في مشكلة، منعمل سلطة بندورة وبصل. 3.25 وبعدين، الساعة كم بيجوا جدك وستك؟ 3.26 الساعة تمانية ونص وبيجوا مع خالتي. 3.27 يعني لازم نخلص التحضير والترتيب قبل تمانية. 3.28 وأنا بدي أرتب الصالون وأحط الصحون عالطاولة. 3.29 وإذا خلصنا بكير، منشرب قهوة ومنحكي شوي. 3.30 يالله، روح وتعا بسرعة، وأنا بحضر السلطة.
"And" to start a turn (3.17, 3.21, 3.23, 3.25). Four of Sāmi's lines open with و: وشو, وكم, وإذا, وبعدين. In each the و says "and, to go on": it ties the line to what the other has just said. Reem's replies do not begin with it, because they answer.
A list (3.18, 3.20, 3.22, 3.24). In 3.20 the و is repeated before each item after the first: بندورة وخيار وبصل. In 3.18 the same with ورق عنب وكوسا محشي وسلطة. Of the two dishes named first, one is made of two nouns, ورق عنب (waraʔ ʿinab), "vine leaves," literally "leaves of grapes," and the other of a noun and an adjective, كوسا محشي (kūsa maḥši), "stuffed zucchini," so that the و stands before the first word of each dish and not within it. The quantity is stated first and the thing after it, with no word for "of": كيلو بندورة (kīlo banadōra), "a kilo of tomatoes"; and نص كيلو (nuṣṣ kīlo), "half a kilo," where the و belongs to the list, not to the half.
Verbs together (3.19, 3.28, 3.29, 3.30). وإنتي حضري (w-ʔinti ḥaḍḍri) sets two persons side by side: "I go, and you prepare." In 3.28, after بدي (biddi), "I want," the two verbs أرتب (ʔrattib) and أحط (ʔḥuṭṭ) are both in the subjunctive, joined by the و: "I want to tidy and put." In 3.29 منشرب قهوة ومنحكي (mnišrab ʔahwe w-mniḥki) is two verbs in the present with the prefix m- for "we." In 3.30 the commands روح وتعا (rūḥ w-taʿa) have their own و, "go and come back," because the actions are separate, in contrast to the "go and get" of 3.14.
Pairs (3.16, 3.25). جدي وستي (jiddi w-sitti), "my grandfather and my grandmother," and جدك وستك (jiddek w-sittek), "your grandfather and your grandmother," each carry the possessive on both words. Where English says "my grandfather and grandmother" once, Levantine says "my" twice.
Time (3.26, 3.27). الساعة تمانية ونص (is-sāʿa tmēne w-nuṣṣ), "half past eight." The question is الساعة كم؟ (is-sāʿa kam), "what time?", literally "the hour, how many?" قبل تمانية (ʔabl tmēne) is "before eight," with no و, since this is a preposition and a number, not a sum.
Conditions (3.23, 3.29). وإذا (w-ʔiza), "and if," is the usual way to add one more case. إذا is followed by the past tense, even when the sense is the future: وإذا ما لقيت (w-ʔiza ma liʔēt), "and if I don't find." The negative is ما.
Words to notice. بدي (biddi), "I want," بدك (biddek), "you want (to a woman)," are formed from the noun بد (bidd), "wish," with the possessive endings -i and -ek; the verb that follows is in the subjunctive. يعني (yaʿni) is "that is to say" and is used all day in conversation. خلص (khalāṣ) is "enough" or "all right" or "done," the word that closes a discussion. يالله (yalla) is "come on."
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
و (w-) — IPA: /w/, /u/, /wi/, /we/ — Before a vowel it is a quick w: w-ʔana /wˈʔana/. Before one consonant it is u or wi: sitti u-jiddi. Before two consonants it is we or wi: we-tlāte. It never takes the stress. وإنت (w-ʔinte) — IPA: /wˈʔinte/ — The ʔ is the catch in the throat of "uh-oh," and it is kept. خبز (khibz) — IPA: /xibz/ — kh is the rough sound of "loch" in Scots, made at the back of the mouth. عشرين (ʿišrīn) — IPA: /ʕiʃˈriːn/ — ع is a squeeze in the throat, a voiced sound. Do not drop it. The š is "sh," the ī is long, as in "see." ربع (rubʿ) — IPA: /rubʕ/ — The final ʿ is the same squeeze, after the b. Do not add a vowel after it. ونص (w-nuṣṣ) — IPA: /w ˈnusˤsˤ/ — ص is an emphatic s, with the tongue drawn back, which darkens the u; the doubled ṣṣ is held a little longer. طالب (ṭāleb) — IPA: /ˈtˤaːleb/ — ط is an emphatic t, from the same family as ṣ. The ā is long and open. بندورة (banadōra) — IPA: /banaˈdoːra/ — The stress is on the long ō: ba-na-DOH-ra. تعا (taʿa) — IPA: /ˈtaʕa/ — A short word with ʿ in the middle: TA-ʿa. الجار (ij-jār) — IPA: /iʒˈʒaːr/ — j is the sound of the s in "measure," and is doubled after the article. الرفيق (ir-rafīʔ) — IPA: /irraˈfiːʔ/ — The final ʔ is the catch in the throat of the urban pronunciation, as in Lesson 2. Stress: it falls on the last long vowel or on a final syllable that closes with two consonants, as in fataḥt, dakhalt and ʔaʿadt in 3.15. The respellings in capitals mark it.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---
Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)