In this conversational podcast, Hala and I discuss our journey—how we got started and why. I share my experience of beginning with just a couple of students and scaling the business to a larger operation, eventually hiring four other teachers to help teach Levantine Arabic. I always recommend listening first without the script, then listening again while following along with it. Make a list of any unfamiliar words and add them to your vocabulary. To view the script translated into English, Arabic, and phonetics, click here.
In this new episode, Hala and I discuss a fresh topic—traveling. As always, the script is available in English, Arabic, and phonetics. This listening exercise is ideal for intermediate and advanced learners. If you’re a beginner studying Levantine Arabic, the scripts are also available to help you build your vocabulary and get accustomed to hearing Arabic.
Join me and Hala as we dive into the world of online dating in Levantine Arabic! In this podcast episode, we talk about the differences between the Syrian and Lebanese accents. This episode is great for intermediate and advanced learners, and I’ve included a full script to help beginners follow along. It’s also a great way to practice your listening skills, so tune in for an interesting chat and useful language tips!
Hala alta3arouf 3an tari2 el internet chou ra2yek fi?
Hala:
برأي أنا كتير بحب اإلنترنت بشكل عام وتعل ّمت عن طريق اإلنترنت كثير مهارات
In my opinion, I really love the internet in general and have learned a lot of skills through it.
Be ra2ye ana kteer bheb el internet bichakel 3am, t3alamit 3an tari2 el internet kteer maharat
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فالفكرة عندي شعور إيجابي تجاهها
I have a positive feeling about the idea.
Fa el fikra 3ende chou3our ijebe tijeha
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بس نحنا قبل اصال” ما نروح ندور عن شريك مناسب على االنترنت
But first, before we go looking for a suitable partner online.
Bas nihna abel aslan ma nrouh ndawir 3an shreek mounesab 3ala el internet
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الزم نعرف كيف نبني عالقة صحية من البداية بشكل عام
We need to know how to build a healthy relationship from the beginning.
Lazem na3ref kif nbneh 3ale2a sohiyeh min al bideyeh bichakel 3am
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وبرأيي الشخصي صراحة أنه وقت نتعرف على ناس خارج دائرتنا وخارج الشي لنحنا تعودنا عليه هي تجربة ما بعمرها رح تكون شي سيئ وال شو رأيك؟
In my personal opinion, frankly, when we meet people outside our circle and outside of what we’re used to, this is an experience that will never be something bad. What do you think?
Bira2ye alchakhseh saraha enno wa2et nt3araf 3ala nes kharej de2retna w kharej el chi li nihna t3awadna 3le, hiye tajribe ma b3omra rah tkoun chi saye2
Caroline
مزبوط مية بالمية
That’s 100% correct.
Mazbout miye bil miye
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أنا كمان ب ِحس! أنا مع التعارف على اإلنترنت إذا هي الشي الطريقة الوحيدة أكيد وبالعكس بحب الفكرة ألنه صرنا نشوف في كثير
I also feel that I’m in favor of online acquaintance if it’s the only option. In fact, I love the idea because we see it happening a lot.
Ana kamen bhis! Ana ma3 alta3arouf 3ala el internet eza hal chi altari2a alwahide akid, w bil 3akes bhib el fekra la2nno sorna nchouf fi kteer
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ناس بترتبط بأشخاص من غير ثقافات من غير جنسيات من غير ديانات وهذا شيء كتير حلو
People are building relationships with individuals from different cultures, nationalities, and religions, and this is a wonderful thing.
Nas btortobet b2achkhas min gher sa2afat min gher jinsiyet w min gher diyeneit w hayda el chi kteer hilo
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يعني صرنا عم ننفتح أكتر على ثقفات مختلفة
It means that we are becoming more open to different cultures.
Ya3ne sorna 3am ninfitih aktar 3ala sa2afat mikhtilfe
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وصار في تقارب بس اللي بخاف منه من هذا الموضوع ألن التعارف عن طريق التطبيقات صار في كتير خيارات
There has been a connection, but what I’m afraid of regarding this topic is that acquaintance through apps has led to many options.
W sar fi ta2arob bas elle bkhaf mino , min hayda el maoudou3 la2an al ta3arf 3an tari2 eltatbi2at sar fi kteer khayarat
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وكأنسان لما بصير عنا كتير خيارات بتالقي الشخص ما بقى عم يعرف ياخد قرارات النو ديما” عم بفكير:” أل في أحسن.. بدي اضهر بعد … بدي جرب بعد … يمكن هلشخص أحال .. فا الواحد الزم يكون كتير واعي لهيدا الموضوع أنوا ما يوقع بهيدي الدويمة.
And as humans, when we have too many choices, you find that a person no longer knows how to make decisions because they’re always thinking: ‘There might be something better… I want to go out more… I want to try more… Maybe this person is better…’ So one has to be very aware of this issue to avoid falling into this cycle.
Ka 2nsein lama bisir 3ena kteer khayarat bitla2e alchakhes ma ba2a 3am ya3ref yakhoud kararat la2anno deyman 3am bifakeer:” la2 fi ahsan … bade 2odhar ba3ed… bade jareb ba3ed… yimkin hal chakhes ahla …. Fa alwahad lazem ykoun kteer wa3e lhayda al maoudou3 enno ma you2a3 bi hayed al douweme.
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سوأل : “بمإنك انت الك أربع سنين بتعلمي عربي شي مرة مرق معك طالب عم يتعلموا اللغة العربية ألنوا هني مع شريك عربي؟”
Question: Since you’ve been teaching Arabic for four years, have you ever had students learning the Arabic language because they have an Arab partner?
Sou2al:” bima2nik ente 2lek 2arba3 snen bit3almeh 3arabe chi mara mara2 ma3ek tolab 3am yit3alamo al logha la2anno hinne ma3 chrek 3arabe?
Hala:
كتير صراحة ! صار عندي كتير طالب عم يجوا يتعلموا العربي بسبب هيدا الموضوع ! وهيدا الشي عم يعطيني … كتير عم كون فخورا انون عم بكونوا مهتمين انوا يحكوا لغة الشريكون ويتقربوا منوا بهل طريقة
Honestly, a lot! I’ve had many students come to learn Arabic because of this reason! And this makes me feel… really proud that they are so interested in speaking their partner’s language and connecting with them in this way.
Kteer saraha! Sar 3nde kteer tolab 3am yejo yit3alamo 3arabe bisabab hayda el maoudou3! W hayada el chi 3am ya3tineh … kteer 3am koun fakhoura 2nno 3am bikouno mohtamin 2nno yihko loghet chrikon w yit2arabo minno bi hal tari2a.
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عندي طالبي هيي روسيا وتزوجت شب من سورية وتعلمت العربي كرمالوا صارت تحكي مع اهلوا وهيك فكتير حبيت كيف هيي عندها حماس انو انا بدي قرب من زوجي واحكي لغتوا خالني فكر انوا في كتير كوبلز بيتجوزوا وما بفكروا انو بدن يتعلموا لغة شريكي بالقوا متل مساحة امنة لغة مشتركي بيناتن يمكن ماتكون لغتن االم. كتير كنت مبسوطة فيها
I have a student who is Russian, and she married a guy from Syria. She learned Arabic for him and started speaking with his family, and I really loved how she had the enthusiasm to say, ‘I want to get closer to my husband and speak his language.’ It made me think that there are many couples who get married without considering learning their partner’s language, as they find a safe space in a shared common language between them, which might not even be their native language. I was so happy for her.
3ende talbe hiye rousiye w tjawazit shab min souriyah w t3alamit al 3arabe kermelo saret tihke ma3 ahlo w heik .. fa kteer habeit kef hiye 3enda hames 2nno … ana bade 2areb min zawje w 2hkeh lghto khalane faker 2nno fi kteer couples (thouna2i) bitjawazo w ma bifakro inno badoun yit3alamo loghit chrikon bi la2o masaha amneh logha mouchtarake baynetoun yimkin ma tkoun loghotoun al 2oum.
Kteer kenet mabsouta fiha.
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كيف انتي مرق حدا معك هيك؟
How about you? Have you met someone like that?
Kif ente mara2 hada ma3ek heik ?
Caroline:
عنجد كل االحترام لكل شخص فعالً
بيرطبت بشخص من ثقافي تانية حتى لو هوي ما بيحكي عربي حتى لو عم يتعلم حيال لغة تانية لي
هوي شريكوا بيحكيها. كل االحترام النو فعالً بدوا يعمل التزام )كومتمنت( انو هوي يتعلم لغة شريكوا عربي او مش عربي، هيد الشي
كتير بياخد وقت وطاقة ف فعالً بحترم وبقدركل شخص بقرر يعمل هالخطوي.
3anjad kil el 2ihtiram la kel chakhes fi3lan biortobit bi chakhes min sa2afe tanyeh hata law houwe ma bihke 3arabe, law 3am yit3alam hayala logha tenye li houwe chriko bihkiye. Kil el ihtiram la2anno fi3lan bado ya3mol eltizem(commitment) 2nno houwe yit3alam loghit chreko 3arabe aw mich 3arabe, hayda el chi kteer byekhoud wa2et w ta2a fa fi3lan fi3lan bhterem w b2adir kel chakhes bi2arir ya3mol hal khotwe,
Zakartine bi ossa. 3ende talbeh amerkiyeh kanet tihke ma3 chakhes 3arabe (bala ma n2oul min wein) w kan 2loun sawa 2arba3 snin sawa, w balachet tit3alam 3arabe la2ano nafes el fikra li inte 3am t2ouliya, inno badatit2arab min 3ayilto tfarji inno hiye bithib sa2afto w rah ta3moul kil chi bti2dar 3le kanit darise w ba3eda darese w 3ala fekra kteer ekhde el maoudu3 bi hames w jadiyeh, min ba3ed 2arba3 snin woslit la marhale ma rah oul native bas inno woslit la marhale mit2admeh …. tarakah
Honestly, all the respect to anyone who really commits to someone from a different culture, even he/ she doesn’t speak Arabic, and they’re learning the language of their partner. All the respect because they truly want to make a commitment to learn their partner’s language, whether it’s Arabic or not. This takes a lot of time and energy, so I really, really respect and appreciate anyone who decides to take this step.
You reminded me of a story about an American student I had. She was in a relationship an Arab guy (let’s not mention where he’s from), and they had been together for four years. She started learning Arabic for the same reason you mentioned — she wanted to get closer to his family and show that she loves his culture and would do everything she could for him.
She was studying, and still is, by the way. She took it very seriously and with enthusiasm. After four years, she reached a stage where, I won’t say she was ‘native,’ but she had reached an advanced level… and then he broke up with her.”
Hala:
أل هيدي نهاية حزينة .. صح
La2 hayde niheye hazineh … Sah
No, that’s a sad ending… right?
Caroline:
أل بالعكس منها كتير حزينة النو انا لما تركها قلت خالص تركت العربي،قلت كرهت العربي، كرهت ثقافتنا ،و ما بقى بدها شي خصوا بالعربي، بس بالعكس كفت وبعدها عم تدرس وبتقلي:” صح انا حزينة انو ما قدرت كفي أنا وهيدا الشريك مع انو انا كنت عم بعمول كل شي هوي بدوا يه، بس من ورا هيدي القصة انا حسيت انو هوي عطاني فرصة انو اتعرف على ثقافي
كتير حلوي، لغة بتجنن”. وبعدها مكفية باللغة العربية و بعدها عم تدرس وهلق عم تدور ع شغل هيدا هدفها بتقلي :”أنا بدي دور على شغل بالشرق االوسط قد ما أنا كتير حبيت الثقافة.”
La2 bil 3akes mana kteer hazineh la2anno ana lama tarakah 2ilit khalas tarakit el 3arabe, 2let kerhet el 3arabe, kerhet sa2afitna, w ma ba2a bada chi khasso bil 3arabe, bas bil 3akes kafeit w ma3da 3am tidrous w bit2ile:” sah ana hazineh inno ma 2diret kafe ana w hayda el shrek ma3 enno ana kenet 3am ba3moul kel chi houwe bado ye, bas min wara haydeh el ossa ana haseit inno houwe 3ataneh forsah inno 2t3araf 3ala sa2afe kteer hilwe, logha bitjanen”. W ba3eda mkafeyeh bil alogha al 3arabiyeh w ba3edha 3am tidrous w hala2 3am tdawer 3a cheghel hayda hadafha bit2ile” ana bade dawer 3ala shoghol bil chare2 el 2awsat 2ad ma ana kteer habeit 2l sa2afe.”
No, on the contrary, it’s not that sad. At first, I thought when he broke up with her, she would stop learning arabic — that she would hate the language, hate our culture, and wouldn’t want anything to do with Arabic anymore. But instead, she continued, and she’s still studying. She told me: ‘Yes, I’m sad that I couldn’t continue with this partner, even though I was doing
everything he wanted. But because of this experience, I feel like he gave me the chance to get to know a really beautiful culture and an amazing language.’
She’s still progressing with learning Arabic, still studying, and now she’s looking for a job (in the middle east). That’s her goal. She told me: ‘I want to look for a job in the Middle East because I fell in love with the culture.’”
Hala:
ما شأهلل قدي عندها حافز جواتها تكمل، صراحا هل شي رطبت بالنهاية عندها بااللم، بتعرفي نحنا احياناًمنرطبت حتى بمكان، عطر،ريحا لما ترطبت عنا بااللم منحس خلص بدنا نتركها ما بدنا نقرب عليها بس هي أل كملت. هلشي بخليني افهم وفكر انوا نحن لما بدنا نتعلم أي شي نحاول ما نربطه بشخص أو بظرف بالنهاية نحن عايشين بحياة عم تتغير كل لحظة والشي الموجود هلق يمكن ما يكون موجود بكرا.
Mashallah kadeh 3inda hafez jouwata tkamel, saraha hal chi rtabat 3inda bil niheyeh bil 2alam, w bta3rfe nihna 2ahyanan mnortobet hata bi makan, 3otor, riha, lama tortobet 3enno bil 2alam minhes khalas badna nitrikah w badna n2areb 3layah bas hiyeh la2 kamaleit. Hal chi bikhalineh 2fham w faker 2nno nihna lama badna nit3alam ay chi nhawel ma norobto bichakhes aw bizaref bil niheyeh nihna 3eychen bihayet 3am titghayar kil lahza w el chi al moujoud hala2 yimkin ma ykoun mawoujoud bourka.
“Mashallah, she has such strong motivation inside her to keep going. Honestly, this whole thing was connected to her pain at the end. You know, sometimes we attach ourselves to a place, a scent, or a smell, and when it gets tied to pain, we feel like we want to leave it and never go near it again. But she didn’t; she kept going. This makes me understand and reflect that when we want
to learn anything, we should try not to tie it to a person or a circumstance. At the end, we live in a world that’s constantly changing, and what’s here today might not be here tomorrow.”
Learning a new language is an exciting journey, especially when it involves discovering interesting cultural and professional aspects tied to the language. In the Levantine region, certain careers hold a special place in daily life, often accompanied by fascinating facts that might surprise even the most dedicated language learners. In this blog, we’ll explore five unique careers that are not only essential to the fabric of Levantine society but also come with fun and intriguing facts. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced student of Levantine Arabic, these careers offer a deeper understanding of the language, culture, and the people who bring these professions to life.
Five Careers in Levantine Arabic that you must know when looking for the ‘right guy or right girl’
Khames mehan bil 3arabe lezim ta3refon lama btkun 3am tfatesh 3ala ebn el-7alel w bnt el-7alel.
خمس مهن بالعربي لازم نعرفهم لما بنكون عم نفتش على ‘ابن الحلال وبنت الحلال
1.
Uncountable Noun
Countable Noun (m/f)
Fun Fact
English
Medicine
Doctor
Did you know that a neurologist can earn more than $700,000 a year?
Phonetic
Tob
Tabeeb / Tabeebeh
Bta3erfu inu tabeeb el-a3sab momkin ywasel ma3ashu la-aktar min $700,000 bil seneh?
Arabic
طب
طبيب / طبيبة
بتعرفوا انه طبيب الاعصاب ممكن يوصّل معاشه لاكثر من 700,000 دولار بالسنة؟
2.
Uncountable Noun
Countable Noun (m/f)
Fun Fact
English
Engineering
Engineer
By the way, Russia has the highest number of Engineers in the world. They are known in Engineering.
Phonetic
Handaseh
Mhandes / Mhandeseh
3ala bekrah, Russia 3inda aqsah 3adad mhandeseen bil 3alam. Hene mash-hurin bil handaseh.
Arabic
هندسة
مهندس / مهندسة
على فكرة, روسيا عندها اقصى عدد مهندسين بالعالم هني مشهورين بالهندسة
3.
Uncountable Noun
Countable Noun (m/f)
Fun Fact
English
Art
Artist
Imagine in 1992 the artist Fairuz sued Madonna yes yes Madonna for using her song without her permission.
Phonetic
Fan
Fanen / Faneneh
Tkhayalu b seneh 1992 el-faneneh Fairuz rafa3et da3weh 3ala Madonna eh eh Madonna le2an sta3malet ghineyeta bidun ezna.
Arabic
فن
فنان / فنانة
تخايلوا بسنة 1992 الفنانه فيروز رفع دعوة على مادونا ايه ايه مادونا لان استعملت اغنيتها بدون اذنها
4.
Uncountable Noun
Countable Noun (m/f)
Fun Fact
English
Accounting
Accountant
Did you the person that invented the Bubble Gum was an accountant? His name was Water Deimer and by the way he invented it by accident.
Phonetic
Mo7asabeh
Mo7aseb / Mo7asbeh
Bta3erfu yale khtara3 el-bubble gum ken mo7aseb w esmo Walter Deimer? w 3ala fekrah ekhtara3ha bil ghalat!
Arabic
محاسبة
محاسب / محاسبة
بتعرفوا يلي اخترع البابل غم كان محاسب واسمه وولتر دايمر وعلى فكره اخترعها بالغلط
5.
Uncountable Noun
Countable Noun (m/f)
Fun Fact
English
Nursing
Nurse
They say a nurse walks more than 5 kilometers in her shift? Which is about 12 hours.
Phonetic
Tamreed
Momared / Momaredah
Al bi2ulu el-momrideah btemshe aktar min 5 kilometer bil shift taba3ha? Ya3ne b !2 se3ah.
Arabic
تمريض
ممرض وممرضة
قال بيقولوا الممرضه بتمشي اكثر من 5 كيلو متر بالشيفت تبعها? يعني ب 12 ساعة
Language learning is more than just mastering vocabulary and grammar; it’s about connecting with the culture and people who speak it. By exploring these five careers and their associated fun facts, you’ve gained insight into the daily lives of those in the Levant and how language plays a role in their professions. Whether you’re aiming to improve your conversational skills or simply enjoy the richness of Levantine Arabic, understanding these careers will deepen your appreciation for the language. Keep exploring, keep learning, and let these cultural insights inspire your journey with Levantine Arabic!
