How to Speak About Habits in Levantine Arabic?

by | Aug 1, 2024 | BLOG

To speak about habits in Levantine Arabic, you need to know how to use the present tense, as habits are typically expressed using present tense verbs. In Levantine Book 3, “Nawartuna” we talk a lot about habits! Here are some key points, phrases, and examples to help you talk about habits in Levantine Arabic:

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If you are looking for the script I used in the video. Keep scrolling to the end of the page.

Key Phrases

  1. I usually… – عادةً (ʿādatan)
  2. I always… – دائماً (dāʾiman)
  3. I often… – غالباً (ghāliban)
  4. I sometimes… – أحياناً (aḥyānan)
  5. I never… – أبداً (ʾabadan)

Common Verbs

  1. To wake up – فيق (fīʾ) / صحى (ṣḥā)
  2. To go – راح (rāḥ)
  3. To eat – أكل (akal)
  4. To drink – شرب (shirib)
  5. To work – اشتغل (ishtighal)
  6. To study – درس (daras)
  7. To sleep – نام (nām)
  8. To exercise – تمرّن (tamarran)

Examples of Sentences Describing Habits

Using the Present Tense

  1. I usually wake up early.
    • عادةً بفِيق بكّير.
    • ʿādatan bifīʾ bakkīr.
  2. I always drink coffee in the morning.
    • دائماً بشرب قهوة الصبح.
    • dāʾiman bishrab ʾahwe ṣṣubḥ.
  3. I often go to the gym.
    • غالباً بروح عالجيم.
    • ghāliban brūḥ ʿal-gym.
  4. I sometimes read before sleeping.
    • أحياناً بقرأ قبل ما نام.
    • aḥyānan bʾra ʾabl ma nām.
  5. I never eat late at night.
    • أبداً ما بأكل متأخّر.
    • ʾabadan mā bʾkol mitaʾkher.

More Complex Sentences

  1. Every day, I go to work at 8 in the morning.
    • كل يوم، بروح عالشغل الساعة ٨ الصبح.
    • kil yōm, brūḥ ʿa-sh-shughl is-sāʿa tmēne ṣ-ṣubḥ.
  2. On weekends, I usually visit my family.
    • بعطلة الأسبوع، عادةً بزور عيلتي.
    • bi-ʿuṭlit il-usbūʿ, ʿādatan bzūr ʿēlti.
  3. In the evening, I like to watch TV.
    • بالمساء، بحب اتفرج عالتلفزيون.
    • bil-masāʾ, bḥibb itfarraj ʿa-t-telefizyōn.

Structuring Sentences About Habits

When talking about habits, you can structure your sentences using time expressions (usually, always, often, sometimes, never) along with the present tense of the verb.

General Structure:

  • [Time expression] + [pronoun + verb in present tense] + [additional information].

Example:

  • [Usually] + [I wake up] + [early].
    • عادةً + بفِيق + بكّير.
    • ʿādatan + bifīʾ + bakkīr.

By combining these elements, you can effectively talk about your habits in Levantine Arabic. Practice with different verbs and time expressions to become more comfortable expressing your daily routines and habits.

Now let’s take a look at the exact script I used in the video:

Arabic Script:

تعوا نحكي عن العادات. كلنا عنّا عادات مثلا في ناس بتحب تلعب بشعرها. تاكل ضفيرها او تسرسر. مثلا انا عندي كذا عادة سيئة بلقمش كثير لما بكون عم بشتغل من البيت. واذا كان عندي اجتماع كثير مهم بتوتّر. ولما اتوتر بهز كثير بإجري. ومن قبل كنت انفعل واتسرّع بس هلأ شو ما بيصير قدامي بطنش لانه بالعربي بنقول “طنّش تنتعش”. واذا عبالكم تتعلموا كيف تحكوا عن العادات فلازم تتسجلوا ب our Conversation Classes.

Phonetic Script:

Ta3o ne7ke 3an el-3adet. Kilna 3ina 3adet masalan fi nes bit7eb til3ab b sha3rah. Tekul dafearah aw tsarser. Masalan ana 3inde 3adeh say2ah, bla2mesh ktir lama kun 3am bshteghel min el-bet. W iza ken 3inde ejtime3 ktir mohem bitwatar. W lama etwatar bhez ktir b ejre’. W min abel kent enfe3el w etsara3 bus hal2 shu ma biser edeme btanesh la2eno bil 3arabe min ol, ‘tanesh tanta3esh’. W iza 3abelkon kif te7ku 3an el-3adet fa tezim tsajlu b our Conversation Classes.

English Translation:

Come let’s talk about habits. We all have habits. For example. some people love to play with their hair, to bite their nails or to gossip. For example I have a lot of bad habits. I eat a lot of snacks when I work from home. And if I have a very important meeting, I get nervous, and when I get nervous, I shake my leg a lot. Before, I used to overreact quickly. But now, whatever happens in front of me I ignore. Because in Arabic we say, “tannish tanta3esh”. If you want to learn how to talk about habits, you need to register in our Conversation Classes.

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