Darlene Eva

The word for “brother” is أخ (akh) in Lebanese Arabic.

To say “me too” in Lebanese Arabic you say أنا كمان (ana kamen), or وأنا كمان (w ana kamen) when answering what someone just said.

The Arabic word for lemon is ليمون (laymūn). One lemon is ليمونة (laymūne), and lemon juice is عصير ليمون (ʿaṣīr laymūn).

In Lebanese Arabic “yes” is إي (ē). The formal word is نعم (naʿam), and أكيد (akīd) means “sure” or “of course”. إي is the normal answer in daily talk.

Children in Lebanon often say تيتا وسيدو (tēta w sīdo) for grandma and grandpa.

Beef is لحمة بقر (laḥmet baʼar) in Lebanese Arabic, literally “cow meat”. In daily speech people often say just لحمة (laḥme) for meat.

Lebanese parents tell small children كاكا (kaka) for poop, a baby word that works as a polite way to talk about it.

The usual word for a lion in Lebanese Arabic is أسد (asad), the same word as in standard Arabic. أسد (asad) is what you hear in schools, zoos and news.

In Lebanese Arabic “why” is ليش (lēsh). Standard Arabic uses لماذا (limādhā), but ليش is the word you hear every day.

To introduce yourself in Lebanese, say هاي، اسمي كريم (hāy, ismi Karīm) and replace the name with yours. You can also say أنا اسمي ليلى (ana ismi Layla).