Robyn Lesley

The everyday Lebanese word for pain is وجع (waja3).

To a male friend you can say مرحبا يا صاحبي (marḥaba yā ṣāḥbi). The more formal choice is مرحبا يا صديقي (marḥaba yā ṣadīʾi).

In Lebanese Arabic “what” is شو (shū). It is short, used constantly and works at the start of nearly every question.

The everyday Lebanese way is مرحبا، كيفك؟ (marḥaba, kīfak?). To a woman say كيفِك (kīfik) in the same place.

In Lebanese Arabic you say تمام (tamem) for “OK”, and ماشي (mashi) is the casual version for “fine, agreed”.

The Lebanese word for sister is أخت (ekht), and أختي (ekhti) means “my sister”.

Corn is ذرة (dara) in Lebanese Arabic. Boiled corn on the cob is ذرة مسلوقة (dara maslūʼa). Boiled corn is a common street snack, usually sold with salt.

To a man, say صباح الخير يا حبيبي (ṣabāḥ el-khēr yā ḥabībi). To a woman, say صباح الخير يا حبيبتي (ṣabāḥ el-khēr yā ḥabībti).

The Lebanese word for salad is سلطة (salata).

When someone sneezes, Lebanese speakers say يرحمك الله (yerḥamak allāh), “may God have mercy on you”.