Robyn Lesley

In Lebanese Arabic a mother-in-law is حماة (hamé), and حماتي (hamati) means “my mother-in-law”.

The Lebanese way to say “bon appétit” is بالهنا والشفا (bil-hana w esh-shifa), roughly “with happiness and health”.

Congratulations is مبروك (mabrūk) in Lebanese Arabic. For a warmer wish say ألف مبروك (alf mabrūk), “a thousand congratulations”.

In Lebanese Arabic “beast” is وحش (waḥsh). It means a wild animal or a monster.

In Lebanese Arabic “sugar” is سكّر (sukkar). It is the word you use at home, in a café and in a shop.

بابا (bābā) is how Lebanese children call their dad. When talking about him, بيي (bayyi) means “my father”. The formal word is أب (ab).

In Lebanese Arabic “when” is إمتى (ēmta). Standard Arabic uses متى (matā), but speakers say إمتى in daily life.

To tell a man to enjoy something, Lebanese speakers say استمتع (istamtiʿ). To a woman it is استمتعي (istamtiʿi).

To say a man is handsome in Lebanese, use حلو (ḥelo), which also means “sweet” and “nice”. Add كتير for كتير حلو (ktīr ḥelo), “very handsome”.

A donkey is a حمار (ḥmār) in Lebanese Arabic. The plural is حمير (ḥmīr).