Lebanese

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

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

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).

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).

The Lebanese command “come” is تعا (taʿa) for a man and تعي (taʿi) for a woman. For “he comes” use بيجي (biji), and for “he came” use إجا (eja).

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”.