صبية حلوة
sabiyye helweeveryday, Lebanon
In Lebanese Arabic a beautiful girl is a صبية حلوة (sabiyye helwe). بنت حلوة (bint helwe) is just as common, and جميلة (jamīle) is the more formal word for "beautiful". It is also called بنت جميلة (bint jamīle).
Meaning: a pretty young woman (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| صبية حلوة | sabiyye helwe | everyday, Lebanon |
| بنت حلوة | bint helwe | casual |
| بنت جميلة | bint jamīle | neutral |
صبية (sabiyye) means a young woman and is a warm everyday word. حلوة (helwe) literally means "sweet" and is the usual Lebanese word for pretty.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective follows the noun and agrees with it. The feminine صبية (sabiyye) takes حلوة (helwe), while a handsome boy would be ولد حلو (walad helo).
Did you know?
- After a compliment on looks, Lebanese speakers often add ما شاء الله (ma shāʼ allāh), which is meant to keep the evil eye away.
Examples in context
- شو هالصبية الحلوةshu hal-sabiyye l-helweWhat a pretty girl.
- هيدي صبية حلوة كتيرhaydi sabiyye helwe ktīrThis is a very pretty girl.
- بنتك كتير حلوةbintak ktīr helweYour daughter is very pretty.
Example conversation
Karim and his sister Rima look at wedding photos in Beirut.
- Karimمين هيدي الصبية الحلوة؟mīn haydi s-sabiyye l-helwe?Who is this pretty girl?
- Rimaهيدي بنت خالتيhaydi bint khāltiThis is my aunt's daughter.
- Karimكتير حلوة ما شاء اللهktīr helwe ma shāʼ allāhShe is very pretty, mashallah.
