محتار
mḥayyarmasculine, everyday
A man who is confused says محتار (mḥayyar) in Lebanese Arabic. A woman says محتارة (mḥayyara). It is also called ضايع (ḍāyeʿ).
Meaning: confused, unsure (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| محتار | mḥayyar | masculine, everyday |
| ضايع | ḍāyeʿ | casual, masculine |
محتار (mḥayyar) fits when you cannot decide or do not know what to do. ضايع (ḍāyeʿ), literally "lost", is a casual way to say you do not follow something.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both words are adjectives, so they take the feminine ending: ضايعة (ḍāyʿa) for a woman.
Did you know?
- The word محتار (mḥayyar) shares its root with حيرة (ḥayra), which means bewilderment.
Examples in context
- أنا محتار شو أعملana mḥayyar shu aʿmelI am confused about what to do.
- هي محتارة شو تلبسhiye mḥayyara shu telbasShe does not know what to wear.
- ما فهمت شيma fhemt shiI did not understand anything.
Example conversation
Walid and his friend Hana try to choose a restaurant in Beirut.
- Walidأنا محتار، وين نروح؟ana mḥayyar, wēn nrūḥ?I am confused, where should we go?
- Hanaبدك سمك ولا لحمة؟biddak samak wala laḥme?Do you want fish or meat?
- Walidما بعرف، قرر إنتma baʿrif, ʼarrer entI do not know, you decide.
