بنت
binteveryday, Lebanon
A girl is a بنت (bint) in Lebanese Arabic. صبية (ṣabiyye) means a young woman, and the plural of بنت is بنات (banāt).
Meaning: a girl (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بنت | bint | everyday, Lebanon |
| صبية | ṣabiyye | young woman |
بنت (bint) also means "daughter", so بنتي (binti) can be "my girl" or "my daughter" depending on context.
Which one should you use?
بنت (bint) fits a child or a teenager, while صبية (ṣabiyye) points to an older girl or a young woman.
Did you know?
- Lebanese speakers may call a young woman يا صبية (ya ṣabiyye) to get her attention, much like "miss".
Examples in context
- هيدي بنت صغيرةhaydi bint zghīreThis is a little girl.
- عندي بنت وولدʿindi bint w waladI have a daughter and a son.
- الصبية عم تدرسeṣ-ṣabiyye ʿam tedrosThe young woman is studying.
Example conversation
Two mothers, Nadine and Souad, talk about their daughters at a school gate in Saida.
- Nadineعندك بنت بهالمدرسة؟ʿindik bint bhal-madrase?Do you have a girl at this school?
- Souadإي، بنتي بالصف الرابعēh, binti bis-ṣaff er-rābeʿYes, my daughter is in fourth grade.
- Nadineوبنتي بالتالتw binti bit-tāletAnd my daughter is in third.
