راس
rāseveryday, body
The Lebanese word for head is راس (rās). With the ending -i it becomes راسي (rāsi), "my head".
Meaning: part of the body (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| راس | rās | everyday, body |
| راسي | rāsi | my head |
It is the same word for the body part and for the top of something, such as راس الجبل (rās el-jabal), "the top of the mountain".
Is it said differently in some regions?
A headache is وجع راس (wajaʿ rās). Lebanese speakers also use it for a troublesome thing or person, as in هالشغلة وجع راس (hash-shaghle wajaʿ rās), "this matter is a headache".
How do you pronounce it?
The long ā in راس is steady in Lebanese speech, with no glottal stop.
Did you know?
- وجع راس (wajaʿ rās) is also used in Lebanese for something annoying, so the phrase has a figurative meaning that matches English "a headache".
Examples in context
- عندي وجع راسʿindi wajaʿ rāsI have a headache.
- راسي عم يوجعنيrāsi ʿam yewjaʿniMy head is hurting.
- وقعت وضربت راسيwiʾiʿt w ḍarabt rāsiI fell and hit my head.
Example conversation
Ziad tells his mother he does not feel well after a long day in Tripoli.
- Ziadماما، عندي وجع راسmama, ʿindi wajaʿ rāsMom, I have a headache.
- Motherخود حبة وارتاحkhod ḥabbe w irtāḥTake a pill and rest.
- Ziadإن شاء الله بيروحin shāʾ aḷḷa biyrūḥGod willing, it will go away.
