خروف
kharūfanimal, everyday
In Lebanese Arabic, a lamb or sheep is a خروف (kharūf). The meat is called لحم غنم (laḥem ghanam), which literally means "sheep meat".
Meaning: young sheep or its meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| خروف | kharūf | animal, everyday |
| لحم غنم | laḥem ghanam | meat |
خروف is the animal. At the butcher, people ask for لحم غنم when they want lamb or mutton.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural خرفان (kharfān) means "lambs" or "sheep".
When do people say it?
Lamb is important in Lebanese cooking. The dish كبة نيّة (kibbe nayye), raw kibbeh, is made with finely ground lamb and bulgur.
Did you know?
- Raw kibbeh, كبة نيّة (kibbe nayye), made from lamb, is often called a Lebanese national dish.
Examples in context
- أكلنا لحم غنم عالغداakalna laḥem ghanam ʿal-ghadaWe ate lamb for lunch.
- شفت خروف صغير عالجبلshuft kharūf zghīr ʿal-jabalI saw a little lamb on the mountain.
- بدّي كيلو لحم غنمbaddi kīlo laḥem ghanamI want a kilo of lamb.
Example conversation
Fares asks the butcher for lamb for a family lunch in Zahle.
- Faresعندك لحم غنم؟ʿindak laḥem ghanam?Do you have lamb?
- Butcherإي، طازة اليومī, ṭāze el-yōmYes, fresh today.
- Faresأعطيني كيلوʾaʿṭīni kīloGive me a kilo.
