زلمة
zalameLebanese, everyday
The everyday Lebanese word for "man" is زلمة (zalame), used for any adult male. It is also called رجل (rajol).
Meaning: an adult male person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| زلمة | zalame | Lebanese, everyday |
| رجل | rajol | standard, formal |
زلمة (zalame) is what people say in conversation. It can also mean a brave, decent man, as in هيدا زلمة (hayda zalame), "he is a real man".
Which one should you use?
رجل (rajol) is the standard Arabic word and sounds formal. In everyday Lebanese it is much less common than زلمة (zalame).
Did you know?
- In Levantine Arabic زلمة (zalame) is a very common word for man, while رجل (rajol) is kept for formal speech.
Examples in context
- مين هيدا الزلمة؟min hayda ez-zalame?Who is this man?
- هيدا زلمة محترم.hayda zalame mhtaram.He is a respectable man.
Example conversation
A customer asks a shopkeeper about the man who just left the shop.
- Customerمين كان هيداك الزلمة؟min kan haydak ez-zalame?Who was that man?
- Shopkeeperهيدا جاري.hayda jeeri.He is my neighbor.
- Customerشكلو زلمة طيب.shaklo zalame tayyeb.He looks like a kind man.
