محاولة جيدة
muḥāwalah jayyidah
In Arabic, "nice try" is translated as محاولة جيدة (muḥāwalah jayyidah).
The phrase محاولة جيدة means 'good attempt' or 'good try' and is used in formal situations.
Meaning: Translations (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, محاولة كويسة is an informal way to express 'Nice Try'.
How do you pronounce it?
muḥāwalah jayyidah
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, instead of saying 'nice try' to someone who failed, people might use a phrase meaning 'may God compensate you', shifting the focus from the attempt to divine reward.
- The root of محاولة is حاول, which can also mean 'to try to turn' or 'to circle around' a problem to find a solution.
- In Egypt, the word كويسة used in محاولة كويسة comes from a root that originally referred to something being 'straight' or 'upright'.
Examples in context
- يجب أن تقدر جهود الآخرين وتقول لهم "محاولة جيدة"، حتى لو لم يحققوا النجاح الكامل.You should appreciate others' efforts and say "muhawala jayyida" to them, even if they didn't achieve complete success.
- محاولة جيدة، لكنك لم تفز.muḥāwalah jayyidah, lākinnaka lam tafiz.Nice try, but you didn't win.
- كانت محاولة جيدة في المباراة.kānat muḥāwalah jayyidah fī al-mubārah.It was a nice try in the match.
- محاولة جيدة يا بطل!muḥāwalah jayyidah yā baṭal!Nice try, champion!
Example conversation
Ahmad and Layla are playing a board game.
- أحمد Ahmedلقد خسرتِ هذه المرة.laqad khasirti hādhihi al-marrah.You lost this time.
- ليلى Laylaلا بأس، كانت محاولة جيدة.lā ba's, kānat muḥāwalah jayyidah.It's okay, it was a nice try.
- أحمد Ahmedسأحاول مجدداً في الجولة القادمة.sa-uḥāwil mujaddadan fī al-jawlah al-qādimah.I will try again in the next round.
- ليلى Laylaبالتوفيق لك يا أحمد.bi-al-tawfīq laka yā aḥmad.Good luck to you, Ahmad.
