لأ
la'everyday
In Lebanese Arabic "no" is لأ (la') (la2), said with a short glottal stop at the end. It is also called لا (la).
Meaning: negative answer (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لأ | la' | everyday |
| لا | la | standard |
لأ (la2) is what you hear in everyday conversation. A more polite refusal is لأ شكرا (la2 shukran), "no thank you". The standard Arabic لا (la) is written the same way but pronounced without the stop.
How does it change in a sentence?
To negate a verb, Lebanese uses ما (ma) before it, as in ما بعرف (ma ba3ref), "I do not know".
Did you know?
- Many Lebanese also say لأ (la2) with raised eyebrows or a click of the tongue, which means "no" without any words.
Examples in context
- لأ شكرا.la' shukran.No thank you.
- لأ، ما بدي.la', ma baddi.No, I do not want to.
- ما بعرف.ma ba3ref.I do not know.
Example conversation
A waiter offers more bread to Samir and his friend at a restaurant.
- Waiterبدكن خبز زيادة؟baddkon khobz ziyede?Do you want more bread?
- Samirلأ شكرا، كتير.la' shukran, ktir.No thanks, that is plenty.
- Waiterتكرم.tikram.As you wish.
