Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| فيق | fiq | to a man |
| فيقي | fiqi | to a woman |
| صحيني | sahhini | wake me up |
To ask someone else to wake you up, Lebanese speakers use the related verb صحى: صحيني (sahhini), 'wake me up', said when setting an alarm with someone or before sleeping over.
What does it mean word for word?
فيق comes from the verb فاق, 'to become awake'. صحيني uses a different root, صحى, which causes someone else to wake, plus ني, 'me'.
Which one should you use?
فيق is a direct command to someone who is already asleep in front of you. صحيني is a request made in advance, often the night before.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are informal and used mainly with close family, roommates or friends, since waking someone up directly is a familiar, personal act.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The same verb root is shared across the Levant, with only small differences in how fast the final vowel is dropped.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the listener: fiq to a man, fiqi to a woman, and the plural fiqu for a group, such as several sleeping children.
How do you pronounce it?
فيق is a short, sharp word, said almost like a single beat, 'FEE'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using the Standard Arabic استيقظ (istayqadh) sounds overly formal for something as everyday as waking someone up. فيق is what Lebanese families actually say.
When do people say it?
Lebanese mothers are famous in family jokes for repeating فيق، فيق several times with rising urgency before a child actually gets out of bed.
Did you know?
- Lebanese Arabic keeps two separate verbs for waking, one for waking up yourself and another, صحى, for waking someone else, a distinction English makes only with word order.
- فيق is one of the first commands Lebanese children learn to recognize, long before they can form full sentences.
Examples in context
- فيق، صار الساعة ثمانية!fiq, sar l-sa'a tmanyeh!Wake up, it's eight o'clock!
- فيقي حبيبتي، في مدرسة اليوم.fiqi habibti, fi madrasa l-yom.Wake up sweetheart, there is school today.
- صحيني الساعة ستة، لو سمحت.sahhini l-sa'a sitteh, law samaht.Wake me up at six, please.
Example conversation
Mother Rania tries to wake her son Karim for school.
- Raniaفيق كريم، تأخرت!fiq karim, ta'akharet!Wake up Karim, you're late!
- Karimخمس دقايق كمان، أرجوك.khams daqayiq kaman, arjuk.Five more minutes, please.
- Raniaلا، لازم تفيق هلق.la, lazim tfiq halla'.No, you have to wake up now.
- Karimطيب طيب، فقت.tayyib tayyib, fi't.Okay okay, I'm up.
