Dialect: Levantine (Syrian/Lebanese focus, as taught by Omar Nassra) Level: Beginner–Intermediate Focus: Past tense conjugation of common verbs + practical sentences and expressions
We use Arabizi transliteration (very common for Levantine learners) to make pronunciation easy:
- 7 = heavy h (like in “loch”)
- 5 = kh (like Scottish “loch”)
- 3 = deep throat sound (ʿayn)
- 2 = glottal stop (like the pause in “uh-oh”)
- aa = long “a” sound
- sh = English “sh”
- Vowels are approximate: a (as in cat), e (as in bed), i (as in sit), o (as in more), u (as in put)
1. Quick Vocabulary
| Arabic | Arabizi | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| اكتب | iktob | write (command) | |
| خاصة | khaaṣatan | especially | |
| غيّر | ghayyer | change | |
| فكّر | fakkar | think | |
| حس | 7ass | feel | |
| لاقى | laa2a | find | |
| حفلة | 7afleh | party | |
| متأخّر/متأخّرة | met2a5er / met2a5reh | late (m/f) | |
| كالعادة | k-el-3aadeh | as usual | |
| بدوني | bedooni | without me | |
| مبسوط/مبسوطة | mabsoo6 / mabsoo6eh | happy (m/f) | |
| مشروع | mashroo3 | project | |
| مش فارقة معي | mish faare2 ma3i | I don’t care | Very common expression |
| ابداً | abadan | at all | |
| لا تاكل هم | la ta2kol hamm | don’t worry | Literal: “don’t eat worry” |
| صحيت | sa7eit | I woke up | |
| نمت | nemt | I slept | |
| الجو | il-jaw | the weather | |
| ممطّر | mamṭer | rainy | |
| مشمس | mashmes | sunny | |
| عيون | 3yoon | eyes | |
| باب | baab | door | |
| روح | roo7 | soul | |
| ولا شي صدفة | wala shi ṣudfeh | nothing is a coincidence |
2. Past Tense Verb Conjugations
Levantine past tense is straightforward. Here are the main verbs from the lesson with full conjugations.
Verb: راح (raa7) – to go
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | رحت | ra7t | ra7t (short, strong 7) |
| We | رحنا | ra7na | |
| You (f sing) | رحتي | ra7ti | |
| You (pl) | رحتو | ra7tu | |
| He | راح | raa7 | long “aa” |
| She | راحت | raa7et | |
| They | راحو | raa7u |
Verb: جاب (jaab) – to bring
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi |
|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | جبت | jibt |
| We | جبنا | jibna |
| You (f sing) | جبتي | jibti |
| You (pl) | جبتو | jibtu |
| He | جاب | jaab |
| She | جابت | jaabet |
| They | جابو | jaabu |
Verb: زار (zaar) – to visit
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi |
|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | زرت | zirt |
| We | زرنا | zirna |
| You (f sing) | زرتي | zirti |
| You (pl) | زرتو | zirtu |
| He | زار | zaar |
| She | زارت | zaaret |
| They | زارو | zaaru |
Verb: حكى (7aka) – to speak / tell
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi |
|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | حكيت | 7keit |
| We | حكينا | 7keina |
| You (f sing) | حكيتي | 7keiti |
| You (pl) | حكيتو | 7keitu |
| He | حكى | 7aka |
| She | حكت | 7aket |
| They | حكو | 7aku |
Verb: صحى (sa7a) – to wake up
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi |
|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | صحيت | sa7eit |
| We | صحينا | sa7eina |
| You (f sing) | صحيتي | sa7eiti |
| You (pl) | صحيتو | sa7eitu |
| He | صحى | sa7a |
| She | صحت | sa7at |
| They | صحو | sa7u |
Verb: نام (naam) – to sleep
| Person | Arabic | Arabizi |
|---|---|---|
| I (m/f) | نمت | nemt |
| We | نمنا | nemna |
| You (f sing) | نمتي | nemti |
| You (pl) | نمتو | nemtu |
| He | نام | naam |
| She | نامت | naamet |
| They | نامو | naamu |
3. Practice Sentences (from the class)
- رحت عالحفلة متأخّرة كالعادة ra7t 3al-7afleh met2a5reh k-el-3aadeh → I went to the party late, as usual.
- هنّ راحو عالحفلة بدوني وأنا كنت مبسوطة hon raa7u 3al-7afleh bedooni w ana kint mabsoo6eh → They went to the party without me and I was happy.
- خاصة بكتب شو بفكّر وشو بحس وبلاقي حلول للمشاكل وبغيّرهن khaaṣatan biktub shu bfakker w shu b7ess w blaa2i 7uluul lil-mashaakel w bghayyerhon → Especially, I write what I think and feel, I find solutions to problems and change them.
- حكيت عنك إمبارح 7keit 3anak embaare7 → I spoke about you yesterday.
- مش فارقة معي ابداً mish faare2 ma3i abadan → I don’t care at all.
- لا تاكل هم la ta2kol hamm → Don’t worry.
- ولا شي صدفة wala shi ṣudfeh → Nothing is a coincidence.
- العيون باب الروح il-3yoon baab ir-roo7 → The eyes are the door of the soul.
4. Quick Practice Tips
- Repeat each conjugation out loud 3 times.
- Make your own sentences using the pattern: [past verb] + place/time + extra info. Example: زرت عيلتنا إمبارح → zirt 3eeltna embaare7 (I visited our family yesterday).
- Listen to Omar Nassra’s podcast for natural pronunciation if you want audio practice.
If you wish to become fluent in Levantine Arabic, try Omar Nassra online course
You’ve got this! Keep practicing these verbs and you’ll sound natural in no time. 😊
