Episode 18 · What are you doing?

Welcome back to the ḥayy! Last time, you finally started building your own sentences, talking about where you live and what you do. You're starting to settle into the rhythm of Beirut.

Today, you're sitting outside at Abu Naji's café, enjoying a quiet morning. You've got your notebook out, just taking it all in.

Suddenly, a chair scrapes loudly across the pavement. It's Jad. He sits down backward on the chair at your table, completely uninvited but entirely welcome.

shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

No 'hello', no 'how are you'. Just straight to the point. Jad just asked shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

This means 'What are you doing?' right in this exact moment. The word shu is 'what', which we already know.

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

The real trick here is the little word 3am. We put 3am right before a verb in Lebanese to show that an action is happening right this second. It's exactly like the 'i-n-g' ending in English.

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

If he were asking a woman, he would add an 'i' sound at the end: shu 3am ta3meli? But since he's talking to you, let's practice the masculine. Say it with me... shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

One more time, just as breezily as Jad... shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

3am bishrab 2ahwe.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

It's perfectly obvious, but you answer anyway. You said 3am bishrab 2ahwe. I am drinking coffee.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

You hear that 3am again? It turns 'I drink' into 'I am drinking right now'. Then bishrab for 'I drink', and of course, 2ahwe.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

Let's build it together. First, just 'coffee'... 2ahwe. Now, 'I am drinking'... 3am bishrab.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

Now put it all together. I am drinking coffee... 3am bishrab 2ahwe.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

btishtighel?

Jad taps your notebook, wondering if you're busy. He asks btishtighel? We remember the verb bishtighel from our last lesson, meaning 'I work'.

3am bitfarraj bass.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

You shake your head. No, you're not working right now. You tell him 3am bitfarraj bass.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

This is a great phrase. It means 'just watching' or 'just looking around'. The verb is 3am bitfarraj.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

And bass is an incredibly useful word. It means 'just' or 'only', and sometimes 'but'. Here, it adds that relaxed feeling—I'm *just* watching.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

Try the whole phrase with me. Just watching... 3am bitfarraj bass.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

You are handling this sudden interrogation beautifully. Let's pause and check in on what we've learned so far.

How do you ask 'What are you doing right now?'... shu 3am ta3mel? ... shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

I am drinking coffee... 3am bishrab 2ahwe. ... 3am bishrab 2ahwe.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

And 'just watching'... 3am bitfarraj bass. ... 3am bitfarraj bass.

عم بتفرّج بس — Just watching · 3am bitfarraj bass

Back to the table. Abu Naji walks over and silently drops a tiny cup of espresso in front of Jad. They clearly have a morning routine.

nater 7ada?

Jad leans in. He asks if you're waiting for someone. You actually are hoping a friend from your building might come downstairs.

3am bistanna sa7be.

عم بستنّى صاحبي — I'm waiting for my friend · 3am bistanna sa7be

So you tell him: 3am bistanna sa7be. I'm waiting for my friend.

عم بستنّى صاحبي — I'm waiting for my friend · 3am bistanna sa7be

We see 3am again for 'right now', followed by bistanna, which means 'I wait'. And sa7be means 'my friend'.

عم بستنّى صاحبي — I'm waiting for my friend · 3am bistanna sa7be

The first sound in sa7be is a deep, heavy 'S', and the middle sound is the soft, breathy 'H', like fogging up a mirror. sa7be. Try just that word with me... sa7be.

عم بستنّى صاحبي — I'm waiting for my friend · 3am bistanna sa7be

Now the whole sentence. I'm waiting for my friend... 3am bistanna sa7be.

عم بستنّى صاحبي — I'm waiting for my friend · 3am bistanna sa7be

Jad nods, but he doesn't look convinced. He asks what your big plans are for the rest of the day, just in case your friend doesn't show up.

ya3né... wala shi.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

You surrender. You tell the honest truth. ya3né... wala shi. I mean... nothing much.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

This is the ultimate casual Lebanese answer. Let's start with ya3né. It literally translates to 'it means', but we use it exactly like the English 'I mean' or 'you know', as a filler word.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

It has that deep throat squeeze in the middle. ya3né. Try it... ya3né.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

And wala shi means 'nothing' or 'not a thing'. Put it all together, complete with a little shrug. I mean... nothing. ya3né... wala shi.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

khalas! 2oum, ra7 nimshi.

Jad just slapped the table and said khalas! which means 'enough' or 'that's it'. Since your friend isn't here, Jad has officially adopted you. He's telling you to get up, we're going.

Before we find out where he's dragging you, let's review everything one last time.

What are you doing? shu 3am ta3mel? ... shu 3am ta3mel?

شو عم تعمل؟ — What are you doing (right now)? · shu 3am ta3mel?

I'm drinking coffee... 3am bishrab 2ahwe. ... And just watching... 3am bitfarraj bass.

عم بشرب قهوة — I'm drinking coffee · 3am bishrab 2ahwe

I'm waiting for my friend... 3am bistanna sa7be. ... I mean... nothing much... ya3né... wala shi.

يعني... ولا شي — I mean… nothing much · ya3né… wala shi

You did brilliantly today. Join us on Tuesday to see exactly where Jad is taking you, and we'll learn a whole new set of phrases along the way. See you in the ḥayy!