Episode 19 · She sells, they play

Welcome back to Sahet el-Teeneh. It's late afternoon, the golden hour when the heat finally breaks and the whole neighbourhood spills out into the square.

You're sitting in 'your' chair at Abu Naji's, nursing a coffee, watching the rhythm of the place. You know how to talk about yourself now. You can order, you can ask for things.

But you're about to get a crash course in everyone else. Here comes Lili, the neighbourhood's seven-year-old self-appointed broadcaster. She never walks; she only ever ricochets.

Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe!

أبو ناجي بيشتغل بالقهوة — Abu Naji works at the café · Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe

She just announced: Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe. Abu Naji works at the café. We know 2ahwe is café, but listen to that verb: bishtghil.

أبو ناجي بيشتغل بالقهوة — Abu Naji works at the café · Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe

In Lebanese, 'I work' and 'he works' actually share the exact same shape. If you remember Jad saying he works, it's the same word. bishtghil. Let's say the whole phrase together: Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe.

أبو ناجي بيشتغل بالقهوة — Abu Naji works at the café · Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe

Let's try it again, keeping the flow going. Don't worry about every single consonant, just ride the rhythm. Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe.

أبو ناجي بيشتغل بالقهوة — Abu Naji works at the café · Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe

Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe.

أبو ناجي بيشتغل بالقهوة — Abu Naji works at the café · Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe

Lili beams. You understood! So she immediately spins around and points across the street to the grocery shop.

Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné!

ستّ سناء بتبيع بالدكانة — Sett Sana sells at the shop · Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné

Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné. Sett Sana sells at the shop. Listen to the first sound of that verb: btbi3. The 't' sound at the front is our classic marker for 'she'.

ستّ سناء بتبيع بالدكانة — Sett Sana sells at the shop · Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné

The verb to sell is btbi3. Say it with me, and really let the heavy 3 at the end catch in your throat, like you're gently clearing it: Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné.

ستّ سناء بتبيع بالدكانة — Sett Sana sells at the shop · Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné

One more time, a little more naturally. Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné.

ستّ سناء بتبيع بالدكانة — Sett Sana sells at the shop · Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné

Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné.

ستّ سناء بتبيع بالدكانة — Sett Sana sells at the shop · Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné

Sett Sana catches you pointing, gives you a brisk nod, and immediately writes something down on your tab. You definitely just bought something you didn't ask for.

Let's pause and lock these in. Listen and repeat after me. Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe.

Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe. Abu Naji works at the café. Now for Sett Sana: Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné. Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné. Sett Sana sells at the shop.

Lili isn't done. She points up at your balcony, right above the café awning, and then dramatically gestures to herself.

ni7na mniskun hon!

نحنا منسكن هون — We live here · ni7na mniskun hon

ni7na mniskun hon. We live here. The pronoun for 'we' is ni7na. And just like 'she' loves the 't' sound, 'we' loves the 'm' and 'n'. mniskun. We live.

نحنا منسكن هون — We live here · ni7na mniskun hon

You learned 'I live' back on your first day — it's just 'biskun'. To make it 'we', it becomes mniskun. Try it with me: ni7na mniskun hon.

نحنا منسكن هون — We live here · ni7na mniskun hon

Once more, nice and smooth: ni7na mniskun hon.

نحنا منسكن هون — We live here · ni7na mniskun hon

ni7na mniskun hon.

نحنا منسكن هون — We live here · ni7na mniskun hon

Suddenly, a worn-out football bounces past your table. Lili groans. It's her friends from down the street.

el-wléd bil3abo barra.

الولاد بيلعبو برّا — The kids play outside · el-wléd bil3abo barra

el-wléd bil3abo barra. The kids play outside. When we talk about 'they', we usually wrap the verb up with an 'o' sound at the end. bil3abo. They play.

الولاد بيلعبو برّا — The kids play outside · el-wléd bil3abo barra

And barra is a great word to know. It just means outside. Say the whole sentence with me: el-wléd bil3abo barra.

الولاد بيلعبو برّا — The kids play outside · el-wléd bil3abo barra

Again, let the words link together. el-wléd bil3abo barra.

الولاد بيلعبو برّا — The kids play outside · el-wléd bil3abo barra

el-wléd bil3abo barra.

الولاد بيلعبو برّا — The kids play outside · el-wléd bil3abo barra

You kick the ball back to the kids, and one of them yells a quick 'shukran!' to you. Lili looks at you, very impressed.

hinne bi7ko 3arabé!

هنّي بيحكو عربي — They speak Arabic · hinne bi7ko 3arabé

hinne bi7ko 3arabé. They speak Arabic! She's using the pronoun hinne, which means 'they'. And notice the 'o' at the end of the verb again? bi7ko. They speak.

هنّي بيحكو عربي — They speak Arabic · hinne bi7ko 3arabé

Say it with me. Pay attention to the soft, breathy 7 in the middle, like fogging up a mirror: hinne bi7ko 3arabé.

هنّي بيحكو عربي — They speak Arabic · hinne bi7ko 3arabé

Try it one more time. Own it, because it's true! hinne bi7ko 3arabé.

هنّي بيحكو عربي — They speak Arabic · hinne bi7ko 3arabé

hinne bi7ko 3arabé.

هنّي بيحكو عربي — They speak Arabic · hinne bi7ko 3arabé

Lili gets distracted again. She squints across the square. Maya is sitting on a bench near the fountain, looking at some large architectural plans.

And here comes Jad. He's walking out of Abu Naji's, carrying two paper cups of coffee. He hesitates for just a second, then walks straight over to Maya's bench.

Lili gasps, utterly scandalized by this development. You watch as Jad hands Maya a cup. She looks up, surprised, and actually smiles.

They sit down together. Something tells me the square is going to have plenty to talk about tomorrow. Let's make sure you have the words to keep up.

Let's review today's gossip one last time. Listen and repeat. Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe. Abu Naji bishtghil bi-l-2ahwe. Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné. Sett Sana btbi3 bi-l-dekkéné. ni7na mniskun hon. ni7na mniskun hon. el-wléd bil3abo barra. el-wléd bil3abo barra. hinne bi7ko 3arabé. hinne bi7ko 3arabé.

Amazing work today. You're starting to talk about the whole world around you, not just yourself. Join us every Tuesday and Friday to see what Jad and Maya are actually talking about. See you in the hayy!