Episode 26 · Mraja3a: Coffee and a plan

Welcome back to Sahet el-Teeneh. You've been settling in beautifully—making your first friend, dodging grand plans, and starting a little tab over at Sett Sana's shop.

Today, you're taking a breather at Abu Naji's café. Téta Nabiha's old chair is waiting for you. And so is Maya, who is sitting at the next table, intensely focused on a notebook.

ahlayn! shu l-akhbar?

Before you can even answer, Abu Naji steps out wiping down a tray, and Maya gives him her morning agenda.

baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3.

بدّي قهوة، وبعدين منطلع — I want a coffee, then we'll go out · baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3

Ah, Maya is already mapping out the day. Let's look at what she just told Abu Naji.

She said: baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3. Meaning, I want a coffee, and then we'll go out.

The tricky part here is the start of the word for coffee, 2ahwe. It's spelled with a 2, but in Beirut, we usually drop that sound to a glottal stop. Just a quick catch in the throat, like 'uh-oh'. Try saying coffee: 2ahwe.

And 'then we'll go out' is w ba3dén mnitla3. Let's put it all together. Say it with me: baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3.

بدّي قهوة، وبعدين منطلع — I want a coffee, then we'll go out · baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3

One more time, a little more naturally. Imagine checking your watch and declaring your plan. baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3.

Abu Naji nods and walks off to the espresso machine. Maya taps her pen, turns to you, and drops her next plan.

bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

بتحبّ تيجي عالبحر بكرا؟ — Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow? · bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

Of course she has a plan for you too! She just casually invited you to the beach.

She asked: bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra? Let's break that down. bti7ibb is 'would you like', and tiji is 'to come'.

Then we have 'to the sea', 3a-l-ba7r. There's a heavy 7 in there, deep in the throat. Make it breathy, like fogging up a mirror: ba7r.

And finally, tomorrow is bukra. Put it in one flowing question. Say it with me: bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

بتحبّ تيجي عالبحر بكرا؟ — Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow? · bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

Again, slowly. Imagine you're organizing a grand weekend getaway. bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

Let's pause and do a quick checkpoint. To say 'I want a coffee, then we'll go out', say: baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3. Once more: baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3.

بدّي قهوة، وبعدين منطلع — I want a coffee, then we'll go out · baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3

And to ask 'Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow?', say: bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra? Again: bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

بتحبّ تيجي عالبحر بكرا؟ — Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow? · bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

You definitely want to go. The sea sounds perfect right now. But there's a tiny problem. You pat your pockets. Empty. You remember that tab at Sett Sana's.

akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré.

أكيد بحبّ، بس ما معي مصاري — Sure I'd love to — but I've no money on me · akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré

Ouch. The classic end-of-the-month struggle. Let's learn how to admit this gracefully.

You start with enthusiasm: akid b7ibb. Literally 'Sure, I'd love to'. Say that first part: akid b7ibb.

Then the bad news. bass means 'but'. And ma ma3e masaré means 'I don't have money on me'.

Let's put the whole excuse together. Say it with me, sounding just a little regretful: akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré.

أكيد بحبّ، بس ما معي مصاري — Sure I'd love to — but I've no money on me · akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré

Try it again. Your pockets are totally empty, but you really appreciate the thought. akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré.

Maya waves her hand, totally unbothered, but before she can even speak, Abu Naji arrives with a tray and a steaming cup.

shu masaré? 2ahwtak 3aleyyé.

قهوتك عليّي — Your coffee's on me · 2ahwtak 3aleyyé

Ah, the legendary Lebanese hospitality strikes again. You can't escape it, so you might as well learn it.

He said: 2ahwtak 3aleyyé. Literally, 'your coffee is on me'.

Notice how the word for coffee, 2ahwe, became 2ahwtak when he added the ending for 'your'. And 3aleyyé means 'on me'. Say it with him: 2ahwtak 3aleyyé.

قهوتك عليّي — Your coffee's on me · 2ahwtak 3aleyyé

This is a phrase you'll hear constantly when someone wants to treat you, and one day you'll use it to treat them back. Try saying it like you're the generous host: 2ahwtak 3aleyyé.

mumtaz! bukra 3a-l-ba7r.

Well, it looks like you're going to the beach tomorrow after all! Your empty pockets don't matter; this neighborhood is really starting to take care of you.

Before you start packing your beach bag, let's review today's phrases. 'I want a coffee, then we'll go out' is baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3. Again: baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3.

بدّي قهوة، وبعدين منطلع — I want a coffee, then we'll go out · baddé 2ahwe, w ba3dén mnitla3

'Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow?' is bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra? Once more: bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

بتحبّ تيجي عالبحر بكرا؟ — Would you like to come to the sea tomorrow? · bti7ibb tiji 3a-l-ba7r bukra?

'Sure I'd love to, but I have no money' is akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré. Again: akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré.

أكيد بحبّ، بس ما معي مصاري — Sure I'd love to — but I've no money on me · akid b7ibb, bass ma ma3e masaré

And 'Your coffee is on me' is 2ahwtak 3aleyyé. Once more: 2ahwtak 3aleyyé.

قهوتك عليّي — Your coffee's on me · 2ahwtak 3aleyyé

That's it for today! We post new lessons every Tuesday and Friday, so make sure to come back. Have fun at the beach, and ma3 s-salame!