Episode 28 · This one or that one?

Welcome back to Beirut, and to Sahet el-Teeneh. Last time, you managed to graduate from just pointing at things to actually ordering half a kilo of apples.

Today, you're back at Sett Sana's corner shop to pick up a few more things. But Sett Sana has a new assistant manager on duty.

Little Lili is standing on a wooden crate behind the counter, looking very official, ready to help the customers.

baddé tiffé7.

'I want apples.' You remembered! But Lili isn't going to let you off that easily. There are three different baskets of apples.

ayy wa7ad?

She's asking 'which one?'. You decide to just point to the basket of mixed apples right in front of you.

baddé hayda.

بدّي هيدا — I want this one · baddé hayda

You already know baddé for 'I want'. And hayda means 'this' for masculine words. It's the most common way to point at something near you. Try it: baddé hayda.

بدّي هيدا — I want this one · baddé hayda

Imagine pointing at the basket in front of you. Say it with me: baddé hayda.

بدّي هيدا — I want this one · baddé hayda

la2, haydi el-7amra.

لأ، هيدي الحمرا — No, this red one · la2, haydi el-7amra

Rejected! She said, 'No, this red one.' But wait, why did she change your word for 'this'?

لأ، هيدي الحمرا — No, this red one · la2, haydi el-7amra

In Lebanese, a single apple, tiffé7a, is feminine. So Lili swaps the masculine hayda for the feminine haydi.

لأ، هيدي الحمرا — No, this red one · la2, haydi el-7amra

And she adds el-7amra, 'the red one.' Notice the crisp, breathy H sound deep from the throat. Let's practice her correction: la2, haydi el-7amra.

لأ، هيدي الحمرا — No, this red one · la2, haydi el-7amra

She's bossing you around, so say it with feeling: la2, haydi el-7amra.

لأ، هيدي الحمرا — No, this red one · la2, haydi el-7amra

Let's review. To say 'I want this one' pointing at something masculine: baddé hayda. And to say 'No, this red one' for something feminine: la2, haydi el-7amra.

Lili holds up the prize apple for your inspection. She's very proud of her choice.

hal-tiffé7a kbiré.

هالتفّاحة كبيرة — This apple is big · hal-tiffé7a kbiré

'This apple is big.' Notice how she glued the word for 'this' right onto the noun? She didn't say haydi tiffé7a. She used the prefix ha right onto the word: hal-tiffé7a.

هالتفّاحة كبيرة — This apple is big · hal-tiffé7a kbiré

And kbiré means big. Say it with her: hal-tiffé7a kbiré.

هالتفّاحة كبيرة — This apple is big · hal-tiffé7a kbiré

Again, listen to that ha- prefix blend smoothly: hal-tiffé7a kbiré.

هالتفّاحة كبيرة — This apple is big · hal-tiffé7a kbiré

Excellent. But what if you look past her, to a basket at the very back of the shop?

hawdik zghar.

هودِك زغار — Those (far) are small · hawdik zghar

Sett Sana chimes in from behind the counter. 'Those are small.' When things are far away, we use hawdik for 'those'.

هودِك زغار — Those (far) are small · hawdik zghar

And because there are many apples, she uses the plural word for small: zghar. Listen to the Z sound blending into the ghayn. Say it: hawdik zghar.

هودِك زغار — Those (far) are small · hawdik zghar

Try it yourself, pointing across the room: hawdik zghar.

هودِك زغار — Those (far) are small · hawdik zghar

Sett Sana decides to test her little assistant. She reaches under the counter and holds up a shiny, green apple.

shu lona?

شو لونها؟ — What colour is it? · shu lona?

She's asking, 'What colour is it?' Let's break this down. shu means 'what' and lon means 'colour'.

شو لونها؟ — What colour is it? · shu lona?

Because the apple is feminine, she adds the 'ha' ending to mean 'her' or 'its'. shu lona?

شو لونها؟ — What colour is it? · shu lona?

Try asking it yourself. Imagine holding up a fruit and testing someone: shu lona?

شو لونها؟ — What colour is it? · shu lona?

khadra!

'Green!' She passes the test with flying colours. Sett Sana laughs, bags your red apples, and waves away your wallet. '3ad-daftar' — on the tab, as always.

Just as you're leaving, Jad bursts into the shop. He looks a little out of breath, scanning the room.

Maya hon?

'Is Maya here?' He looks like he's running late for something important. Didn't Maya mention a plan to go to the sea yesterday? Looks like your new social life is getting complicated.

Before we find out what's going on, let's review today's words. I want this one: baddé hayda. No, this red one: la2, haydi el-7amra. This apple is big: hal-tiffé7a kbiré. Those are small: hawdik zghar. What colour is it: shu lona?

You handled the shop like a local today! Join us next time to see where Jad is rushing off to. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. See you then!