Episode 42 · Bigger and cheaper

Welcome back to Sahet el-Teeneh. After following Dr. Hala's instructions and resting up, you're finally feeling like yourself again. It's a brisk morning, and you've stepped out to run a quick errand.

Inside the corner shop, Sett Sana is fiercely organizing a delivery of fresh produce. She has two crates of apples in front of her, and she looks like she's judging every single one.

You pick up a shiny red apple and smile. "Hayda el-kbir," you say to her, meaning 'This big one'.

She shakes her head. "La," she says, holding up an even larger apple to show you the difference.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

Ah, did you catch the change? You remembered the word for big, but Sett Sana is teaching us how to compare. She said hayda akbar min hayda.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

The word akbar means bigger, and min means than. To compare things in Lebanese, we just change the shape of the describing word. Say it with me: hayda akbar min hayda.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

A little slower now. Focus on the strong b sound in the middle. hayda akbar min hayda.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

She points to the other crate filled with slightly smaller, but very fresh-looking local apples. "Bas..." she starts, meaning 'But...'

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

She wants you to know your options! She pointed to the local ones and said hal-tiffé7 arkhas. These apples are cheaper.

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

The word arkhas comes from the word for cheap. Listen for that deep, raspy kh sound in the middle—like you're gently clearing your throat. Try saying it: hal-tiffé7 arkhas.

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

One more time, naturally. hal-tiffé7 arkhas.

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

Just then, Maya drags herself into the shop. She looks absolutely exhausted. Abu Naji happens to be walking in right behind her with a little tray.

He offers her a steaming glass. "Chay ya Maya?" he asks warmly.

Maya shakes her head politely. "La choukran," she says.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

Maya is definitely going to need something stronger today. She politely declined the tea and said ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar. I like coffee more.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

We know b7ibb means I like, and el-2ahwe is coffee. To say 'more', we just add aktar at the end. Try it with Maya: ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

Say it once more, nice and relaxed. ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

We're comparing everything in the shop today! Let's do a quick review of how to weigh our options. First, to say 'This one's bigger than this one', we say: hayda akbar min hayda ... hayda akbar min hayda.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

When Sett Sana pointed out the better deal, 'These apples are cheaper', she said: hal-tiffé7 arkhas ... hal-tiffé7 arkhas.

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

And when Maya politely requested her favorite drink, 'I like coffee more', she told Abu Naji: ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar ... ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

Abu Naji heads back to his café to brew something strong. Maya leans on the counter, staring out at the noisy traffic inching past the shop.

She sighs dreamily, looking at a faded postcard of the Mediterranean sea taped to Sett Sana's wall.

البحر أحلى من المدينة — The sea is nicer than the city · el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné

She's dreaming of an escape. She looked at the postcard and said el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné. The sea is nicer than the city.

البحر أحلى من المدينة — The sea is nicer than the city · el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné

The word el-ba7r is the sea. el-medéné is the city. And to say nicer, we use a7la. Make sure to breathe out softly on that h in the middle. Try it: el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné.

البحر أحلى من المدينة — The sea is nicer than the city · el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné

Once more, nice and smooth. el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné.

البحر أحلى من المدينة — The sea is nicer than the city · el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné

Back to business. You decide you really want the big, shiny apples for a recipe you're trying out, even if they aren't the local ones. You hand a bag of them to Sett Sana.

She weighs the large apples on an old scale. "Bas hol..." she warns, meaning 'But these are...'

شوي أغلى — A bit more expensive · shwayy aghla

She wants to make sure you know what you're doing. She warned you: shwayy aghla. A bit more expensive.

شوي أغلى — A bit more expensive · shwayy aghla

The word shwayy means a little or a bit. And aghla is more expensive. That gh sound is like a very gentle gargle in the back of the throat. Say it with me: shwayy aghla.

شوي أغلى — A bit more expensive · shwayy aghla

Let's try it again, smoothly. shwayy aghla.

شوي أغلى — A bit more expensive · shwayy aghla

You hand the money to Sett Sana with a polite nod. "Mish mishklé," you say, letting her know it's not a problem.

Sett Sana puts the money in the register, looking out the door at the busy, noisy street with a look of nostalgia. "Kel chi ken a7la 2abel..." she mutters.

'Everything was nicer before,' she mutters. Maya puts a sympathetic hand on Sett Sana's shoulder. There's a deeper history to this street, and to Sett Sana's gruffness, that we haven't quite learned yet. But we will.

Before we leave the shop, let's do a final check of all the comparisons we learned today. 'This one's bigger than this one': hayda akbar min hayda ... hayda akbar min hayda.

هيدا أكبر من هيدا — This one's bigger than this one · hayda akbar min hayda

To point out a bargain, 'These apples are cheaper': hal-tiffé7 arkhas ... hal-tiffé7 arkhas.

هالتفّاح أرخص — These apples are cheaper · hal-tiffé7 arkhas

When Maya wanted her caffeine fix, 'I like coffee more': ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar ... ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar.

أنا بحبّ القهوة أكتر — I like coffee more · ana b7ibb el-2ahwe aktar

Maya's little daydream, 'The sea is nicer than the city': el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné ... el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné.

البحر أحلى من المدينة — The sea is nicer than the city · el-ba7r a7la min el-medéné

And finally, Sett Sana's warning about the imported fruit, 'A bit more expensive': shwayy aghla ... shwayy aghla.

شوي أغلى — A bit more expensive · shwayy aghla

Great job today. You're really starting to hold your own in these conversations, and the neighborhood is opening up to you. Join us again soon—new episodes are out every Tuesday and Friday. See you next time!