Episode 44 · The people of the ḥayy

Welcome back to Beirut. After weeks of figuring out appointments, navigating the market, and surviving Jad's chaotic schedule, today is a quiet afternoon at home.

You're sitting at Téta Nabiha's kitchen table. Lili is visiting, completely focused on a piece of paper, surrounded by a mountain of scattered crayons.

shouf!

She's drawn the whole neighbourhood. It's a bit scribbly, but you can tell exactly who is who. It makes you realize how well you know these people now.

Abu Naji tayyeb.

أبو ناجي طيّب — Abu Naji is kind · Abu Naji tayyeb

Abu Naji is kind. We're using the word tayyeb.

أبو ناجي طيّب — Abu Naji is kind · Abu Naji tayyeb

The first letter is a heavy, deep T sound... t. Say just that word with me: tayyeb.

أبو ناجي طيّب — Abu Naji is kind · Abu Naji tayyeb

You might hear tayyeb used for food, meaning delicious. But when we talk about a person, it means kind or good-hearted. Let's say the whole thing. Abu Naji tayyeb.

أبو ناجي طيّب — Abu Naji is kind · Abu Naji tayyeb

Lili moves her finger to a drawing of a woman holding an impossibly large, lopsided apple.

Sett Sana mni7a.

ستّ سناء منيحة — Sett Sana is good-hearted · Sett Sana mni7a

Sett Sana is good. Remember the word mni7 from before? Because Sett Sana is a woman, we add the feminine ending to make it mni7a.

ستّ سناء منيحة — Sett Sana is good-hearted · Sett Sana mni7a

Listen for that soft, breathy 7 sound, like fogging up a mirror. mni7a. Try saying it slowly with me. mni7a.

ستّ سناء منيحة — Sett Sana is good-hearted · Sett Sana mni7a

Excellent. Now the whole sentence naturally: Sett Sana mni7a.

ستّ سناء منيحة — Sett Sana is good-hearted · Sett Sana mni7a

Let's pause and admire the artwork so far. We described a kind man: Abu Naji tayyeb. And we described a good woman: Sett Sana mni7a.

Next, Lili points to a cluster of tiny stick figures near the bottom of the page.

el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin.

الولاد زغار وحلوين — The kids are small and sweet · el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin

The kids are small and sweet. In Lebanese, when we describe a group, our adjectives change to plural.

الولاد زغار وحلوين — The kids are small and sweet · el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin

First, the word for small in plural is zghar. Say it with me: zghar.

الولاد زغار وحلوين — The kids are small and sweet · el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin

And the word for sweet or beautiful in plural is 7ilwin. It has that breathy 7 again. 7ilwin.

الولاد زغار وحلوين — The kids are small and sweet · el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin

Let's put it together. The kids are small and sweet. el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin.

الولاد زغار وحلوين — The kids are small and sweet · el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin

Lili takes a big green crayon and draws a massive circle around everyone on the page.

kellon mné7.

كلّهن مناح — They're all good · kellon mné7

They're all good. Let's break this down. kellon means all of them. Listen to the end: kellon.

كلّهن مناح — They're all good · kellon mné7

And here is the plural of good. We had mni7 for a man, mni7a for a woman, and now mné7 for a group. Say: mné7.

كلّهن مناح — They're all good · kellon mné7

Now say the whole thing with Lili. They are all good: kellon mné7.

كلّهن مناح — They're all good · kellon mné7

You look at the drawing. A few weeks ago, these people were just strangers. Now they're your daily routine. You realize how much you care about them.

b7ibbon ktir.

بحبّهن كتير — I love them a lot · b7ibbon ktir

I love them a lot. We already know b7ibb for I love. To say I love them, we add that same group ending we just heard. b7ibbon.

بحبّهن كتير — I love them a lot · b7ibbon ktir

Try just that part: b7ibbon.

بحبّهن كتير — I love them a lot · b7ibbon ktir

Then we add ktir for a lot. Put it all together. b7ibbon ktir.

بحبّهن كتير — I love them a lot · b7ibbon ktir

Lili beams. She grabs a magnet and proudly sticks the masterpiece right in the middle of Téta Nabiha's old fridge.

Just as she steps back to admire it, there's a sudden, rhythmic knock at the front door.

ya jama3a! fi 7ada hon?

It sounds like Jad. And when Jad knocks like that, he usually needs a favour. We'll see what he wants next time.

Before we get the door, let's remember our neighbourhood. Abu Naji is kind: Abu Naji tayyeb. Abu Naji tayyeb. Sett Sana is good: Sett Sana mni7a. Sett Sana mni7a.

The kids are small and sweet: el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin. el-wléd zghar w 7ilwin. They're all good: kellon mné7. kellon mné7. And you love them a lot: b7ibbon ktir. b7ibbon ktir.

That's it for today. Fablingo Lebanese brings you a new slice of life in the ḥayy every Tuesday and Friday. I'll see you for the next one!