Learn Levantine Arabic: Marhabtayn

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Marhabtayn!! Welcome to Season 2! I hope you’re all safe and well. It’s been a while since my last episode, and I was SO nervous to come back. In this special introduction episode, I recap why I started learning Levantine Arabic - though my Arabic isn’t perfect yet. I talk about why I took a break from recording and how I’ve learned to be kinder to myself during tough times.
I also share five simple tips for dealing with self-doubt and low motivation, plus a message of support for everyone facing difficult situations - especially my dear brothers and sisters in Palestine and Gaza. I’m praying for you all <3
Also, I’m working on transcripts for my episodes, so stay tuned!
I’d love to hear from you on Instagram @marhabtayn_!
شكرًا كتير عن جد على الاستماع!

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Marhabtayn! It has been a while, but I'm back with one last episode for 2023. Firstly, I hope you're all safe and well. My heart is broken because of what is happening in Palestine and I'm praying everyday that things get better InshaAllah.

In this episode, Lina and I reflect on the year 2023 but in a very light-hearted way. The last few months have been difficult to process and wanted to record something funny and light. My Arabic is a bit rusty so please be patient with me, my mistakes and my essays! I hope you enjoy it and learn something new :)

شو أطول مدة متواصلة لبستي فيها بيجاما في 2023
What's your record for the most consecutive days wearing pyjamas?

كم سيلفي أخدتي لحد ما لقيتي أحسن صورة للبروفايل؟
How many selfies did you take before finding the perfect one for your profile picture?

كم مرة حكيتي رح أبلّش ديت/ريجيم وبعدين أكلتي بيتزا؟
How many times did you say 'I'll start my diet tomorrow' and then ate pizza?

إذا حيوانك الأليف ممكن يعطيكي تقييم  لسنة 2023 من 1 ل 10، قديش ممكن يعطيكي *
If your pet could rate your 2023 on a scale from 1 to 10, what do you think they'd give you?

*In the end, Lina and I had different interpretations of this question haha

كم مرّة فتحتي التلاجة وتمنيتي يكون فيها أكل جديد؟
How many times did you check the fridge hoping new food magically appeared?

إذا شنتتك بتحكي أي قصة بتضحّك رح تحكي عن رحلاتك هاي السنة؟
If your suitcase could talk, what hilarious story would it tell about your travels this year? 

أي موهبة مش عادية اكتشفتي إنها عندك هاي السنة؟ 
What's the most unusual talent you discovered you had in 2023?

شو أزبط حجة فكرتي فيها لما تأخرتي؟ 
What is the best excuse you came up with for being late?

لو حياتك في سنة 2023 كان إلها شعار، شو ممكن يكون؟
If your life had a slogan for 2023, what would it be?

لو ممكن توصفي سنة 2023 باستعمال الإيموجيز، أي إيموجيز بتختاري
If you had to describe your 2023 using only emojis, what emojis would you choose?
مفردات جديدة : new vocabulary

الأزمة traffic

زينة decorations 

مريح comfortable  

رسمي formal 

رقم قياسي record

تقييم evaluation 

I don't like taking photos, I like someone else taking a photo of me 
ما بحب آخد سيلفي، بحب حدا يصورني

نشاط activity 

قاعد sitting

حيوان أليف pet 

فاصلة comma 

دموع tears 

نقطة drop 

تمه مفتوح his mouth is open

الحقيقة truth

دقيق في المواعيد punctual 

موعد نهائي deadline 

تقألم to adapt

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Marhabtayn! I hope you're all well! I know it has been quite a while since I last posted an episode. If I'm honest, I haven't had a lot of confidence in my Arabic recently. I was so nervous recording this, but I'm so happy I did and I can continue to share my love of Arabic with you all. Remember, mistakes are all part of the journey. In this episode, Lina and I catch up on what we have been doing this year. I hope you enjoy it :) 

p.s I'm so happy to share that I'm back!! 

مفردات جديدة - new vocabulary 

حوت - حيتان whale 

مرتفعات heights 

كسلان lazy 

رطوبة humidity 

مكيّف Air conditioner

مروحة fan

أمان safe

مستوى متوسط intermediate level

مر الوقت بسرعة time passed quickly 

شو كنتِ تعملي هاي السنة؟

what have you been doing this year?

انبسط - بينبسط to have fun 

الثقافة البريطانية British culture 

متحف - متاحف museum 

مواصلات transportation 

بنية تحتية infrastructure 

عطف compassion 

حنان - kind

لطيف مع حاله kind to oneself 

موجة حر heatwave 

موجة حارة - heatwave (you can use either one)

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Marhabtayn! I hope you're all well. I can't believe 2022 is already coming to an end. Where has the time gone? In this episode, Lina and I reflect on the good moments in 2022, if there's anything we wish we did, what we're grateful for, how we took care of ourselves and how we would describe this year in 3-5 words. 

I wish you all a wonderful festive period and a very Happy New Year! I'm so looking forward to making more episodes in 2023 :) ان شاء الله
See you soon!

P.s Lina was right - I said 2001/2002 at the start rather than 2021. The joy of learning a new language  😄 

If you have any questions, you can message on Instagram: @marhabtayn_ 

1. شو كانت اللحظات الحلوة في هاي السنة؟
?What were the beautiful moments of this year

2. شو بتتمني لو عملتي هاي السنة؟
?What do you wish you did this year

3. لشو إنتِ ممتنة هاي السنة؟  
?What are you grateful for

4. كيف اهتميتي بحالك هاي السنة؟ 
?How did you take care of yourself this year

5. كيف بتوصفي هاي السنة بتلات لخمس كلمات؟
?How would you describe this year in 3-5 words
 

New vocabulary مفردات جديدة 

العواطف emotions
كأس العالم world cup
 
مش كتير عادل not very fair

بيشجع To cheer for

مين فريق شجعتي ؟ ? which team did you cheer for

شجعتي - (past tense (feminine

رابط link

بيفوز to win

ما عندي اهتمام مين بيفوز I don’t care / I don’t have an interest who wins

إمكانيات possibilities

بيخسر to lose

بيستاهل to deserve

يكسر القلب breaks the heart

بشكل شخصي personally
ضغط دم blood pressure

دعم to support

  15minutes خمس عشرة دقيقة

لازم اعمل جدول احسن  I need to make a better schedule 
مش ندمانة على شي I don’t regret anything 

بشكل منتظم regularly 

ممتن grateful 

سجل to record

تحمّل to bare

مش مؤكد uncertain 

قوة strength 

رحت اتمشى I went for a walk 

اهتم ب to care for

النتيجة the result

الامتحانات exams
ممتع fun/exciting
نمو growth

سلام peace

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Marhabtayn! I hope you're all well! In this episode, Lina and I talk about holidays. 

This was a difficult episode for me to record because I haven't been studying Arabic as much as I would like to and I didn't feel very confident speaking, but I hope it encourages you to keep going no matter if you feel like you're having  a bad day with language learning (it happens to me all the time) . Slow progress is still progress and making mistakes is all part of the journey!

If you have any questions, you can message me on Instagram: @marhabtayn_ 

**

 إذا فزت باليانصيب بكرة وين أول مكان بدك تسافري؟

If you won the lottery, where is the first place you would travel? 

2. عمرك راحت عليكي طيارة؟ شو صار؟
Have you ever missed a flight what happened? 

3. لشو بتشتاقي أكتر إشي لما بتسافري؟
What do you miss the most when you travel? 

4. شو أطول فترة كنتي فيها بعيدة عن بيتك؟ وحسيتي حالك مشتاقة للبيت؟
What is the longest period you've been away from your home? 
Did you feel like you were missing home? 

5. بالنسبة إلك، قديش لازم يكون طول العطلة؟ قديش وقت بتاخدي عشان تصيري مرتاحة؟ 
In your opinion, how long should a holiday be? 
How much time do you need in order to be relaxed? 

6. شو أهم بالنسبة إلك لما بتسافري، الراحة والاسترخاء ولا التجارب الجديدة؟
What is the most important thing when you travel, peace and relaxation or new experiences?  

7. شو بتاخدي معك لما تسافري؟ بتحاولي تضبي شنتة خفيفة؟
What do you take with you when you travel? 
Do you try and pack your bag light? 

New vocabulary مفردات جديدة

يانصيب  lottery

نباتات     plants 

طيران  plane 

أهل   family

سرير  bed

بكالوريوس  bachelors degree 

مثالي  ideal 

عيد الفصح  Easter

توازن  balance

مغامرات  adventures

وزن  weight

 حجم  size

ضب - بيضب  to pack

جنوب آسيا  South Asia

متعود على used to 

شديد strict 

امتحانات exams

معقد complicated

اليابان Japan

بيشتاق To miss something

اشتقت لأهي I missed my family

راحت علي الطيارة I missed the flight

جواز سفر passport

شاحن charger 

غير هيك other than that

ممكن تعطيني نصيحة = ممكن تنصحيني

شنتة كبيرة big suitcase 

قوة خارقة superpower 

جهاز device 

سلحفاة turtle 

سلاحف turtles 

استراحة rest 

حسب it depends 

زرت   I visited

كملي   continue!

ما بيزبط    it doesn't work out

عيد الميلاد Christmas

أزمة   crowded 

عطلة رسمية public holiday 

بحس إني   I feel like

خزانتي   my closet