Faculty’s Choice: Arabic Expressions
If you invite someone over but the gathering place is small and crowded, this expression is used to welcome guests and say that there is always enough ...
Feb 21, 2015
This article is part of The Gazelle’s Faculty’s Choice series. This week, we asked faculty from the Arabic department to pick their favorite idioms in the language.
KHULOOD KITTANEH, Arabic Language Instructor
KHULOOD KITTANEH, Arabic Language Instructor
بيت الضيق يوسع الف صديق
The small house can have 1000 friends.
If you invite someone over but the gathering place is small and crowded, this expression is used to welcome guests and say that there is always enough room for friends.
غزالته سارحة
His gazelle is wandering.
When someone is pensive or absent-minded, the expression indicates he is thinking about his gazelle or, in other words, his beloved one.
لاقيني ولاتغديني
It is better for someone to greet me than to feed me.
Good company is preferable to materialistic objects.
NASSER ISLEEM, Senior Arabic Language Instructor. His suggestions come from his books Palestinian Proverbs: An Entrance to Palestinian Culture and Colloquial Palestinian Arabic.
NASSER ISLEEM, Senior Arabic Language Instructor. His suggestions come from his books Palestinian Proverbs: An Entrance to Palestinian Culture and Colloquial Palestinian Arabic.
اِبْعِد عَنِ الشّر وْغَنّي لُه
Keep away from trouble and sing to it.
This proverb urges us to keep away from evil by not interfering in matters that bring evil, Put simply, don’t bother with trouble until trouble bothers you.
تِسْمَعْ صوتُه وِتْقول: نِيّالَك يا اطْرَش
You hear his voice and you say: Lucky is the deaf one.
This is said about any bad singer, inarticulate speaker or someone who says silly things.
خَلّيهْ يْبَلّطْ البَحَرْ
Let him lay tiles on the seafloor.
This proverb refers to a person who pays no attention to the warnings, threats or negative reactions of others.
اللي ما بِِعْرِفْ الصّقِر... يشْوِيه
He who does not recognize the falcon grills it.
Regrettable deeds are performed through ignorance.
اللي زَعْلان يِشْرَب البَحَر
Let he who is angry drink the sea.
This proverb is normally said to someone who disapproves of something which everyone else seems to like. If the disgruntled person insists on his or her opinion, then let him or her feel free to drink the whole ocean if he or she wants. This is of course impossible, just like it is impossible for him or her to fight against so many opinions contrary to his or her own.
أنا نُقْطَة في بَحْرَك
I am only a drop in your sea
A person says this proverb to one who is very learned, knowledgeable and intellectual. It is often spoken as an act of courtesy.
Clare Hennig is features editor. Email her at feedback@gzl.me.
Clare Hennig is features editor. Email her at feedback@gzl.me.
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