Thread: Lost in Arabic, ask here :)

Hi everyone, I wanted to start a new thread if you have any questions regarding the Arabic language. I don't know if this is the right place to post this topic, but I'm assuming so. If you have any qeustions ask here, and I will be more than happy to answer your qustions and queries.

Originally Posted by savary

Hi everyone, I wanted to start a new thread if you have any questions regarding the Arabic language. I don't know if this is the right place to post this topic, but I'm assuming so. If you have any qeustions ask here, and I will be more than happy to answer your qustions and queries.

Thanks for offering! I've been using audio CD's to learn Arabic, and sometimes I do have questions, so it would be great to have a place to ask!

Which dialect of Arabic are you most proficient in?

Originally Posted by shiradotnet

Thanks for offering! I've been using audio CD's to learn Arabic, and sometimes I do have questions, so it would be great to have a place to ask!

Which dialect of Arabic are you most proficient in?

You are welcome, I speak the Egyptian dialect and I understand other different dialects but I might have some problems with the Algerian and Moroccan.

That is a very generous offer, thank's!

Originally Posted by gisela

That is a very generous offer, thank's!

you are welcoe, I'm glad there are no questions so far, it means you are smart sutdents and you are on the right track or I hope so

Okay, I have a question....

First, see this link for a translation of the Farid al-Atrache song "Me Alli We Oldtelu": Arabic Music: English Translation of Lyrics for Me Alli We Oltelu by Farid al-Atrache

The translation says, "He did not tell me and I did not tell him either." I'm not sure I understand that. Would it be better to translate that as "He did not talk to me and I did not talk to him either"?

It seems as though this song is saying that a couple quarreled because other people told each lies about the other in hopes of driving them apart. Is that correct? But it also sounds like the couple overcame this and love each other even more?

Hi Shira, thanx for this amazing song, it is one of my favourites
This is the video of the song (it is taken from a movie and this is part of the movie, the bellydancer is Samya Gamal, she is gorgeos)
YouTube - ‫?????? ???? ?? / ????? ???? ????? ?????? .‬‎

Ma alle we oltelo means he told (talked to) me and I told him. Ma at the beginning doesn't mean not, it is just used in 'ammeya and it doesn't change the meaning. It is used in two cases, if you are suggesting something like the following:
ma + tegy + verb: ma tegy nor'os ما تيجى نرقص and it means let's dance or shall we dance (an arabic movie based on the movie shall we dance)
or ma + verb: ma nel'ab and it means let's play
The other ma ما which you confused with this one is when you tell someone not do something, used as the following:
ma + (verb + sh): ma tel'absh = don't play
ma toraosh = don't dance
ma takolsh = don't eat

Back to the song:
ma alle we olteloh: he said to me and i said to him. It means i spoked and talked to him and he did the same. He is telling the people who tried to drive them apart that we now we are together and we talk to each other and tell our secrets to each other.
we mally we melteloh: literally means he leant towards me and i leant towards him. it means our bond is stronger now and we are attracted to each other more.
we galy we rohteloh: he came to me and i went to him.
ya 'awazel falfeloh: you seprators, fume. Falfelo comes from felfel which is pepper, and the closest meaning would be you seperator fume, coz we are back together.
aloly kalam, we alaloh kalam: they told me some stuff, told him other stuff
we kan beny we benoh khesam: and parting/separation took place between me and him. 'khesam' is when you don't talk to a person for sometime, quarrel is not accurate i guess

if you need the whole lyrics translation let me know, I will finish it and move it the lyrics section, hope it is clear now

Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions about this song! I've always enjoyed this song very much, and I appreciate being able to ask questions about what the lyrics mean!

Savary, are you willing to help me with another song? I really, really love the song Shamandora by Mohammed Mounir - any chance you'd be willing to translate it for me?

I've been told the lyrics are this:


Eyou shamandora min ghina bari gaskeryo min ghena, Midri mala wa innama montan jala wayna (repeat).

3a ashatti estani rayha fain, dana leiki baghanni ghinwitea (repeat).

Ghinwa 3an elaha wil haneen, iw ghinwa la i3naiki ya haneen

Ah ya shamndoura labsa toab, yajmal min sora ya doab ya doab. Ya asmar ya samara dobti doab
ya i3youn addara 3al oulob.

Ah ya shamndoura sabri taal, roddi iw ghawbeni 3a ilsoual (repeat).

Ootlobi witmani laou mohal, melein walneni ya ghazal.

Aah Ya shamandoura min ghina.
Ah ya Shamondora ah iw ah.

Ah ya shamndoura labsa toab, yajmal min sora ya doab ya doab. Ya asmar ya samara dobti doab ya i3yoon addara 3al oulob. (repeat).

Hiyya shamandoura min ghina.

hi shira, i like all mounir songs and I'm willing to help you with any lyrics of his. However, in this song (and some other songs) he sings in Nubian which has nothing to do with Arabic. I will translate the Arabic parts only.