Basic Nouns

1. مي

   Mayy

   Water

   Usage

   "biddi mayy" means "I want water". The similar "mayye" (ميّة) is the number 100.

   Grammar Note

   The colloquial counterpart of Standard "māʾ".

2. أكل

   Akl

   Food

   Usage

   A general word for food; spelled like the past verb "akal" (he ate).

   Grammar Note

   Context tells the noun from the verb.

3. مصاري

   Maṣāri

   Money

   Usage

   The Levantine word for money. Currencies: lira in Syria/Lebanon, dinar in Jordan.

   Grammar Note

   Looks plural but is treated as a collective noun.

4. حمام

   Ḥammām

   Toilet

   Usage

   Bathroom or toilet; "ḥammām" also means a public bathhouse.

   Grammar Note

   In Standard Arabic it is a bath; in speech the toilet sense is the most common.

5. محارم

   Maḥārim

   Tissue

   Usage

   In Syria paper tissues are called "maḥārim"; "maḥārim twālēt" is toilet paper.

   Grammar Note

   Standard Arabic has another meaning (close relatives), but as a household item it is understood as tissues.

6. دوا

   Dawa

   Medicine

   Usage

   At a pharmacy: "biddi dawa la-..." followed by the symptom.

   Grammar Note

   Standard "dawāʾ" without the final hamza.

7. شنط

   Shnaṭ

   Luggage

   Usage

   "shanṭa" is one bag; "shnaṭ" is the plural, used for all your luggage.

   Grammar Note

   A broken plural.

8. مفتاح

   Miftāḥ

   Key

   Usage

   At a hotel desk: "el-miftāḥ law samaḥt".

   Grammar Note

   Same as Standard "muftāḥ"; the first vowel is i in speech.

9. تذكرة

   Tazkara

   Ticket

   Usage

   For transport or entry: "tazkara la-dimashq" is a ticket to Damascus.

   Grammar Note

   Final -ة is read -a after r.

10. جواز سفر

    Jawāz safar

    Passport

    Usage

    Needed at border control and hotels; keep a separate copy.

    Grammar Note

    A two-word construct: "jawāz" + "safar" (travel).

11. تلفون

    Telefōn

    Phone

    Usage

    A mobile phone is usually "mobāyl".

    Grammar Note

    A loanword; Standard "hātif" sounds bookish.

12. شاحن

    Shāḥin

    Charger

    Usage

    "biddi shāḥin telefōn" means "I need a phone charger".

    Grammar Note

    The active participle of "shaḥan" (to charge).

13. محطة

    Maḥaṭṭa

    Station

    Usage

    Works for bus, rail and radio stations: "maḥaṭṭat el-bāṣ" is a bus stop.

    Grammar Note

    Final -ة is read -a after ṭ.

14. مشفى

    Mashfa

    Hospital

    Usage

    "mashfa" is common in Syria; Lebanon and Jordan also say "mustashfa".

    Grammar Note

    A short form of Standard "mustashfā".

15. شرطة

    Shurṭa

    Police

    Usage

    For an emergency; one officer is "shurṭi".

    Grammar Note

    A collective noun.

16. دكان

    Dukkān

    Shop

    Usage

    A small shop; larger stores are "maḥall".

    Grammar Note

    A word of Turkish origin.

17. غرفة

    Ghurfe

    Room

    Usage

    "biddi ghurfe rakhīṣa" means "I want a cheap room".

    Grammar Note

    Final -ة is read -e after a non-emphatic consonant.

18. طريق

    Ṭarīʾ

    Road

    Usage

    "eṭ-ṭarīʾ la-..." means "the way to ...", used when asking directions.

    Grammar Note

    "ق" is pronounced ʾ in urban speech.

19. عيلة

    ʿĒle

    Family

    Usage

    "ʿēlti" means "my family".

    Grammar Note

    Standard "ʿāʾila" shortens to "ʿēle".

20. اسم

    Ism

    Name

    Usage

    "ismi ..." means "my name is ...".

    Grammar Note

    Add a possessive suffix: "ismak" (your name).

21. الراس

    Er-rās

    Head

    Usage

    "rāsi biwajjiʿni" means "my head hurts".

    Grammar Note

    Standard "raʾs" loses its hamza and becomes "rās".

22. العين

    El-ʿēn

    Eye

    Usage

    The plural is "el-ʿuyūn".

    Grammar Note

    The diphthong ay becomes ē.

23. السنان

    Es-snān

    Teeth

    Usage

    A dentist is "doktōr snān".

    Grammar Note

    A plural; one tooth is "sinn".

24. الحلق

    El-ḥalʾ

    Throat

    Usage

    "ḥalaʾ" also means "to shave"; the article marks the noun.

    Grammar Note

    "ق" is pronounced ʾ in urban speech.

25. البطن

    El-baṭn

    Stomach, belly

    Usage

    "baṭni biwajjiʿni" means "my stomach hurts".

    Grammar Note

    Refers to the whole abdomen.

26. ضهري

    Ḍahri

    My back

    Usage

    "ḍahri biwajjiʿni" means "my back hurts". Bare "eḍ-ḍuhr" can also mean noon, so the possessive form is shown.

    Grammar Note

    The suffix -i means "my".

27. رجلي

    Rijli

    My foot

    Usage

    "rijl" covers the whole leg and foot; point to the painful spot.

    Grammar Note

    Bare "rajul" means "man" in Standard Arabic, so the possessive form is shown.

28. الإيد

    El-īd

    Hand

    Usage

    "īdi" means "my hand".

    Grammar Note

    Standard "yad" becomes "īd".

29. الصدر

    Eṣ-ṣadr

    Chest

    Usage

    In medical settings: "ṣadri biwajjiʿni" means "my chest hurts".

    Grammar Note

    A neutral term for the chest.

30. فندق

    Funduʾ

    Hotel

    Usage

    "wēn el-funduʾ?" means "where is the hotel?".

    Grammar Note

    "ق" is pronounced ʾ in urban speech.

31. مطار

    Maṭār

    Airport

    Usage

    "biddi rūḥ ʿal-maṭār" means "I want to go to the airport".

    Grammar Note

    "ʿal-" is the contraction of "ʿala + el-".

32. شاحنة الإطفاء

    Shāḥnet el-iṭfāʾ

    Fire engine

    Usage

    For emergencies. Literally "the extinguishing truck".

    Grammar Note

    A construct phrase; feminine -ة becomes -et before a following noun.

33. قنصلية

    ʾUnṣuliyye

    Consulate

    Usage

    Look up your own country's consulate before you travel.

    Grammar Note

    A diplomatic term, close to the Standard form.

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