Mastering Connectors in Levantine Arabic
These connectors focus on sequencing, time, cause and effect, and contrast and are essential for constructing coherent and nuanced sentences in everyday conversations.
Sequencing: Expressing Order
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أَوَّلًا – Firstly
Example:
"أولًا، لازم نجهز المكونات."
"Firstly, we need to prepare the ingredients."
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Another way of expressing this would be by saying the ordinal numbers followed by "shi". (أَوَّلشِي)
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بِالأَوَّل – At first
Commonly used in spoken Levantine Arabic.
Example:
"بالأول، كنت متوتر، بس بعدين حسيت أحسن"
"At first, I was nervous, but then I felt better."
Expression: أَوَّل باَْوَّل - First things first
| One | First | Firstly |
|---|---|---|
| وَاحِد | أَوَّل | أَوَّلًا |
| Two | Second | Secondly |
|---|---|---|
| تنَين | تَانِي | تانِيًا |
| Three | Third | Thirdly |
|---|---|---|
| تَلَاتِة | تَالِت | تَالِتًا |
| Last | Finally |
|---|---|
| آخِر | أَخِيرًا |
Time Connectors: Indicating Temporal Relationships
(بعد (ما – After
Example:
"رح نروح بعد الشغول يعني بعد ما نخلص الشغول"
"We will go after the work, I mean, after we finish the work"
(قبل (ما – Before
Example:
"تغديت قبل سوي يعني تغديت قبل ما يجيت"
"I had lunch a bit before, I mean, I had lunch before I came"
| AFTER | BEFORE |
|---|---|
| بعد + إسم | قبل + إسم |
| بعد + ما + فعل | قبل + ما + فعل |
The addition of "ما" (ma) is essential when these prepositions are directly followed by a verb.
This structure ensures grammatical correctness,
لما – when
Example:
"كنت عم بدرس، لما سمعت صوت"
"I was studying when I heard a noise."
و – when / while
Example as when:
"و أنا صغير راحت كتير عند التيتا"
"When I was small, I went a lot to my grandmother's."
Example as while:
"هو ضحك و أنا عم بكي"
"he laughed while I cried"
وقت - During
(الوقت) Means the time. For example, (كَانِ الوَقِت مِتْأَخِّر) means "The time was late" = "It is late".
Example:
"هو كان ب بلدو وقت الحرب"
"He was in his country during the war"
من وقت – (Ever) Since
Example:
"صارلو بلا شغل من وقت الحرب"
"He has been without work since the war"
وقتا – Then / At that time
Example:
"كنت مشغول وقتا، ما قدرت أجي"
"I was busy then; I couldn't come."
EXTRA CONCEPT
من وقت لوقت - Now and then
Example:
"منروح ع السينما من وقت لوقت"
"We go to the cinema now and then"
Cause and Effect: Explaining Reasons
لأنو – Because
Example:
"ما رحنا لأنو كنت تعبان"
"I didn't go out because I was tired."
- The form لأن can be followed by a noun or pronoun: لأني تعبانة - Because I am tired.
منشان – In order to / because of
Example as in order to:
"درست كتير منشان أنجح"
"I studied a lot in order to succeed."
Example as because of:
"تأخرت منشانك" - "I was late because of you"
Contrast: Highlighting Differences or Exceptions
على كل حال – In any case / Anyway
Example:
"ما بعرف إذا بيجي، على كل حال، رح نروح"
"I don't know if he's coming; in any case, we'll go."
مع إنو – Even though / Although
Example:
"مع إنو تعبان، راح الشغل"
"Even though he's tired, he went to work."
بدل ما – Instead of
Example:
"بدل ما تدرس، عم تلعب"
"Instead of studying, you're playing."