The Art of Speech collection - Arabic Idioms

Arabic-English dictionaries and glossaries for idioms, proverbs, polite expressions, religious and
Islamic expressions, slang and comparative spoken-written Arabic vocabulary

The Arabic Idioms

Written by Hussein Maxos

Arabic for non-natives series by Hussein Maxos, Damascus 1995-2016

1
 Index
Introduction.page 3
Symbols and abbreviations.. 6
Section 17
Section 54
Section 66
Section 70
Section 73
Section 81
Section . 85
Section 89
Section . 89
Section . 95
Section .. 96
Section .. 100
Section 107
Section . 109
Section . 112
Section 117
Section . 130
Section . 132
Section . 135
Section 139
Section ... 145
Section 152
Section .. 163
Section .. 165
Section ... 166
Section .. 169
Thematic order of the Arabic idiom 171

2
 Preface

This is the first book of Arabic idioms which includes the following
features:

1. It distinguishes between idioms and proverbs as two metaphorical

expressions that are different in terms of form, content and social
function.

2. It combines idioms of written and spoken Arabic with references to

each with a special focus on the shared ones.

3. It includes many Arabic dialects, especially the Leventine, Egyptian

and Arabian ones.

4. It focuses on the most common idioms which represent the advanced

contemporary Arabic.

5. After the idioms were collected, they were taught to many learners of
Arabic for real life practice. Feedback was received for extensive
review and filtering. This happened through an Arabic teaching
experience in a supportive community willing to speak Arabic in
Damascus between 1990 and 2012.

6. In terms of methods and content, the book benefits from the

development of modern social sciences, particulary sociolinguistic. My
goal was to overlook the sacredness of Arabic teaching in order to
adjust it to the needs of the students.

7. The book is using alphabetical and thematic orders so idioms can be

found both ways, when having the idiom or when searching for one
from a specific subject such as business, traditions, time, food or
feelings.

3
The Arabic language & cultural diversity. Misconceptions and reality

The Arab world is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. This is due to several
factors such as being in the center of the ancient world, hosting the oldest civilizations
and religions, and enjoying diverse natural features. Within the Middle East and North
African region, the fertile crescent is even more distinguished, especially the
Levantine corridor which includes present-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan.
This route of land migration is known for its strategic location of the Silk Road
connecting Asia in the East to the Mediterranean in the West and Anatolia in the
North to the Arabian Peninsula and the Nile Valley in the South. Therefore, this
region has received endless waves of invaders, refugees and immigrants all of which
left their own imprint on the local culture. In this ancient cultural melting pot,
newcomers brought with them unusual customs, crafts, languages, myths and other
aspects of their physical and spiritual heritage. The cross-fertilization of civilizations
allowed great improvements and developments in all areas of life and fields of
activities. Even racially, in the streets of an Arab town, one often sees among the
natives a range of complexions from dark brown to blond and blue-eyed.

Naturally, this cultural diversity has caused an interesting linguistic diversity

including many Arabic dialects and accents. Syria or historically known as the
Levant, and the Fertile Crescent on a larger scale, is first in both linguistic and ethnic
diversity, maybe because the rest of the Arab world is mainly semi-desert or desert
where conditions were not ideal to create urban settlements. Every group of
immigrants or refugees that came brought its own language and dialect, many of
which have not died out even decades or centuries since arrival. These groups
included Turkmen, Kurds, Armenians, Circassians (North Caucasians) and others who
came in various eras of early modern history.

It is worth mentioning that besides the ethnic variety brought by immigrants, there
had already been a remarkable religious and sectarian diversity that contained dozens
of Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Sufi, Yazidi, Bahai, and other sects and subsects
(Druze, Murshidi, Alawite, the Twelvers, many different Christian churches, etc.)
some of which date back to the pre-Christian era. That old mix, which kept melting
and reproducing subsects until recently (the latest subsect, Murshidi, was founded
in 1952), dates back to the oldest human civilizations and still has visible
contributions to modern life linguistically, spiritually and culturally as shown below
in the comparison table of sample vocabulary.

In the long and complicated process of gradual integration and the daily social
interactions of these guest communities with the local host communities, they left
variable impacts on language and dialects before they were partially or totally
assimilated. The guest communities were determined to share a community with the
host communities equally, and at the same time protect their own identity in a balance
that led to diversity within societal unity. Nevertheless, with the passing of time,
conditions pushed in favor of unity and assimilation. Consequently, we have a
colorful Arabic language to which all ethnic groups, new and old, have contributed. In
addition, the diversity was enriched further by the cultural and economic interactions

4
with the neighboring civilizations especially after the expansion of Islam in the 7th
century and later.
In addition to the many Aramaic-Syriac words and other old Semitic words used in
spoken Arabic (often stigmatized in written Arabic as slang), we have changes in the
sounds of certain letters that give an Arabic accent a certain tone. These letters are
in all dialects, and in some dialects, in Lower Egypt (and to some extent in
Sudan and Yemen), and in Bedouin dialects. The sound changes in these letters take
place with the shared Arabic vocabulary and applying them produces a different tone
and accent depending on their combination. Most importantly, they reveal incredible
information about the speakers social, ethnic, geographical and even faith
background. For the undiscerning ear, the various pronunciation of these letters makes
various dialects sound more different from each other than they really are. By
contrast, learning the sound changes for these 5 magic letters bears countless and
valuable advantages, even for native speakers, such as avoiding discrimination and
maintaining open communication with speakers of the target dialect, greatly
enhancing all social interactions.

The map of dialects and accent variations are a symbolic leftover of ancient languages
and civilizations; it may seem complicated but its social indications are fascinating
and well worth learning. For example, the pronunciation of in Aleppo city (as a
hamza or the glottal stop) is the urban way; people there are usually merchants and
craftsmen. In Aleppos eastern area and villages, the same letter is pronounced in the
Bedouin way (like g in go); people there are herdsmen and/or farmers but originally
were nomads who settled during the last few decades. In the western countryside of
Aleppo where there is fertile land, people pronounce the the classical way; they are
mainly farmers there. The same applies to other Syrian towns such as Hama, Homs
and Lattakia. This is also true to some extent in Amman, Jerusalem, Alexandria and
Cairo, but with only the urban and Bedouin versions of , with the same social
indications. In Eastern Syria and Iraq, the classical pronunciation of the letter is
popular in towns such as Deir Alzor, Hassake, Qamishly and Baghdad while the
surrounding country areas use the Bedouin version. It is worth noting the different
accent particularly this magic letter does not only tell about the speakers ways
of making a living but also about their foods, dress, education and values.

What is truly sad and a waste of time is that most spoken Arabic programs for non-
natives are comprised of these letters alterations (inflexible version) plus some local
slang, instead of simply explaining the patterns of variation by which the learner-
speaker can easily convert his or her Arabic from one area to another. This is a
separatist and supremacist strategy (separatist by isolation from neighbouring Arabs
and supremacist in favor of the states capital dialect), and it dates back to the colonial
period with the policy of divide and rule inherited by the post-colonial dictators.
However, it is deceptive linguistically and conflicts with most programs for teaching
second languages worldwide, where the most common version that covers the
broadest area is taught in order to achieve fluency fast.

Contrary to what is widely claimed, the diversity of Arabic does not threaten Arab
unity, religion or political powers. The simplest evidence is the smooth inter-Arab
communication in the media, TV, online, and in real life. In the same way as speakers
of any other language, Arabs from different areas automatically avoid their local slang
and switch to a Shared Arabic when they talk or meet. Shared Arabic can be

5
defined simply as what spoken and written Arabic share. Most of the satellite TV
stations and radio broadcasts are in spoken Arabic and often include interviews and
debates with guests from different parts of the Arab world. They discuss issues, each
in his or her own dialect, and they easily understand each other. Furthermore, they
are understood by the Arab audience from Iraq to Morocco and from Syria to Yemen
who call in during such programs and discuss issues live on air, in their own variety
of Arabic. This is in addition to an increasing number of TV dramas and movies that
bring together actors from various Arab countries speaking diverse dialects and
accents. Furthermore, Arabs meet in exile and communicate easily with mutual
understating, using their own dialects. In linguistics, this is called language
competence versus performance skills, by which one can understand words and
dialects without having to speak them (Noam Chomsky).

That is the real shared Arabic in practice, the existence of which refutes the endless
and fruitless debates about how Arabic should be rather than how Arabic really is.
Naturally, spoken Arabic is more diverse than written Arabic because it is hard to be
controlled by the authorities, yet the written version could never be utterly purified
and a considerable amount of Syriac-Aramaic, Persian, Greek and even Hindi words
are reluctantly kept in Standard written Arabic, with rare reference to their origins.

Spoken Arabic has preserved the greatest diversity with a huge amount Aramaic-
Syriac vocabulary and grammar found in the most commonly used words, alongside
many words from neighboring nations and ancient Semitic languages.
There is such a close similarity between Arabic and Aramaic-Syriac that sometimes
the Aramaic-Syriac words look like a mere dialectical variation (see table below).
That is because Arabic and Aramaic are sister Semitic languages from one source and
have been spoken in the same area for centuries. That may also explain the relatively
swift Arabization of the region after the Islamic conquest in the 7th century.

It is worth mentioning that linguistic diversity has been considered a threat to the
dominant local powers that include dictators, clergy and nationalist elite. The local
dictators fear the popular Arab unity that undermines their shaky legitimacy based on
the Anglo-French division of the region after WWII; thus their borders do not match
any language, dialect or cultural distinctions. The clergy fear that their image of pure
religion and sect would be disturbed, and that easing the ideological sacredness of
Arabic would corrupt the language and religion (without being aware that this
ideological sacredness is, in fact, suffocating the language). The pan-Arab nationalist
elites have their own worries and an idealized and purist image of Arab identity that
usually supported the allegedly secular rulers propaganda. They all supported a
simplified version of medieval literary Arabic as a representation of a superficial unity
that can still romanticize a medieval golden age.

This dominant authoritarian and elitist trend is so powerful that it has exaggerated the
difficulty of modern written Arabic. By focusing on the small elements of grammar,
vocabulary and pronunciation that are different between the varieties, elites have
made standard written Arabic seem more different from spoken Arabic than it really
is. For decades, state-controlled education and media institutions have systematically
marginalized the lived, shared Arabic, spoken by the common people, exploiting the
peoples romantic longing for the medieval golden age while brainwashing and
confusing Arabic speakers. For example, both and are used for verb negation in

6
classical written Arabic and even in the Quran, yet because is the standard negation
in Spoken Arabic, it is avoided completely when introducing modern written Arabic
to beginning learners (The same is true for the verb to go is replaced by
). No linguistic modernization project has ever been widely supported to reform
and bridge the gap between spoken and written Arabic, as in the Greek and Russian
languages when the most common reconciliatory version was adopted without
extreme dogmatic inclination towards classical or slang language. No
acknowledgement of the non-Arab and non-Islamic contributions to Arabic has taken
place so far, and even the stumbling etymological dictionary of Arabic project has
been delayed repeatedly for about a century. Probably few dare to tell the origin of
some Arabic words, the words of this sacred language.

The consequences are severe: first, there is a high rate of illiteracy in the Arab world
because education is in written Arabic or even an artificially purified version of it,
making fluency gained from the spoken language useless. Second is the alarmingly
low rate of readership, perhaps one of the lowest in the world if excluding the reading
of Quran and religious books. Third is the high rate of dropouts, from both schools for
Arabs and from Arabic language courses for non-Arabs. Fourth, the new generation is
complaining about having to study an archaic grammar and suffering from language
duality: youth are turning away from Arabic despite its increasing international
importance. Fifth, in terms of online interactions, most of what people write is spoken
Arabic (if not the playful Arabic-English mix) but with no regulations and
standardization. However, increasing inter-Arab communication is bringing Shared
Arabic more and more into focus and increasing its usage thanks to hard-to-censor
technology, namely satellite TV stations and the Internet.

The Arab ruling groups, even the Christian elite thats mainly liberal, many of whom
are Syriac and know some Syriac dialect, do not seem to know (or want to learn)
anything about the Aramaic roots of Arabic; they complain privately about being
repressed while praising publicly the tolerance of the rulers, though perhaps in this
they have no choice. Most Christian intellectuals have joined the nationalist liberal
movement of the 19th century Arab renaissance (an-Nahda) which failed due to its
cultural snobbism and elitist nature. They probably preferred peace and privileges
instead of demanding an acknowledgment of generic Christian-Aramaic heritage and
confronting the Muslim majority.

The tasks of understanding Arabics diversity and reforming it to bridging the gap
between spoken and written Arabic is possible to achieve from both a pragmatic and
linguistic point of view. First, there is the fact that Shared Arabic, the essential Arabic
in terms of vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, is largely the same all over the
Arab world. It is the language that the overwhelming majority of Arabs speak and
understand. (This is true even of Moroccans: they just drop most of the short vowels
making their speech harder for eastern Arabs to understand yet Moroccans understand
Eastern dialects easily.) Second, there is the reliable similarity between spoken Arabic
and the Aramaic-Syriac language, and to lesser extent other Semitic languages. For
example, hand is in both spoken Arabic and Aramaic, while in written it is . Leg
or foot is in both spoken Arabic and Canaanite-Ugarite, while in written Arabic it
is . The inaccurate traditional explanation is that these spoken words are slang and
have been deformed relatively recently due to Ottoman and European colonial rulers
trying to impose their own languages in order to replace Arabic. On the contrary,

7
their presence in languages predating Arabic suggest that these words have remained
spoken uninterruptedly. Surprisingly, words of Persian, Turkish, Greek and Hindi
origins are not marginalized as much and are often tolerated in written Arabic.

On the other hand, the few voices that demand replacing written Arabic with local
spoken dialects are making things worse. They often choose a local slang that is the
dialect of one town usually the capital which angers the rest of the population as
their dialects are marginalized. This counter movement the pro-spoken tendency
goes to the other extreme, and they unfortunately succeed in making Arabic programs
and books for non-natives based on a dialect of only one town, often an upper class
urban accent. They have no concern that it will take non-native learners a very long
time to discover the shared Arabic by themselves, the hard way. If learners focused on
Shared Arabic, it would be as enjoyable as learning any language.
Shared Arabic in another sense is a reconciliation between spoken and written
language. When somebody studies English in India they focus on the universally most
common and shared English by which, if they move to Canada, they can continue
studying with ease. The same basic principle can be applied to Arabic. Teaching only
archaic classical Arabic or only local slang (or both at the same time but as separate
languages) misses the Shared Arabic and makes learning Arabic complicated,
unnecessarily time-consuming, and far from peoples lived reality. This mainstream
and dogmatic method uses the students (whether natives or non-natives) to promote
an useless ideology, be it nationalist, religious, ethnic or sectarian.

In my own experience of teaching spoken and written Arabic to non-natives for over
twenty years, I have used many curricula from around the world and found serious
problem in linking Arabic to real life. All issues and notes mentioned here I have
experienced thoroughly including extensive experiments, observations, tastings, and
review in order to reach the best results upon which I built my own program. A good
example is that I teach the 5 magic letters in the alphabet so that the learner can build
a specific listening flexibility towards Arabic accent and dialect varieties. For
example, in just a few minutes a learner can grasp that the word ( pen) is
pronounced in three different ways (qalam, galam and alam) all over the Arab
world, in spoken and written Arabic. I admit that the Arabic diversity is remarkable,
but it is not so much to deserve being broken up to several languages. When the
diversity is understood, the unity within it is visible and fascinating.

I think the multiple conflicts in the Middle East are poisoning the cultural diversity by
amplifying and politicizing any linguistic or cultural variation and using it as an
ideological or ethnic characteristic in their propaganda. In order to bridge the gap
between official and popular Arabic language and culture, we need reconciliation
between the people and elitist culture on one hand and with the past (golden ages) on
the other hand instead of fanatically glorifying the past. We need to embrace Arabics
beautiful diversity instead of denying it, allowing those who choose to learn the
language enjoy its diversity instead of suffering from it and regretting their choice.

This list exhibits vocabulary in many languages from which Arabic borrowed words
and uses now. It should help converting phraes between one dialect and another, in
addition to the basic conversion list that includes question markers such as in
Epytian to in Syrian and Beduine dialects. This list is not complete; only the
most common words used in contemporary Arabic have been included. The exact

8
relation between one Semitic language and another is uncertain due to their deep
interrelations for centuries, but it is historically known that Aramaic language
survived longer and spread wider than the Aramaic rule (between 18th and 12th
century BC) probably due to the spread of Christianity. Many words belonging to two
languages may have been borrowed from a third. While conducting the etymological
search I found many conflicting sources each claiming the word is his, so the words
chosen here had to be mentioned in more than one source belonging to different
groups of speakers for impartiality and credibility. This list is general and
approximate but also excellent to learn about converting vocabulary between spoken
and written Arabic. In case of suspicious similarity not in the list, it is recommended
to check with the pronunciation switch of the letters , as they are possibly written
the way they are uttered irrespective of origin. Vocabulary from Aramaic, the
language with the most influence on Arabic as shown in the list, may have been
surprisingly eliminated from written Arabic more than other borrowed vocabulary for
religious reasons. This, in turn, could have led to a larger artificial gap between
spoken and written Arabic or diglossia.

Note: for all my books which use Shared Arabic, this introduction including the 5
magic letter variations (mentioned earlier) and this comparison list below are
necessary to convert words, pronunciations and expressions to avoid unnecessary
repetitions as often happens. This multiplication can be done by adding or replacing
the vocabulary in the list below, converting pronunciation using the five magic letters
and adding a handful of local slang as the mainstream separatist strategy found in
most of Arabic curriculums and textbooks. That is not good to both the learners and to
Arabic itself for making it more complicated and less accessible. It is even a
deception or as deceptive as calling Australian English an Australian language and
introducing it to beginners without reference to the universal shared English.

In fact, a dozen of the available Arabic dialects books can be combined in one with
reference to the essential vocabulary and pronunciation distinctions. the learner can
enjoy converting them with minimal aid. Accordingly, each one of my books can
easily be reproduced to be four or five different editions representing the major
Arabic dialects and Written Arabic. Having the conversion list and rules, the learner
can easily switch, or at least understand, the language diversity that can vary
dramatically from one town to another, so with minimum but repetitive changes, if
known, Arabic with its culture will open smoothly. My objective is to prioritize
helping learners particularly non-natives and offering the closest language to real
life and a kind of Arabic with the broadest understandability in a relatively short
period. Enjoy the diversity within the unity, enjoy the beautiful and natural Arabic
language & culture!
English Written Arabic Spoken Arabic Aramaic - Syriac
The same in
Aramaic
Wait
They
He/she -
With you
Hand
Inside/internal / / /

9
 Bribe
Parsley
Nave
Thug
Rebuke
Diminutive form - -
Man
On
Water
Almost none is Same as Aramaic
used






-
-
Some are used All are used
:Canaanite
/


:

:








Some are used All are used
Babylonian
( Assyrian
):

- -


--
-

10
 All are used All are used : Persian
- -
- - -
--
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
() --
- -
- --
-( -)
-
Some are used All are used : Turkish
- --
- -
( -
--
) - --
- --
- --
- --
-
()
() --
- --
- --
: - -
All are used All are used : Greek-
- --
- --
- --
- - -

All are used All are used : Hindi-
- --
--
All are used All are used -
:English - French
- --
--
--
- --
- - --
- -
--
- --
- --
-

11
Definitions and quantitative methodology for the
database

What is the idiom? What is the alternative-similar form?

How were the idioms collected? Why the literal translation?
Why were only the common idioms Several kinds of idioms and how?
chosen? How to use this book
How were the idioms arranged and How to recognize the idiom in a
classified? conversation or a text
Why were both spoken and written
put together?
How were the idioms explained?
What kind of synonyms and why?

12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An idiom vs. a proverb?

An idiom is an artistic expression of a language. Usually, the literal meaning is different from
its significance and actual usage by native speakers. By contrast, the non-idiomactic
language or ordinary language is logical or even mathematical (He studied for five years,
) . Idiomatic expressions are colorful, dramatic, lively, and closer to the way
people really feel and interact with one another; hence they are closer to the local culture.

Proverbs, on the other hand, tend to be restricted to more archaic sentences. A proverb is
normally longer, often structured with rhymes and containing moral rules or wisdom passed
on for generations. (E.g. Birds of feathure flock together). Proverbs are generally used for
educational purposes to Arabic native speakers already familiar with the twists and turns of
the language. For non-native speakers wishing to learn other proverbs than those available in
bookstores, a detailed manual of contemporary proverbs will be available as a part of the
The Art of Speech collection. This is a group of books that includes dictionaries and
glossaries of idioms, proverbs, polite expressions, religious-Islamic expressions, slang and
comparative Arabic vocalubary.

How were the idioms collected?

Unlike Arabic proverbs which have an existing public interest among the native speakers such
as books, dictionaries and lexicons, there were not ready-made sources available for this
valuable and powerful language tool, the idioms. Therefore, we (my students and I)
subjectively decided to collect both oral and written information. It came first from sources
such as TV, radios programs, movies and daily interactions. Then, this oral gathering was
complemented by written sources such as newspapers, magazines, novels and books.

How were the idioms arranged and classified?

The first letter of the first word of each idom was chosen as a reference to classify them. They
were arranged following the Arabic alphabetical order.

Even though the Syrian dialect is the reference in this book, versions of some idioms in other
Arabic dialects were added for a holistic understanding of each metaphor throughout the Arab
world.

Why were both spoken and written idioms put together?

Since the majority of idioms are used interchangeably between both speaking and writing, it
makes sense to place them in the same section. For sake of clarity, each type is marked as
written only, spoken only, or literary. Generally, idioms are more common in spoken than in
written Arabic. Therefore, sixty to seventy percent of the idioms are more commonly
associated with the spoken component of the language. At the same time, within formal
written Arabic itself, there are noticable vocabulary differences between Medieval or Modern
Standard Arabic.

How are the idioms laid out?

In the right column, the idioms are written in Arabic, sometimes complemented by synonyms
and/or similar version used in other parts of the Arab world. The left column is kept for the
explanation of the terms and its literal word-for-word translation in English. This translation is
completed by the meaning of the idiom based on a historical and cultural interpretation and, if
it exists, its equivalent in English.

13
 Kinds of synonyms

Synonymous expressions are meant to give the same or nearly the same meaning. In some
cases, the synonym is easier to understand, and in other cases, it is more common.
Sometimes, the words within the idiom can be flipped without affecting its meaning (e.g.
- ) or an idiom is used in a grammatically different forms, for example a
verb instead of an adjective (e.g vs ) or merely a different preposition
(e.g. using the preposition fi vs. b vs .)

What is the alternative-similar form?

Often, the same or similar expression is used in different parts of the Arab world. The
differences come from, either the accent or the use of a different preposition. In addition, this
vernacular of the modern standard Arabic is made by alternating or adding a letter from the
following group ( ). This is due to the cultural, ethnical, environmental and
dialectical complexities of the regions. In fact, a minor variation of those five letters or in
accent, can make the expression look very different to the learner but can be very useful to
the natives showing without a doubt the speakers origin.

For example Syrian, Egyptian and

Bedouin.
Example for 3 different Syrian dialects:

Here is the written standard:

First:
In all dialects, the becomes

Then, for the Eastern and southern Syria like Daraa, Raqa and the countryside of Hasakay:

In those areas, the prefix for the simple present tense is dropped and this
expression the letters and the letter are pronounced like in written standard

For the urban, central Syrian dialect like the cities of Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Damascus
without their respective countrysides:

In those areas, the prefix for the simple present tense is used and in this
expression the letter is pronouced and the is pronounced

For the rural and farming communities like Sueda, the countryside of Homs, the countryside
of Hama, the countryside of Aleppo, the countryside of Lattakia, the town of Der Ezzor, the
town of Hasakay:

In those areas, the prefix for the simple present tense is used and in this
expression the letter is pronounced like in written standard and the is pronounced

Why the literal translation?

14
The advantages of literal translation are wide. First, it increases ones vocabulary by allowing
a learner to make a direct word-for-word translation and comparison. Second, it highlights the
contrast between the direct (original) meaning of the expression and the indirect (idiomatic)
sense. Third, it gives a better understanding of Arabs moral values and way of thinking of
native-speakers. It helps to underline cultural factors: what the people consider persuasive,
funny or unpleasant.

Caution: In some cases, a word-for-word translation of the Arabic idiom into English is
impossible, usually because they do not make sense in English.

Several kinds of idioms

There are regular idioms and there are special idioms in terms of structure or meaning. Those
of special structure are the dialogue expressions, the narrative expressions and the
rhetorical questions.
Dialogue expressions

Very common in Arabic, these typically are responses to a question.

For example:

Two roles are required, e.g. The listener should reply saying or
.

Narrative expressions

A narrative expression normally consists of two to four sentences, which makes a very short
story which makes a point, e.g. ( I tell him its a bull, he says milk him!
This means he does not understand what I mean).

Rhetorical questions

The rhetorical question is a question that does not require an answer. That is too simple to be
included in this book as long as it is a plain words.

For example: who would steal his father! How could you do this!

Offensive expressions

As in English and other languages, there are many expressions that are very useful and
colorful but which cannot be employed in polite company. In this book, a more acceptable,
cleaned-up version is offered instead. The fact that a more salacious version is available is
duly noted.

How to use this book

First, it is recommended to read the book thoroughly and carefully, so one gets a good
understanding of what Arabic idioms look like. It also helps to know how the idioms are listed
and how to find them or refer to them if necessary. Idioms are useful for passive
understanding as well as active usage.

Symbols and abbreviations:

The symbol Explanation Notes

15
 Quotation mark used for direct meaning or
literal translation
= synonym and alternative-similar form
Wr. Written-classical Arabic
* Antonym-opposite
<< dialogue expression
Slang Slang expression
@ body sign language
>> Narrative expression
Sp. Spoken Arabic
Lit. Literary
Kor. Koran
Eg. Egyptian
Gulf. Arabian penincula
Bed. Bedouin. It includes eastern Syria, Jordan,
southern Egypt, Lybia, most of Iraq, Soudan
and the Arabian peninsula.

Caption:

Black font: Literal transalation

Blue font: English explanation
Italic font: English synonyms

Bold font: of cultural or historic significance

16
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

Statistics Idioms: 162 Pages: 37
(Hopefully), the ground would be teared to pieces ( )
and swollowed me.

In a badly frustrating or embarrassing situation,

you perhaps wish to disappear from existence!

I wish the ground would swallow me up.

(A man) eats a snakes head ()

A tough man, a real man

To be running out of patience ()

To be waiting impatiently or nervously for
someone or something.

To be waiting on needles and pins

Facing you, there are two solutions; the sweetest = / ( )

one is bitter
To be in a difficult situation and having to make a
decision which would get you in trouble either
way.

To be caught between a rock and a hard place

Like the deaf person at the wedding ()

Having no idea about what is going on

To lose the thread

From hand to hand ()

Too many people use the thing we are talking

17
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
about

A dime a dozen
Smack dab

The one who warns is excused . ()

.
A threatening or alarming expression like saying
I am warning you, you will bear the
consequences.

Farther than the stars in the sky = The stars of the =

sky are closer

Used to describe something that is unlikely to

happen.

Son of good people =

Highborn, A son of good, respectable people
is an uncommon plural of .

Son/Daughter of (good) origin =

. ,
Literally highborn, of noble birth and used when
you praise a faithful, honest friend.

Son of his mother .

A good man is the one born and raised up by a
good mother. Used normally when you praise
someones bravery.

Son of Adams (The plural form of Adam, the first =

man created by god)

Same as the above item. Son of (good) origin.

Highborn, respectable person from a good family.

18
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

Son of (the) country/town .

In Arabic it is very nice to say that someone is .
loyal to his traditions and origin. A generous man.

Son/Daughter of prisons .
! ,
Used to warn a friend when he deals with
someone who was in prison. Also used as an
insult.

Son/daughter of wrongdoing .
(haram, which is the opposite of halal )

A bastard.

Son/Daughter of Lineage and kinship .

High bred or of noble birth. Someone who comes
from superior stock.

Son/Daughter of a government. .
.
A policeman or a high ranking official in a state
organization with whom you have to avoid being
in trouble with. Governments used to be
considered a danger because their harms were
more than their good e.g. they cared about taxes
More than security or justice.

Son of its (his) hour. .

/
When used to describe an event or a problem, it
means it just happened fresh and suddenly. When
used to describe someone, it means the person is
strange and unpredictable.

19
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
Son of a craft. .
.
A skillful craftsman, artisan or any handicraft
professional. Before the advancement of the
modern eduational system, handicrafts used to be
the most respected source of living in middle
class and working class.

Son/Daughter of the people . =

Son of (a good) people. It emphasis the social
status and usual importance of the class individual
belongs to, like all the idioms starting with Son
of

Son/Daughter of power (high standing) .

A class expression which describes someone who
is (or was) from a powerful, wealthy family who
is generous and helpful.

Son/Daughter of yesterday. .
.
Brand-new, fresh, inexperienced person
Someone not trustworthy whose ability or
competence to handle a certain situation is
questionable. Used also by elders to describe a
younger, inexperienced person.

Born yesterday

Son/Daughter of schools. =

Used when an educated person behaves in a .
strange or disappointing manner. Used by
common people, often modestly educated, to
confirm that schools do not teach everything and
life is still the best teacher.

20
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
Cool my breast (chest). .
.
To give relief or comfort or bring hoped-for good
news. Formal.

It came on my mind
To feel like (doing something or going
somewhere..)

Your chance has come

This is your fate, luck or opportunity. is not
a regular word, it reveals a fatalist mentality that
believes in God, supernatural powers, myths,
superstiotions etc. Even worldly troubles were
attributed to superpowers due to being afriad to
blame anything on the people of power.

Its time has come ,

This is the right or appropriate time for
something. Someone came just in time.

Leg of a chair =

A front man or someone who has less importance
or power than his position would suggest. Since
the chair has four leg, missing one of them
wouldnt matter much.

An empty suit. A lackey.

One leg behind and one leg in front

To be indecisive or hesitant. Used when you are
unsure or confused concerning what to say or
what to do when you have an important decision
to make. (a trip, a new job) Move hesitantly.

21
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

My leg and your leg in (are both receiving) ) ( .

bastinado !

To keep a secret because we both are involved

and will both be punished/lose if revealed. To
share the responsibility with someone for a
mistake or some trouble which you cannot
escape. Bastinado is a traditional (and painful)
punishment which involves being beaten on the
soles of the feet.
We are in the same boat

Ajuj and Majuj /

When you complain that there are too many
people coming to the place. A crowded place. .
(Quranic expression)
Ajuj and Majuj were ancient nations noted for
being overpopulated.

You came and God brought you .

.
You just came at the right time, just when you
were needed. Its a cheerful expression used to
describe a situation when you are in trouble and a
friend who can help you appears unexpectedly.

Aah, (from) you!

Oh god! What have you done? Oh, you again.
A joking complaint.

He took his mind =

To take care, be careful or pay attention.

Eg. (Egyptian)
Turn your mind
To take care, be careful or pay attention.

22
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
TAKE BY THE HAND .
To ensure support or help.

To give a hand to someone

Take his (her) soul .

To kill, take someones life.

Take ones mind

.
To be obsessed by a hobby or some activity
which takes someones time and attention.

Take on his/her mind/heart .

To be or become offended. To have ones feelings
hurt. is a complex word used in many
contexts which generally show a care for others
feelings. For example, requesting the
permission to leave not blaming ones interesting
company. Another example, \
For your sake.

Take on him (her/it)

To criticize or bear a grudge.
(written only)
Take a meaning to/for it .
To misinterpret or misunderstand. Usually a hint
or word that can have a double or negative
meaning.

Take a breath .
To regain energy, take a break or have a chance to
recover from a tiring period or stage.

Take a breath

23
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

Take and give .

. !
This means discussion, exchanging views and
arguing. It can also mean to borrow and lend or
buy and sell. And also to be flexible or sociable in
a company.

Not to jump to conclusion and take a tough stand

prematuraly

The last of the bunch (of grapes) .

An endearment expression for the youngest child
in the Arab family who traditionally receives
more attention and care than the rest of his/her
older brothers and sisters. Used as an excuse to
spoil the youngest child in the family.

The end of time .

!
It is used by the elderly people to show
dissatisfaction, regret or criticism concerning a
strange contemporary trend, product or behavior
with which traditions do not agree.

Latest fad =
Expressing the most recent style or trend. It is
worth mentioning that in the conservative Arab
society, latest trends are met with suspicions and
resistance unlike the liberal world where any new
trend is welcomed no matter how useful it is.

The latest cry .

) ,(
Used when you are proud of or impressed by a
specific fashion or style and you want to say it is
the latest trend.

24
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
Adam-like (in the Bible and the Quran)
A person who has a good reputation and
charactor.
A good guy.
When the precious goes (away), everything
becomes cheap.

Said when you lose something valuable and

everything seems to lose its meaning or
importance. A sad expression used for when a
dear person leaves for a long time or dies.

When angels come, devils run away.

A funny expression used when someone happens )(
to be leaving at the same time that another person
or a group is coming in. (mythical origin)

If luck happened
If it happens, if it ever should happen, if gods
will or if it is ones fate to. An expression used for
saying If you are lucky enough, or If
circumstances allow,

His tongue was tied

To be speechless or stunned in a situation where
one is very confused or shocked.

To be tongue-tied

Cheaper than the radish

Something very cheap or cheaper than you think
in a situation where something is available or
accessible easily. Radish and other vegetalbes
used to be grown near towns, so they are always
available and cheap. Syrian meals used to be more
green than most of the Arab world. Bedouins used

25
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
to criticize urbanites for eating too much veggies
while they themsleves eat more meat and animal
products usually more expensive.

His wall/fence is low

Used to explain (regretfully) that someone was
assaulted, criticized or robbed because he was
considered as an easy victim. (Historically,
thieves preferred houses with easy fences and low
walls) Often used jokingly. Used to blame
somebody for exploiting or doing wrong to a
defenceless person.

Is the sheep cooked! =

Used to complain (jokingly) that someone who
went to make something to drink or to eat is slow
or late.

I desired it for you

An intimate suggestion, gift, recommendation or
advice that shows genuine concern, care or love
for someone. It can be as simple as handing
someone an apple or pointing to a beautiful
house, a car or even a pretty girl wishing it to be
his or hers.

We wished you to be with us

We wish you were here.

The fingers of the hand are not alike

An expression used to say that people from the
same family, tribe, town or country are not the
same, so you should not generalize.

26
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

He (She) turned yellow and green .

When someones color changes, he/she is deeply
moved, shocked or scared. Used to express
someones unusual reaction based on his/her face
color.

(Your) nerves are cold .

.
A person with a cold nerves is a cold person.
This coud be either praise or an insult. Having a
cold nerves in a situation when one needs self-
restraint is good, while having cold nerves
when one is expected to show sypmathy and offer
help is bad.

He called the one-eyed (person) one-eyed. =

To be too blunt, rude or overly honest in talking
to someone. It tells that one needs to be sharply
honest in few cases, otherwise, someone else has
to tell the truth.

Pull out the tooth and relax (from) it

To pull out the (bad) tooth and relax means to
take off your pain (the source of trouble)
thoroughly and immediately. It means that one
needs to expect some sacrifices in order to get rid
of the troubles and enjoy a piece of mind.

Get it over with

More than the concern on the heart

Dont worry about it. Used to tell someone to take
it easy and not fret so much. A paradoxically sad
expression because it says that the heart is full of
concerns and worries, but actually it reassures that
something is abundant and no need to bother.

27
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

He ate (bit) his fingers from regret /

=
) (
To be very regretful or remorseful for something
that one did. To blame oneself. A common body
language (of biting ones finger) indicates doing
something wrong one would regret.
LIVE TO REGRET IT.

He ate his fingers after it

.
When you like to eat (lick) your fingers after a
meal, it was very delicious and tasty. Since the
delicious food should be eaten so completely that
even the smell is chased. Used to open somes
apitite and promise for a great taste.

FINGER LICKING.
To eat someones money
Used when somone denies his/her debt or refuses
to pay back or give back something that was
borrowed. Tribalsim and familism in the Arab
culture makes the indivisual often turning to
relatives to borrow and lend money, especially if
the banking system in not reliable.

He ate sweets with his mind .

. !
Used to describe someone who is convinced or
tempted by someones (bad) influence. Also used
with negation when one resists this influence as
saying you think Im stupid?.

He ate (got) a shaft

Used to describe being stuck in a bad situation
or when someone gets cheated or suffers a big
loss.
The khazouk is a skewer that was once used
by the Ottoman Turks to execute people in a

28
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
horrible way by making them sit on the sharp
end. (informal and vulgar)

He ate my head (my face) =

To be annoyingly insistent or demanding.
Caricaturic depiction of bothering and demanding
person.

Not to take no for an answer.

He ate a beating !
To be beaten up or physically hurt in a fight. Get
a whipping, literally or figuratively. Originlly,
means to kill, but probably, it is an exageration.

He/she ate worry

To be worried or deeply concerned.

Eat air, eat a shaft, eat sh** ** =

Said when someone gets badly cheated,

suffers (has suffered) a big loss, or
otherwise screwed over or gets an unlucky
break.

He ate my face
(He/she is) terribly insisting or nagging person.
Also said when you receive criticism or blame
from people.

He ate (it, her) with his eyes .

Said if someone or something fascinates you so
that you keep staring at it (him/her), and then

29
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
people might notice and coud use this expression
to wake you up.

He couldnt take his eyes off of it (her)

Damascus is the mother of the world .

.
Damascus is the best place in the world if you
are in Damascus or Syria you might hear this.
Egyptians have their own expression
though. .

For you or for the wolf? >>..

- !
A Dialogue Expression (role playing). A warmly ..
provocative expression used when one asks a
friend to do you a favor, something you really
need, If this friend responds positively, he should
answer: .
This shows they are willing to help.

Woe to the wolf

Anyne who listens to you (will) believe you =

/
Said when someone mentions a matter in a way
you dont like and you try to deny it or its
accuracy, even if it sounds true, in order to show
that it is false.

It sounds true but it really isnt

What is gone is dead

The past is the past, Said it when you change your
mind concerning a previous agreement or when a
new set of rules have been put into effect. Also
can be used for a recovery from a painfull or bad
history, or encourage someone to forgive.

It has a buzz and a ringing

30
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
Used to describe something or someone who is
famous, popular or important.
In the old times, when the drums were beaten
loudly, it was a sign of someone important was
coming.

He has a word =
Used to describe someone who is listened to and
taken seriously. A powerful person with good
connections and credibility. The word (that
deserves to be heard) is a symbol of thought,
wisdom and reason.

He has his view (prospective)

Used to describe an experienced man who has
wisdom or good sense and could be asked for
advice. He/she has a (good) point.

Hold your nerves

Cool down, calm down or take it easy. As so
many idioms use nerves due to their esential
biological functions, in idioms they generally
point to an extreme emotional condition or a
warning of it.

Get a hold of yourself

Hope of the devil for heaven .

It is impossible, no way! Never think about it,
it will never happen, or you will never get it.

Not a snowballs chance in hell

The time has come

.
It is time to. It is the best time to.

31
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

If she split herself

.
Used to describe the maximum limit of an amount
(of time, money) beyond which one cannot go.

His tongue (was) worn out

Used when someone has reached the end of his
patience or ability to advise someone else or teach
him/her. To tell someone something a thousand
times to no avail.

You are bigger than this ) (

You are saying this just because you are mad,
you will not do it. Used when someone blames
you for saying, planning or doing anything bad or
shameful. A firendly warning for saying
something stupid while being mad.

This is beneath you

His thought was paralyzed

Said when someone is unable to think because of
being shocked, perplexed or exhausted.

He (She) was beaten on his (her) eye .

Used to ask someone How could you have
possibly done this? An offensive expression used
when you strongly blame someone.

My heart was blinded

Used to describe being unaware of the
consequences of a bad or silly action.

32
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
My heart was cut
You use it when you are scared or panic-stricken.
Could also be for being so exhahusted.

My heart stopped (beating)

The (Quranic) verse was turned around .

The situation is now reversed When two
persons or two groups exchange their positions in
a stage of some event. When circumstances
completely change.

The shoes was on the other foot

My feelings were broken

To be emotionally hurt, offended or very
disappointed.

My nerves were destroyed / =

To be exhausted after nervous or difficult
situation.

People (family) (owner) of the house .

.
Said to welcome someone to the house.
A typically hospitable expression used for saying:
you are not a stranger! Also used for Muhammad
the prophets family and relatives.

First with the first

One by one, piece by piece or gradually.

A hand behind and a hand in front

Used to say one is disappointed when somebody .

33
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
(like a guest) comes without bringing anything
with him/her. (As you had expected him to bring).
In the Arab world and many other places, it is
customary to take a small gift when you go on a
formal visit.

Empty handed.

One hand does not clap

One hand or person cannot do much. Unity is
needed for stronger action. People need to work
together to succeed.

Your hand and whatever it reaches =

Do whatever you can, you will not be able to
hurt me Used to scoff at someones threat. It
shows you are not worried about him.

His hand is light

Positive meaning: A skilled man who is quick and
nimble.
Negative meaning: A thief (light fingered)

His (her) hand is streched out

A person with an extended hand is powerful
person, someone with influence
and connections.

(His/Her) hand or arm is long

Used to describe a thief or crook.

His hand is empty =

A hand in front and a hand behind
Came empty handed

34
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

Used to criticize someone who comes empty-

handed (a guest) when expected to bring
something.

His hand is (tightly closed)

Closefisted. A polite way for saying stingy or
cheap person. Not hospitable and not generous.

His hand is stained with blood .

Used to describe a murderer or guilty person.

My hand is in your belt

I beg you, I appeal to you, please. The belt used to
be a symbol of power and wealth. It was thick and
included pockets where money was kept.

My hand and your hand

Working together.

Working hand in hand.

It takes the mind =

It makes one crazy

Astonishing, amazing or wonderful.

He/She beats in (on) the right and it comes .

(from)the left

Used to describe an unlucky person who is trying

hopelessly. Lifes opportunities can be very
elusive. It could be from the pre-Islamic
superstitious tradition when Arabs used to fly a
bird. If it flies to the left it is a good omen.

35
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS

Take face .
.
To be rude or overly familiar with. Used to
describe social relations where one allows himself
the liberty of acting informally. Has a negative
sense of someone overstepping social boundaries.

His hand and the beating

Used to describe a violent and harsh person who
likes to fight. Can be used seriously or jokingly.

Son (Daughter) of righteousness .

A good, helpful and generous person. Halal is a
universally an Islamic concept for something
good according to Islamic rules and values.

36
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
Father from grandfather
Inherited or deeply rooted in the family. A wealth,
profession, social status and other privileges are
used to be strictly inherited and preserved by the
family and class.

Keep on reassuring us ) (
Then keep us informed. Used when someone is
leaving and you want him to let you know what
will happen.

Heavier than the worry on the heart

Boring, tiresome or annoying. The concept of
being heavy is often an indication of being a
burden.

It came on his mind =

To occur, come to ones mind or is remembered.
To feel like having or fancy something.

We are confused, baldy, from where to comb you

Used to describe how hard it is to understand
someone or make him/her happy.

It is better for you

Used as warning or for an advice.

It is better than (see above) =

The string bearer and the bowman got mixed up
Everything is all confused and mixed up.
In the old days, when fighters (archers or

37
 The ART OF SPEECH
ARABIC IDIOMS
BY HUSSEIN MAXOS
bowmen) got mixed up and left their positions in
the battle, it became a total mess.

38