Guidelines

Is Syrian Arabic the same as Arabic?

Is Syrian Arabic the same as Arabic?

Arabic is the official language of Syria and is the most widely spoken language in the country. Several modern Arabic dialects are used in everyday life, most notably Levantine in the west and Mesopotamian in the northeast.

What type of Arabic do Syrians speak?

Levantine Arabic is widely spoken at home in Syria. The language is not only used in the country, but it is embraced in the Eastern Mediterranean coastal strip, and it is seen as being among the five primary variants of Arabic. The language is related to languages such as Anatolian Arabic and North Mesopotamian Arabic.

What are you doing in Arabic Syrian?

what are you doing? ماذا تفعل؟

How do you say your welcome in Syria?

As one would say “welcome” in Arabic, salamo alaykom!

What do you reply to Kifak?

The phrase kif haalak (to male) turns into kifak and kif haalik (to female) turns into kifik. What is this? To respond, can say mneeH منِيح which means “I’m good” or tamaam تَمَام which means “I’m great”.

What do Syrians call their parents?

Parents are commonly referred to as the “mother” (Umm) or “father” (Abu) of their child by their community. For example, President Hafez al-Assad was sometimes referred to as “Abu Bassel”, after his son Bassel al-Assad died.

What do Syrians call themselves?

Many Muslims and some Arabic-speaking Christians describe themselves as Arabs, while many Aramaic-speaking Christians and some Muslims prefer to describe themselves as Syriacs or Arameans. Also some people from Syria, mainly Syrian nationalists, describe themselves only as Syrians or ethnic Syrians.

What is considered rude in Syria?

Spitting in one’s face or in front of them is a sign of disrespect. Syrians often visit each other without invitation. In Syria, if someone visits you without prior notice, it is expected that you will stop what you are doing and make every effort to be as hospitable as possible.

How do you respond to Halla?

The appropriate response for it is “Wa Alaikum asalam” (And upon you be peace.), you can use it when meeting one person or a group of people.

What is Kifik?

Kifak – “How are you?” Kifak becomes Kifik if you’re speaking to a woman. It is the best known way to say “How are you?” in Arabic.

Can I use Syrian colloquial Arabic without learning to read Arabic?

The book is fully transliterated and can be used without learning to read Arabic, but we do recommend making the extra effort as this will help you if you go on to study Modern Standard Arabic. With comprehensive vocabulary lists and full index, Syrian Colloquial Arabic is designed to be a handy reference even after you have finished the course.

Where is Syrian Arabic spoken?

Syrian Arabic is a variety of Levantine Arabic spoken mainly in Syria (سورية‎) and Lebanon (لُبْنَان‎). There are three main dialects which are spoken in Damascus (دِمَشقُ‎), the centre of the country, and the north of the country respectively.

Is the Arabic taught in the course similar to that in Iraq?

The Arabic taught in our course is very similar to that spoken in other parts of the Middle East including Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. Many people have successfully used our material to communicate in these countries and some have even found it useful in Iraq.

What is a complete language course in Arabic of the Levant?

A complete language course in the spoken Arabic of the Levant. Use for self-study or as the basis of a group course. Real conversations, practical exercises, in both transliteration and Arabic script, with two 90-minute tapes.