More Than “Thank You”
More than “Thank you”: The many shades of يعطيك العافية in levantine Arabic If you spend even one day in Jordan or Palestine, you will hear people say يعطيك العافية. You might hear it at a café, a store, or a workplace. Literally, it means may God give you health, but in real life, it […]
Yalla, Let’s Go
Yalla, let’s go! unpacking the power of يلا in Jordanian & Palestinian Arabic If you’re learning spoken Arabic, you’ve almost certainly heard the word يلا (yalla). It’s a linguistic powerhouse, a tiny word that carries a world of meaning. It’s more than just vocabulary; it’s about grasping the culture and rhythm of everyday conversation. But […]