Gulf Arabic: Level 1

البادي اظلم

Il-Badi Aẓlam

The one who starts is more cruel.

مايد عبدالله

 

 

• بالأمس دورك تجرح واليوم دوري

B-il-ams(i) dōrik tijraḥ w-il-yōm dōri

Yesterday it was your turn to hurt, today it’s mine.

– B-il-ams(i) = note that the (i)s are only inserted for the sake of rhythm and are not epentheses (helping vowels) used in normal speech

– dōrik= your (masculine)

Note: In some Gulf dialects the masculine pronoun ending is -ak/-ik and the female one is -ič

 

• بأخذ بثأري منك والبادي اظلم

bākhid(i) b-thāri minka u-l-bādi aẓlam.

I will take revenge on you, the one who starts is more cruel.

– bākhid = I will take

Note: The future tense in Gulf dialects is marked by b- (though it can be used for the present continous as well)

– minka = “minnak” in most other dialects

 

• لو تبكي عمرك ما تغير شعوري

Lō tibči ‘umrik ma tiḥarrik šu’ūri.

Even if you cry your entire life, you won’t change my feelings.

– lō = While the diphthong “aw” in “law” remains “aw” in a lot of dialects it becomes lō in some Gulf dialects

– tibči = note that most kāfs will turn into č’s in Gulf dialects 

 

• ما التفت صوبك لو عينك تهل دم

ma iltifit ṣōbik lō ‘aynik tihill damm.

I will not turn towards you, not even if your eye is showing blood.

 

• اصبح وجودك عندي ماهو ضروري

aṣbaḥ wujūdik ‘andi ma huwwa ẓarūri.

Your existence is no longer indispensable to me.

– ẓarūri = ḍarūri

note: In Gulf dialects ض is pronounced ظ

 

• حرماني من عطفك ترا صار ارحم

ḥirmāni min ‘aṭfik tara ṣār arḥam

You see, being deprived of your affection has become more bearable.

tara = probably from رأى, used especially in Gulf or Bedouin dialects as a mean of emphasis

 

• بفرض وجودي بكبريائي وغروري

bafruḍ wujūdi bi-kibriyāyi u-gharūri

I’ll keep my head high with all my pride and haughtiness.

 

• لأني بشعورك صدق ما عدت اهتم

li’anni bi-šu‘ūrik ṣidg(i) ma ‘idt ahtamm.

Because I no longer really care about your feelings.

– ṣidg (often pronounced “ṣijj” (the qāf often becomes j in some Gulf dialects and the d is then assimilated)) = “really”

 

• امشي برايك وانا بأمشي بشوري

imši bi-raik w-ana bamši bi-šōri

Walk according to your opinion and I’ll walk according to mine.

bimši = I will walk

šōr = مشورة

 

• لكن يجيلك يوم تبكي وتندم

lākin yijīlik yōm tibči wi-tindam.

But the day will come that you will cry and regret.

– yijīlik  = note that the lām has become in enclitic in almost all dialects; note also that vowels before enclitics are elongated like the i in this case

 

• وان تكلمت بغيبتي او حضوري

wa-in tikallamt(i) bi-ghēbati aw ḥuẓūri

If you talk about me in my absence or presence.

 

• ما همني منهو علي يتكلم

ma hamm(i)ni minhu ‘alay yatakallam

I don’t care who talks about me.

– minhu = من (=who); probably from “من هو”)