Levantine Free Arabic Lesson 1 - Expressing Likes, Preferences, and Plans

Level: Beginner-Intermediate (Levantine Dialect)

Focus: Using the habitual present (بـ + verb), expressing likes (بحب), purpose (عشان), necessity (لازم), and related vocabulary for personality, daily activities, and time expressions.

Based on: Real conversation practice between Omar and his students 

1. Key Vocabulary

2. Grammar Points

A. Habitual Present with بـ (b- prefix)

• Used for habits, general facts, and ongoing actions (especially likes with بحب).
• Conjugation examples with بحب (to like/love):
  • أنا بحب → ana baḥibb (I like)
  • إنتَ بتحب → inta bitḥibb (you m. like)
  • إنتِ بتحبي → inti bitḥibbi (you f. like)
  • هو بيحب → huwwa biyiḥibb (he likes)
  • هي بتحب → hiyya bitḥibb (she likes)
  • نحنا بنحب → niḥna binḥibb (we like)
  • إنتو بتحبو → intu bitḥibbu (you pl. like)
  • هني بيحبو → hinni biyiḥibbu (they like)

Note: The بـ is especially common with the verb حب.

B. عشان (3ashān)

• Means "in order to", "so that", or "because".
• Example: بدي استخدم السيارة عشان روح عالجبل → I want to use the car in order to go to the mountain.

C. لازم (lāzim) + verb

• Means "I/you/he must" or "need to".
• Example: لازم أدرس نهاية الأسبوع → I need to study this weekend.

D. Ta Marbuta Rule (mentioned in chat)

• When ة (ta marbuta) is followed by الـ (al-), it is pronounced as "t" not "h".
• Example: نهاية → nihāyet (not nihāyeh) when followed by الأسبوع

3. Key Sentences from the Lesson

1. فيني روح معك عالمطعم إذا إنتِ فاضية. → I can go with you to the restaurant if you are free.
2. أنا مرا عاطفية يلّي بتحب رجال قوي وعاطفي ومش ضعيف. → I am a passionate woman who loves strong passionate men, not weak ones.
3. بدي استخدم السيارة عشان روح عالجبل. → I want to use the car to go to the mountain.
4. بحب آكل. → I like to eat. (habit/general)
5. بحب روح ع هادا المطعم كل أسبوع. → I like to go to this restaurant every week.
6. بحب روح لحالي جنب الشاطئ. → I like to go alone next to the beach.
7. بحب أسلوب حياتي الخاص والروحاني. → I like my special and spiritual lifestyle.

4. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the correct form of بحب

1. أنا _____ (like) الموسيقى العاطفية.
2. هي _____ (like) الرجال القوي.
3. إنتو _____ (like) تروحو عالشاطئ؟
4. هو _____ (not like) النسوان الضعيف.

Exercise 2: Translate to Levantine Arabic

1. I need to study next week.
2. I want to use the car because I’m going to the mountain.
3. I like passionate songs.
4. Can I go with you (fem.) to the restaurant?
5. I like my spiritual style of life.

Exercise 3: Make sentences with عشان

Example: أدرس / عشان نجح → لازم أدرس عشان أنجح. Create 3 of your own sentences using عشان.

Exercise 4: Conversation Practice

Role-play the original invitation: A: Invite someone (fem.) to a restaurant if she’s free. B: Respond positively or negatively, then talk about what kind of people/music you like.

Answers (for self-check)

Exercise 1:

1. بحب
2. بتحب
3. بتحبو
4. ما بيحب

Exercise 2:

1. لازم أدرس الأسبوع الجاي.
2. بدي استخدم السيارة عشان رايح عالجبل.
3. بحب الأغاني العاطفية.
4. فيني روح معكِ عالمطعم إذا فاضية؟
5. بحب أسلوب حياتي الروحاني (والخاص).

This lesson captures everything discussed in the chat in an organized, reusable format. Practice speaking these sentences out loud!