Bread is a staple food in the Middle East with a lot of significance attached to it. It is of no surprise that there are Arabic expressions containing the word.

I’m guessing that the significance of bread in the Middle Eastern culture is perhaps similar to the significance of rice in my part of the world (South East Asia).

There are tons of articles online about the importance of bread in the Middle East and what it signifies but I really like the introduction of this article (it’s an easy read). Recipes on how to bake Middle Eastern bread are included 🙂

#1) بيناتنا خبز وملح

Literal translation: There are salt and bread between us

Meaning:

Since the act of sharing bread and salt is a symbol of hospitality, the expression means that we have established/forged some sort of relation/friendship/connection between us.

Here are some examples:

ما بدي انزع صحبتي معو, في بيناتنا خبز وملح

(The verb is أنزع Syrian Arabic. Jordanians would use the verb أخرب instead)

I don’t want to ruin my friendship with him for we have built a good rapport.

كيف هيك بتتركني وبتمشي؟ شكلك نسيت الخبز والملح اللي بيناتنا

How could you leave me and walk away? It seems that you have forgotten the bond forged between us.

مو عيب عليك؟ نحنا جيران وبيناتنا خبز وملح، بتحكي علي قدام الناس بالعاطل؟

Are you not ashamed? We are neighbors with good relations between us. How could you badmouth me to others?

#2) ما معه حق ربطة خبز

Literal translation:

-He doesn’t have a bundle of bread worth

-He doesn’t have anything that worth a bundle of bread

Meaning: He does not have any money

Further insight:

The phrase is used to describe a person who does not have any money.

In general, bread is considered a cheap staple food.

Thus, not to have a bundle of bread means that the person is broke/poor as he or she does not have sufficient money to afford something that is already considered a cheap staple food.

Here are some examples:

اليوم صرفت كل شي, ما ضل معها حق ربطة خبز

She spent everything today. She doesn’t have any money left

عم يشتغل طول النهار ويا دوب عم يطلّع حق ربطة خبز

He is working all day and yet barely making any money

كيف بدي أدفع المخالفة؟ ما عندي حتى حق ربطة خبز

How am I supposed to pay the fine? I don’t even have a single cent!

لك الفستان هاد كتير غالي وانا مامعي حق ربطة خبز

hey, this dress is very expensive and I don’t have money

#3) بده فت خبز

Literal translation: He needs a small piece of bread

Meaning: He is naive and inexperienced

Further insight:

The word فت describes a small piece of bread that has been torn apart. For example, if you’re feeding a child bread, you would feed him by tearing a small piece of the bread first.

Also, there is a Levantine dish called “Fatteh” (فتة) that consists of many small pieces of fresh or toasted bread along with other ingredients.

Anyway, this phrase is used to describe someone who lacks experience/exposure and still has got a lot more to learn.

Depending on contexts, it may be said mockingly or condescendingly. It can also be said jokingly when used between close friends.

Here are some examples:

لساتك صغير، بدك فت خبز

You’re still young, you need years of experience

انت كيف قاعد ورا طاولة المدير ،لسا (لسة) بدك فت خبز كتير

How is it that you’re a manager (lit: sitting behind the manager’s desk)? You lack experience and exposure (and many more years before you can be a manager)

ما بتعرف كيف تطلب منها موعد؟ لسا بدك فت خبز كتير

You don’t know how to ask her out? You still got a lot to learn

The phrase is also mentioned in this clip.

In the clip, the man is asking the woman if she agrees to the marriage proposal between his son and her daughter.

The woman hesitated to agree to the proposal and at 17:21, you can hear her says:

بس يعني حاسة إنو لسا بده فت خبز

but I feel that he needs more experience

#4)  اعطي الخباز خبزه لو حتى اكل نصه

Literal translation:

Give the baker the dough (his bread) even if he were to eat half of it

Meaning:

It is better to seek help from someone who is a professional or experienced in the matter than trying to solve it yourself -even if that means having to fork out more money.

Further insight:

This proverb can be used as a piece of advice to someone who’s trying to save money by fixing the problem himself or hiring someone who is not knowledgeable to solve it.

Because in the end, it will cost the person more if the matter is not handled properly and became worse instead.

Alternatively, you can use this proverb to the person after the damage has been done as a way of saying “I told you so” or “you should have known better”.

Thus, you can say something like this:

ما بتعرف المثل اللي بيقول اعطي الخباز خبزه لو اكل نصه؟

Don’t you know about the proverb that says “give the baker the dough even if he were to eat half of it?”

~~~

That is all for this post! I hope you learned something new 🙂

Till then, take care and I’ll see you around in the hosh,

Lyn