Marhaba y’all

This post is dedicated to all Levantine Arabic learners who are just starting out on their language learning journey.

Probably one of the most confusing things that learners may face in the beginning is this whole idea of the B-prefix (or the letter ب) attached to verbs.

When does one use it? When does one not use it?

In this post, I aim to simplify the confusing world of B-prefix in Levantine Arabic for you.

#1: What you need to know first

#1.1: 10 Verb Forms

There are more than 10 verb forms but it is sufficient to only learn the first 10 of them as the rest are rarely used.

I personally find conjugation tables useful and I use my favourite book (The 101 Most Used Verbs In Spoken Arabic) to look up the tables for all the different ten forms of verbs.

Don’t be overwhelmed if 10 verb forms sound like a lot.  The majority of the most common verbs in Spoken Arabic are only from two forms – Form I and Form II.

#1.2: B & M prefixes

In general,  the B-prefix (the letter ب) is attached before all present tense verbs in Levantine Arabic.

The exception to the rule is the verb conjugation for “we” (احنا / نحنا) where the M-prefix (the letter م) is instead attached before the verb.

***Note that this exception to the rule may not be true in some parts of the Levant (notably Palestine) where B-prefix is used for all, including conjugating for the first-person plural personal pronoun “we”.

Here is an example of a conjugation table for a common verb –> to lift (Verb Form I).

Source: The 101 Most Used Verbs In Spoken Arabic

Later on in the post, I will show different scenarios as to when to conjugate using the B-prefix  (a.k.a the ‘present’ column) and when to drop that B (a.k.a the ‘w/helping verb’ column).

#1.3: Variations within the Levant

There are both spelling and pronunciation differences with regards to the verbs used across the Levant.

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to group Jordanian and Palestinian Arabic as one group and Lebanese and Syrian Arabic as another group (please don’t kill me).

Although I consider the differences to be negligible, I just thought it is useful to point them out.

Please don’t freak out or overwhelmed with the variations. Learn any dialect of Levantine Arabic and you’ll still be able to converse and be understood across the Levant.

So anyway, the above picture of the conjugation table for the verb, to lift,  is typical of the spelling and pronunciation of Jordanian and Palestinian Arabic.

Let’s examine the verb for “he lifts”:

 هو بِرْفَع

huwe birfa3

On the other hand, this is how the same verb will be in Lebanese and Syrian Arabic:

 هو بْيِرْفَع

 huwe byirfa3

Thus in general,  verbs conjugation for the pronoun ‘he’ (هو) differs between Jordanian&Palestinian Arabic and Lebanese&Syrian Arabic.

Jordanian&Palestinian Arabic tends to omit the letter ي while Lebanese&Syrian includes it.

Here’s another example:

He doesn’t understand a single thing

هو ما بفهم ولا شي

huwe ma befham wala shii

هو ما بيفهم ولا شي

huwe ma byefham wala shii

Can you tell which is Jordanian&Palestinian Arabic and which is Lebanese&Syrian Arabic?

#2: Knowing when to drop the B (or M)

There are a few places where you’ll need to drop the B or M prefix.

Or in the other word, you’ll need to conjugate the verb using the “w/ helping verb” column as shown in the picture above.

#2.1: The verbs that come after the first B/M prefix verb

Take a look at the following sentences.

هي ما بتحب تشرب شاي

hiye ma betheb tishrab shai

She doesn’t like to drink tea

كلنا مْنِقْدَر نِتْعَلَّم كتير من احمد

kolna/kelna mne2dar nit3alam ktiir men Ahmad

All of us can learn a lot from Ahmad

From these two examples, you can see that the 2nd verbs (نِتْعَلَّم & تشرب) do not have the attached B or M prefix while the 1st verbs (مْنِقْدَر & بتحب) have it.

In general, the first present-tense verb in a sentence should have the B or M prefix, while the other verbs that follow after will have their B or M prefix dropped.

#2.2: The verb that comes after the future indicator رح

Take a look at the following sentence.

رح احاول اشتري كل ما بدك

raH aHawel ashtari kol ma bidak

I’ll try to buy everything that you want

As you can see, the verb “to try” is written and spoken as احاول instead of بحاول

It is worth noting that Jordanian and Palestinian Arabic generally retain the letter alef for the first person pronoun (انا) after the future indicator رح (Verb I, II & III). On the other hand, Syrian and Lebanese Arabic tend to drop the alef.

Hence, the Syrian and Lebanese version of the same sentence will be

رح حاول اشتري كل ما بدك

raH Hawel ashtari kil ma bidak

Here are some more examples:

رح اكمّل دراستي السنة الجاية

رح كمّل دراستي السنة الجاية

raH (a)kamel dirasatti es-saneh el-jaiye

I will continue my studies next year

بعدين رح تعرف شو صار

ba3dayn raH ta3ref/ta3raf shu Sar

Later you will know what had happened

ما رح نبلِش بدون احمد

ma raH nballesh biduun Ahmad

We will not start without Ahmad

From all of these examples above, you can see the that B or M prefix is dropped from the verbs that come after the future indicator رح.

#2.3: The verb that comes after the linking verb بِدُّه

So بِدُّه  is not a complete verb but it may act like one. I think the term for it is a pseudo-verb or auxiliary verb.

The common translation for the word is “he wants”.

**The word is also spelled as بدو and can be used with a noun or a verb.

For example, when using بِدُّه  with a noun:

بِدُّه الاكل

biddo el akel

He wants the food

Or when using بِدُّه with a verb:

بِدُّه يآكُل / يُوكُل

biddo yakol / yokol

He wants to eat

*Note: There are two acceptable pronunciation (or verb conjugation in the present tense) for the verb, to eat.

So as you can see from the second example, there is no B-prefix to the verb that comes after بِدُّه.

Here is how you conjugate for بِدُّه:

Here are some more examples:

بدي ارجع عالبيت

baddi/beddi arja3 3albayt

I want to return home

ما بدنا نضلّ هون

ma bedna ndhol hon

We don’t want to remain here

On a side note, the usage of بِدُّه can extend to more than just “he wants”. Depending on contexts, it can also indicate an action that will happen in the future.

For example:

بدنا نسافر ع لبنان بكرة

bedna nsafer 3a lebnan bokra

We will be traveling to Lebanon tomorrow

Whatever the intended meaning of بِدُّه, just know that the verb that comes after it will have its B or M prefix dropped.

#2.4: When giving a command (imperative verb)

So another situation where the verb does not carry its B or M prefix is when the verb is spoken in its imperative form.

In other words, if you’re giving a command/order and telling people to do something, you should use the verb in its imperative form.

And verbs in their imperative form should not have the B or M prefix attached.

Take a look at the example below.

احكي شو بقلبك

ehki shu bi 2albak

Say what’s in your heart

Since “say” in this context acts as a command, the correct choice of word is احكي instead of بتحكي or تحكي.

Here are some more examples:

خليني احاول اصلّح السيارة

خليني حاول صلّح السيارة

khalini (a)hawel (a)Saleh issayara/issiyara

Let me try to fix the car

**The former is Jor/Pal while the latter is Syr/Leb

The imperative verb in this example is خلي.

As you can see, since the first verb is an imperative, it does not have the B-prefix attached.

And since the first verb does not have the B-prefix, the two verbs that followed also do not have B-prefixes attached.

روحي جيبيلي الموبايل

ruuHi jiibili el mobile

Go (and) get me the phone

The imperative verbs in this example are روحي and جيبي.

اترك اخوك بحاله و اشرب شايك

itrik akhuk biHalo uu esharb shaiyak

Leave your brother alone (stop bothering him) and drink your tea

The imperative verbs in this example are اترك and اشرب.

Here are a few more examples of using imperative verbs and dropping their B and M prefixes.

حاج تحكي معي

Haj taHki/teHki ma3ii

Stop talking to me

لا / ما تنسى تشتري بيض

la / ma tinsaa tishtarii bayD

Don’t forget to buy eggs

All in all, drop the B or M prefixes when giving a command.

#2.5: The verb that comes after modal verbs

So another scenario where you’ll need to drop the B or M prefix is when the verb comes after a modal verb.

If you don’t know what a modal verb is, that’s okay. I personally dislike using all these grammar terms lol. Just know that the verb that comes after all these words (that I’m going to list out below) will need to have their B or M prefix dropped.

There are many modal verbs but for the sake of simplicity, I will list out the few common ones.

لازم

lazem

(must/has to/should)

انتي لازم تدرسي منيح ازا بدك تنجحي

enti lazem tudrosi mniiH iza bidek tinjahi

You have to study well if you want to succeed

لازم نروح هلأ اذا ما بدنا نتأخر

lazem nruuH  hala2 iza ma bedna nit2akhar

We have to go now if we don’t want to be late

ممكن

momkin

(may/can/is it possible..?)

ممكن اسألك سؤال؟

momkin as2allak su2al?

May I ask you a question?

ممكن نروح عالمول معك؟

momkin nruH 3al mall ma3ak?

Can we go to the mall with you?

بلكي / بركي

balki / berki

(perhaps/maybe)

احكي معها بلكي تغير رأيها

eHki ma3ha balki t3hayir ra2iiha

Talk to her, perhaps she’ll change her mind

ممنوع

mamnou3

(it’s not allowed to/ it’s not permissible to)

آسف بس ممنوع تدخّن بهالمكان

aasef bas mamnou3 tdakhin bi hal makan

Sorry, but it’s not allowed / you’re not allowed to smoke in this place

مفروض / المفروض

mafruuD/ elmafruuD

(should)

هو المفروض يجي للإجتماع. وينه؟

huwe elmafruuD yijii lil ijtima3. weino?

He is supposed to come to the meeting. Where is he?

#2.6: The verb that comes after عم

All of the present tense verbs after the word عم should be conjugated without the B or M prefix.

Take a look at a few examples below.

هو عم يدرس عربي

huwe 3am yidros arabi

He is studying Arabic

انتو عم تشربوا شاي

entu 3am teshrabuu shai

You all are drinking tea

احنا / نحنا عم نحضر فلم

ehna / nehna 3am nehDar filem

We are watching a movie

Do note that there is an exception to this rule. 

The present tense verb conjugation for the pronoun I (انا) after the word عم can be conjugated WITH or WITHOUT its B-prefix. Both are acceptable.

For example, you can say

انا عم بدرس

ana 3am badrus

I’m studying

or

انا عم ادرس

ana 3am adrus

I would say that the former is more common in Syria & Lebanon while the latter is more common in Palestine & Jordan.

To avoid confusion, just know that both are acceptable.

#3: Be flexible

I hope by now you’ve got a good idea of how the B-prefix works in Levantine Arabic. Straight-forward, no? Come across any of the 6 situations mentioned above, simply drop that B or M prefix 🙂

But wait, are there more?

Take a look at the following examples.

شو رايك تساعدني مع واجبي؟

shu ra’yik tsaa3edni ma3 waajbii?

What say you help me out with my homework?

ليش ما خبريني؟

leish ma khabrini?

Why didn’t you (f) tell/inform me?

زي / متل ما تعرف, وضعي مش ولا بد

zay / mitl ma ta3raf, waDa3ii mish wala bud

As you (already) know, I’m not too bad [my situation is so-so]

يلا نروح عالمول

Yalla, nruuH 3al mall

Come on, let’s go to the mall

نحضر فيلم سوا؟

niHDar filem sawa?

Shall we watch a movie together?

ناكل في البيت؟

nakol fil bayt?

Shall we eat at home?

All the verbs in the above examples do not have their B and M prefixes attached.

But guess what?

For some of these examples, it is totally fine to attach the prefixes as well.

And therefore, in order to fully grasp this whole concept of B-prefix in verbs, I recommend learning by mimicking natives (more about this in the next section).

The bottom line is that feel free to use this post as a guide but remember that the six guiding steps above are not exhaustive.

There are other situations where you should drop the prefixes. And there are also situations where it is perfectly acceptable to conjugate verbs with either the B/M prefix or without it.

#4: Learn via mimicking

Remember that spoken Arabic is different from MSA, thus there aren’t really hard and fast rules to how spoken Arabic works.

I recommend watching shows (dramas or talk shows)  or talking with natives and try to mimic phrases.

Over time, you’ll develop a feel of how the language works and be able to know that some phrases just don’t sound natural, and that you should be saying them the other way.

For example, it’s perhaps almost impossible to explain why people say “شو رايك تساعدني” instead of “شو رايك بتساعدني”.

Most natives will just tell you that it’s just the way it is or it just sounds more natural.

That being said, you definitely can’t go wrong if you follow the six guiding steps above as to when to drop the B-prefix 🙂

~~~

That’s it, folks!

Take care and I’ll see you around in the hosh,

Lyn

P.S. Are you facing any troubles/confusion when learning Levantine Arabic? Let me know and perhaps I’ll write a post about it!