Place Emphasis By Using Two Numbers in Levantine Arabic

In this post, I will talk about two numbers that you can use in Spoken Arabic to place emphasis on a subject matter.

The two numbers are نص (half) and ستين (sixty).

In addition, you can also hear how these numbers are used in contexts via an audio track available online.

So let’s find out how to use these numbers, shall we? Yalla, here we go…

HALF

First up, we got the number ‘half’! Or نص (nos) in Arabic.

Here are some examples to use the number as a way to place emphasis:

لأ مو هيك :A

la2, muu heik

nope, not like this

 !لأ هيك ونص :B

 la2, heik uu nos!

no, like this and half!

In this example, B uses the word ‘نص’  to insist that he is right and to reject/rebuff what A had said. The idea of using the word ‘half’ is to signify that a simple “I’m right” is not enough to convey the message, thus the need to add “half” in order to place emphasis or to insist.

I suppose you can liken the usage to how people use the phrase  “110%” instead of “100% “to signify exceeding the standard or as an emphasis. For example: “I’m not only 100% sure, I’m 110% sure!”

Here is another example:

 ! انت ما بتقدر تعمل هالشغلة :A

you cannot do this (thing)!

 ! لأ بقدر ونص :B

No, I can do that and more!

In this example, the word  ‘نص’ is again used to counter A’s claim and to insist that B is totally capable of doing much more than the usual.

Here’s another example:

 انت مانك قدّا :A

you’re not capable

قدّا ونص :B

I am capable and half

So like I mentioned previously, you can hear how this number is used in Spoken Arabic in an audio track. So head on over to this link. It is a podcast in Syrian Arabic called “Hay el Matar”.

I initially found the podcast through Soundcloud but at the time of writing this post, I couldn’t locate all of the tracks on the channel anymore. There are only the last ten episodes on Soundcloud and perhaps the rest have been removed. If you’re interested, here’s the link to the channel on Soundcloud.

Luckily, however, the tracks are available on the Sowt website.

For this post, you’ll need to listen to the first episode. Either head over to the link or listen to the audio track below (which I had downloaded when it was available on Soundcloud months ago).

 

Fast forward the audio till 03:52 and you’ll hear two men arguing.

Here’s how the conversation goes:

!انا شو ذنبي؟ :A

What’s my fault (literal: sin)?

i.e It’s not my fault!

!لأ سيدي, ذنبك, ذنبك ونص :B

No sir, it’s your fault. Your fault and half!

So in this context, the word ‘نص’  is used to retort A’s claim that he’s not at fault and to assert that, on the contrary, it’s his fault.

Thus, ‘نص’  is used as an exaggeration in order to emphasise that A is truly at fault.

 

Bonus!

My Syrian friend, Rasheed, which I got to know through Tandem (a great app, btw) told me a joke when I told him of this observation (using numbers as an emphasis).

So the joke goes like this…

There is a tomato and we want to cut it up equally among 3 people. What do we do?

Here’s the solution:

منجيب هي البندوراية ومنقلا

we bring this tomato and say to it

انت بندورية انت؟ انت عنجد بندورية؟

Are you a tomato? Are you really a tomato?

فهي بتعصب

So the tomato got angry

وبتقول اي انا بندوراية ونص

and it says “Yes, I’m a tomato and half!”

ومنعطي كل شخص نص

So then we give each of us half (equal piece) of the tomato

Lol! A lame joke, I know, but hey, now you’ll remember how to use the number as a way to place emphasis!

 

SIXTY

Using the same audio track as above, listen to the track carefully at 14:27.

The woman is having an argument with a group of men at the restaurant and the conversation goes like this:

!انا ماني ولد, فهمانة ؟ :A

ana maani walad, fahmaneh?!

I’m not a boy, understand?!

!!انت ولد وستين ولد :B

ente walaad uu seeteen walaad!!

you’re a boy and a boy times 60!!

The woman is calling the man a ‘boy’ and thus insulting him. And the number sixty is used to emphasise the word ‘boy’ and his childishness (or whatever else that is associated with the word ‘boy’)

In other words, you’re not just a boy. You’re a boy x 60. You’re a kid, you’re childish, so stop acting like a grown man, etc. Get the idea? I hope so!

Here’s another example:

هو غبي وستين غبي

huwe 3habi uu seeteen 3habi

He’s not only stupid, but so darn bloody stupid

~~~

That’s it, folks! Hope this post is useful.

It is good to note that depending on contexts, using both of the numbers may contain a tone of challenge.

As usual, let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Till the next post,

Lyn

P.S Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t & spread the word about theLevanTongue!

P.S.S Want to get real serious at learning Levantine Arabic and in need of a darn good book? Check out my review of a book that has helped me tremendously in my learning journey here