Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Feb 12, 2001 16:35
23 yrs ago
English term
say what?
Non-PRO
English to Arabic
Art/Literary
What would be an informal (but not rude) way to say, "say what?!" or "what did you say?"
Proposed translations
(Arabic)
| 0 | na'am? نعم؟ |
Alaa Zeineldine
|
| 0 | "Afandem" NOT "Na'am |
Shiny Shin
|
| 0 | Re: afandem |
Alaa Zeineldine
|
| 0 | Saudi (Nejdi) expressiona |
Stephen Franke
|
Proposed translations
50 mins
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Egypt
Native in English
&
Arabic
Egypt
The best in IT ... and in Automotive
Native in: Arabic 
, English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
614
Selected
na'am? نعم؟
Little explanation is needed. Na'am نعم is the obvious polite choice.
mish fahim مش فاهم: is more wordy but is also a correct alternative. It is an Egyptian Arabic expression though.
Eh? إيه؟: is common and less courteous but not obscene. It is also universal.
mish fahim مش فاهم: is more wordy but is also a correct alternative. It is an Egyptian Arabic expression though.
Eh? إيه؟: is common and less courteous but not obscene. It is also universal.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much for the speedy answer.
Troy"
7 hrs
"Afandem" NOT "Na'am
Afandem is more polite and also gives
the meaning. Na'am also gives the meaning, but it's not that polite,
as it could be used in a rude way too.
Like when we are astonished we can say
Na'am!!!!!!. But Afandem, never has
a doubt for saying it in a "polite way only"
the meaning. Na'am also gives the meaning, but it's not that polite,
as it could be used in a rude way too.
Like when we are astonished we can say
Na'am!!!!!!. But Afandem, never has
a doubt for saying it in a "polite way only"
17 hrs
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Egypt
Native in English
&
Arabic
Egypt
The best in IT ... and in Automotive
Native in: Arabic , English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
614
Re: afandem
Afandem is a good choice as long as the language is Egyptian Arabic.
Shiny is also right that na'am can be negative if spoken with a negative tone while stretching the second syllable, but I think this is part of TV depiction of street slang more than it is part of real life colloquial Egyptian.
Shiny is also right that na'am can be negative if spoken with a negative tone while stretching the second syllable, but I think this is part of TV depiction of street slang more than it is part of real life colloquial Egyptian.
2 days 17 hrs
Stephen Franke
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Service, quality, discretion, teamwork
Native in: English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Kurdish to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
336
Saudi (Nejdi) expressiona
Greetings
In the Saudi (Nejd central region) dialect:
Present tense: Waish taqool?
Past tense: Waish qult?
More polite: law samaHt _or_ 3fwaan?... (with rising tone to indicate a question)
HTH.
Khair, innsha' Allah.
Regards from Los Angeles,
Stephen H. Franke
In the Saudi (Nejd central region) dialect:
Present tense: Waish taqool?
Past tense: Waish qult?
More polite: law samaHt _or_ 3fwaan?... (with rising tone to indicate a question)
HTH.
Khair, innsha' Allah.
Regards from Los Angeles,
Stephen H. Franke
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