This is a Swadesh list of words in South Levantine Arabic, compared with definitions in English.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
| № | English | South Levantine Arabic اللهجة الشامية الجنوبية edit (207) | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | أنا (ʔana) | /ˈʔa.na/ |
| 2 | you (2sg) | إنت (ʔinta) (masculine), إنتي (ʔinti) (feminine) | /ˈʔin.ta/, /ˈʔin.ti/ |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | هو (huwwe) (masculine), هي (hiyye) (feminine) | /ˈhuw.we/, /ˈhij.je/ |
| 4 | we (1pl) | إحنا (ʔiḥna) | /ˈʔiħ.na/ |
| 5 | you (2pl) | إنتو (ʔintu) | /ˈʔin.tu/ |
| 6 | they (3pl) | هم (humme), هن (hinne) (Galilee) | /ˈhum.me/, /ˈhin.ne/ |
| 7 | this | هاد (hād) (masculine singular), هادا (hāda) (masculine singular), هادي (hādi) (feminine singular), هاي (hāy) (feminine singular), هدول (hadōl) (plural) | /ˈhaːd/, /ˈhaː.da/, /ˈhaː.di/, /ˈhaːj/, /haˈdoːl/ |
| 8 | that | هداك (hadāk) (masculine singular), هديك (hadīk) (feminine singular), هدولاك (hadolāk) (plural) | /haˈdaːk/, /haˈdiːk/, /hadoˈlaːk/ |
| 9 | here | هون (hōn) | /ˈhoːn/ |
| 10 | there | هناك (hunāk), غاد (ḡād) | /huˈnaːk/, /ˈɣaːd/ |
| 11 | who | مين (mīn) | /miːn/ |
| 12 | what | إيش (ʔēš), شو (šū) | /ˈʔeːʃ/, /ˈʃuː/ |
| 13 | where | وين (wēn) | /weːn/ |
| 14 | when | إيمتى (ʔēmta) | /ˈʔeːm.ta/ |
| 15 | how | كيف (kīf) | /kiːf/ |
| 16 | not | مُش (muš), مِش (miš) | /muʃ/, /miʃ/ |
| 17 | all | كل (kull) | /ˈkull/ |
| 18 | many | كتير (ktīr) | /ˈktiːr/ |
| 19 | some | بعض (baʕḍ), كم من (kam min) | /ˈbaʕdˤ/, /ˈkam min/ |
| 20 | few | شوي (šway), شوية (šwayye) | /ˈʃwaj/, /ˈʃwaj.je/ |
| 21 | other | تاني (tāni) | /ˈtaː.ni/ |
| 22 | one | واحد (wāḥad) (masculine), واحدة (waḥde) (feminine) | /ˈwaː.ħad/, /ˈwaħ.de/ |
| 23 | two | تنين (tnēn) (masculine), تنتين (tintēn) (feminine) | /tneːn/, /tinˈteːn/ |
| 24 | three | تلاتة (talāte) | /taˈlaː.te/ |
| 25 | four | أربعة (ʔarbaʕa) | /ˈʔar.ba.ʕa/ |
| 26 | five | خمسة (ḵamse) | /ˈxam.se/ |
| 27 | big | كبير (kbīr) | /ˈkbiːr/ |
| 28 | long | طويل (ṭwīl) | /ˈtˤwiːl/ |
| 29 | wide | واسع (wāsiʕ) | /ˈwaː.siʕ/ |
| 30 | thick | خميل (ḵmīl) | /ˈxmiːl/ |
| 31 | heavy | تقيل (tʔīl) | /ˈtʔiːl/ |
| 32 | small | زغير (zḡīr) | /ˈzɣiːr/ |
| 33 | short | قصير (ʔaṣīr) | /ʔaˈsˤiːr/ |
| 34 | narrow | ديّق (dijjiʔ) | /ˈdij.jiʔ/ |
| 35 | thin | رفيع (rfīʕ) | /ˈrfiːʕ/ |
| 36 | woman | مرة (mara) | /ˈma.ra/ |
| 37 | man (adult male) | زلمة (zalame), رجال (rijjāl) | /ˈza.la.me/, /riʒˈʒaːl/ |
| 38 | man (human being) | إنسان (ʔinsān) | /ˈʔin.saːn/ |
| 39 | child | ولد (walad), طفل (ṭifl) | /ˈwa.lad/, /ˈtˤifl/ |
| 40 | wife | مرة (mara) | /ˈma.ra/ |
| 41 | husband | جوز (jōz) | /ˈʒoːz/ |
| 42 | mother | إم (ʔimm) | /ʔimm/ |
| 43 | father | أب (ʔabb) | /ʔabb/ |
| 44 | animal | حيوان (ḥaywān) | /ħajˈwaːn/ |
| 45 | fish | سمكة (samake) | /ˈsa.ma.ke/ |
| 46 | bird | عصفور (ʕaṣfūr) | /ʕasˤˈfuːr/ |
| 47 | dog | كلب (kalb) | /ˈkalb/ |
| 48 | louse | قملة (ʔamle) | /ˈʔam.le/ |
| 49 | snake | حية (ḥajje) | /ˈħaj.je/ |
| 50 | worm | دودة (dūde) | /ˈduː.de/ |
| 51 | tree | شجرة (šajara) | /ˈʃa.ʒa.ra/ |
| 52 | forest | غابة (ḡābe) | /ˈɣaː.be/ |
| 53 | stick | عصاي (ʕaṣāy), عصاية (ʕaṣāye) | /ʕaˈsˤaːj/, /ʕaˈsˤaː.je/ |
| 54 | fruit | فاكهة (fākha) | /ˈfaːk.ha/ |
| 55 | seed | بذرة (bizre) | /ˈbiz.re/ |
| 56 | leaf | ورقة (waraʔa) | /ˈwa.ra.ʔa/ |
| 57 | root | شرش (širš) | /ˈʃirʃ/ |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | قشرة (ʔišre) | /ˈʔiʃ.re/ |
| 59 | flower | زهرة (zahra) | /ˈzah.ra/ |
| 60 | grass | حشيش (ḥašīš) | /ħaˈʃiːʃ/ |
| 61 | rope | حبل (ḥabil) | /ˈħa.bil/ |
| 62 | skin | جلد (jild) | /ˈʒild/ |
| 63 | meat | لحم (laḥm) | /ˈlaħm/ |
| 64 | blood | دم (damm) | /ˈdamm/ |
| 65 | bone | عضم (ʕaḍm) | /ˈʕadˤm/ |
| 66 | fat (noun) | شحم (šaḥm) | /ˈʃaħm/ |
| 67 | egg | بيض (bēḍa) | /ˈbeːdˤ/ |
| 68 | horn | قرن (ʔarn) | /ˈʔarn/ |
| 69 | tail | دنب (danab) | /ˈda.nab/ |
| 70 | feather | ريش (rīše) | /ˈriːʃ/ |
| 71 | hair | شعر (šaʕr) | /ˈʃaʕr/ |
| 72 | head | راس (rās) | /ˈraːs/ |
| 73 | ear | دان (dān) | /ˈdaːn/ |
| 74 | eye | عين (ʕēn) | /ˈʕeːn/ |
| 75 | nose | منخار (munḵār) | /munˈxaːr/ |
| 76 | mouth | تم (tumm) | /ˈtumm/ |
| 77 | tooth | سن (sinn) | /ˈsinn/ |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | لسان (lsān) | /ˈlsaːn/ |
| 79 | fingernail | أضفر (ʔuḍfar) | /ˈʔudˤ.far/ |
| 80 | foot | إجر (ʔijr) | /ˈʔiʒr/ |
| 81 | leg | ساق (sāʔ) | /ˈsaːʔ/ |
| 82 | knee | ركبة (rukbe) | /ˈruk.be/ |
| 83 | hand | إيد (ʔīd) | /ˈʔiːd/ |
| 84 | wing | جناح (janāḥ) | /ʒaˈnaːħ/ |
| 85 | belly | بطن (baṭn) | /ˈbatˤn/ |
| 86 | guts | مصران (muṣrān) | /musˤˈraːn/ |
| 87 | neck | رقبة (raʔabe) | /ˈra.ʔa.be/ |
| 88 | back | ضهر (ḍahr) | /ˈdˤahr/ |
| 89 | breast | صدر (ṣidr) | /ˈsˤidr/ |
| 90 | heart | قلب (ʔalb) | /ˈʔalb/ |
| 91 | liver | كبدة (kibde) | /ˈkib.de/ |
| 92 | to drink | شرب (širib) | /ˈʃi.rib/ |
| 93 | to eat | أكل (ʔakal) | /ˈʔa.kal/ |
| 94 | to bite | عض (ʕaḍḍ) | /ˈʕadˤdˤ/ |
| 95 | to suck | مص (maṣṣ) | /ˈmasˤsˤ/ |
| 96 | to spit | بزق (bazaʔ) | /ˈba.zaʔ/ |
| 97 | to vomit | نتق (nataʔ), استفرغ (istafraḡ) | /ˈna.taʔ/, /isˈtaf.raɣ/ |
| 98 | to blow | نفخ (nafaḵ) | /ˈna.fax/ |
| 99 | to breathe | تنفس (tnaffas) | /ˈtnaf.fas/ |
| 100 | to laugh | ضحك (ḍiḥik) | /ˈdˤi.ħik/ |
| 101 | to see | شاف (šāf) | /ˈʃaːf/ |
| 102 | to hear | سمع (simiʕ) | /ˈsi.miʕ/ |
| 103 | to know | عرف (ʕirif) | /ˈʕirif/ |
| 104 | to think | فكر (fakkar) | /ˈfak.kar/ |
| 105 | to smell | شم (šamm) | /ˈʃamm/ |
| 106 | to fear | خاف (ḵāf) | /ˈxaːf/ |
| 107 | to sleep | نام (nām) | /ˈnaːm/ |
| 108 | to live | عاش (ʕāš) | /ˈʕaːʃ/ |
| 109 | to die | مات (māt) | /ˈmaːt/ |
| 110 | to kill | قتل (ʔatal) | /ˈʔa.tal/ |
| 111 | to fight | تخانق (tḵānaʔ), تقاتل (tʔātal) | /ˈtxaː.naʔ/, /ˈtʔaː.tal/ |
| 112 | to hunt | تصيد (tṣayyad) | /ˈtsˤaj.jad/ |
| 113 | to hit | ضرب (ḍarab) | /ˈdˤa.rab/ |
| 114 | to cut | قطع (ʔaṭṭaʕ) | /ˈʔatˤ.tˤaʕ/ |
| 115 | to split | شق (šaʔʔ) | /ˈʃaʔʔ/ |
| 116 | to stab | طعن (ṭaʕan) | /ˈtˤa.ʕan/ |
| 117 | to scratch | حك (ḥakk) | /ˈħakk/ |
| 118 | to dig | حفر (ḥafar) | /ˈħa.far/ |
| 119 | to swim | سبح (sibiḥ) | /ˈsi.biħ/ |
| 120 | to fly | طار (ṭār) | /ˈtˤaːr/ |
| 121 | to walk | مشى (maša) | /ˈma.ʃa/ |
| 122 | to come | إجا (ʔija) | /ˈʔi.ʒa/ |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | نام (nām) | /ˈnaːm/ |
| 124 | to sit | قعد (ʔaʕad) | /ˈʔa.ʕad/ |
| 125 | to stand | وقف (waʔʔaf) | /ˈwaʔ.ʔaf/ |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | لف (laff) | /ˈlaff/ |
| 127 | to fall | وقع (wiʔiʕ) | /ˈwi.ʔiʕ/ |
| 128 | to give | أعطى (ʔaʕṭa) | /ˈʔaʕ.tˤa/ |
| 129 | to hold | مسك (misik) | /ˈmi.sik/ |
| 130 | to squeeze | عصر (ʕaṣar) | /ˈʕa.sˤar/ |
| 131 | to rub | فرك (farak) | /ˈfa.rak/ |
| 132 | to wash | غسل (ḡasal) | /ˈɣa.sal/ |
| 133 | to wipe | مسح (masaḥ) | /ˈma.saħ/ |
| 134 | to pull | سحب (saḥab) | /ˈsa.ħab/ |
| 135 | to push | دفش (dafaš), دفع (dafaʕ) | /ˈda.faʃ/, /ˈda.faʕ/ |
| 136 | to throw | رمى (rama) | /ˈra.ma/ |
| 137 | to tie | ربط (rabaṭ) | /ˈra.batˤ/ |
| 138 | to sew | خيّط (ḵayyaṭ) | /ˈxaj.jatˤ/ |
| 139 | to count | عد (ʕadd) | /ˈʕadd/ |
| 140 | to say | قال (ʔāl) | /ˈʔaːl/ |
| 141 | to sing | غنى (ḡanna) | /ˈɣan.na/ |
| 142 | to play | لعب (liʕib) | /ˈli.ʕib/ |
| 143 | to float | طاش (ṭāš) | /ˈtˤaːʃ/ |
| 144 | to flow | سال (sāl) | /ˈsaːl/ |
| 145 | to freeze | صقع (ṣaʔʔaʕ) | /ˈsˤaʔ.ʔaʕ/ |
| 146 | to swell | ورم (wirim) | /ˈwi.rim/ |
| 147 | sun | شمس (šams) | /ˈʃams/ |
| 148 | moon | قمر (ʔamar) | /ˈʔa.mar/ |
| 149 | star | نجمة (nijme) | /ˈniʒ.me/ |
| 150 | water | مي (ṃajj), مية (ṃajje) | /ˈmˤajj/, /ˈmˤajje/ |
| 151 | rain | شتا (šita) | /ˈʃi.ta/ |
| 152 | river | نهر (nahr) | /ˈnahr/ |
| 153 | lake | بحيرة (buḥayra) | /buˈħaj.ra/ |
| 154 | sea | بحر (baḥar) | /ˈba.ħar/ |
| 155 | salt | ملح (malḥ) | /ˈmalħ/ |
| 156 | stone | حجر (ḥajar) | /ˈħa.ʒar/ |
| 157 | sand | رمل (raml) | /ˈraml/ |
| 158 | dust | غبرة (ḡabara) | /ˈɣa.ba.ra/ |
| 159 | earth | أرض (ʔarḍ) (planet), تراب (trāb) (material) | /ˈʔardˤ/, /ˈtraːb/ |
| 160 | cloud | غيم (ḡēm) | /ˈɣeːm/ |
| 161 | fog | ضباب (ḍabāb) | /dˤaˈbaːb/ |
| 162 | sky | سما (sama) | /ˈsa.ma/ |
| 163 | wind | هوا (hawa) | /ˈħa.wa/ |
| 164 | snow | تلج (talj) | /ˈtalʒ/ |
| 165 | ice | تلج (talj) | /ˈtalʒ/ |
| 166 | smoke | دخان (duḵḵān) | /duxˈxaːn/ |
| 167 | fire | نار (nār) | /ˈnaːr/ |
| 168 | ash | رماد (ramād) | /raˈmaːd/ |
| 169 | to burn | حرق (ḥaraʔ) | /ˈħa.raʔ/ |
| 170 | road | طريق (ṭarīʔ) | /tˤaˈriːʔ/ |
| 171 | mountain | جبل (jabal) | /ˈʒa.bal/ |
| 172 | red | أحمر (ʔaḥmar) (masculine), حمرا (ḥamra) (feminine) | /ˈʔaħ.mar/, /ˈħam.ra/ |
| 173 | green | أخضر (ʔaḵḍar) (masculine), خضرا (ḵaḍra) (feminine) | /ˈʔax.dˤar/, /ˈxadˤ.ra/ |
| 174 | yellow | أصفر (ʔaṣfar) (masculine), صفرا (ṣafra) (feminine) | /ˈʔasˤ.far/, /ˈsˤaf.ra/ |
| 175 | white | أبيض (ʔabyaḍ) (masculine), بيضا (bayḍa) (feminine) | /ˈʔab.jadˤ/, /ˈbaj.dˤa/ |
| 176 | black | أسود (ʔaswad) (masculine), سودا (sōda) (feminine) | /ˈʔas.wad/, /ˈsoː.da/ |
| 177 | night | ليلة (lēle) | /ˈleː.le/ |
| 178 | day | يوم (yōm), نهار (nhār) | /ˈjoːm/, /ˈnhaːr/ |
| 179 | year | سنة (sane) | /ˈsa.ne/ |
| 180 | warm | سخن (suḵn) | /ˈsuxn/ |
| 181 | cold | بارد (bārid) | /ˈbaː.rid/ |
| 182 | full | ملان (malān), مليان (malyān) | /maˈlaːn/, /malˈjaːn/ |
| 183 | new | جديد (jdīd) | /ˈʒdiːd/ |
| 184 | old | قديم (ʔadīm) | /ʔaˈdiːm/ |
| 185 | good | منيح (mnīḥ), طيب (ṭayyib) | /ˈmniːħ/, /ˈtˤaj.jib/ |
| 186 | bad | عاطل (ʕāṭil) | /ˈʕaː.tˤil/ |
| 187 | rotten | خربان (ḵarbān), مخمج (mḵammij) | /xarˈbaːn/, /ˈmxam.miʒ/ |
| 188 | dirty | وسخ (wisiḵ) | /ˈwi.six/ |
| 189 | straight | دغري (duḡri) | /ˈduɣ.ri/ |
| 190 | round | مدوّر (mdawwar) | /ˈmdaw.war/ |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | ماضي (māḍi) | /ˈmaː.dˤi/ |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | بارد (bārid), تلم (tilim) | /ˈbaː.rid/, /ˈti.lim/ |
| 193 | smooth | ناعم (nāʕim), مالس (mālis) | /ˈnaː.ʕim/, /ˈmaː.lis/ |
| 194 | wet | مبلول (mablūl) | /mabˈluːl/ |
| 195 | dry | ناشف (nāšif) | /ˈnaː.ʃif/ |
| 196 | correct | صح (saḥḥ) | /ˈsˤaħħ/ |
| 197 | near | قريب (ʔarīb) | /ʔaˈriːb/ |
| 198 | far | بعيد (bʕīd) | /ˈbʕiːd/ |
| 199 | right | يمين (yamīn) | /jaˈmiːn/ |
| 200 | left | شمال (šmāl) | /ˈʃmaːl/ |
| 201 | at | عند (ʕind) | /ˈʕind/ |
| 202 | in | في (fi) | /fi/ |
| 203 | with | مع (maʕ), بـ (bi-) | /maʕ/, /bi/ |
| 204 | and | و (w-) | /w/ |
| 205 | if | لو (law), إذا (ʔiza), إن (ʔin) | /law/, /ʔi.za/, /ʔin/ |
| 206 | because | عشان (ʕašān), لإنه (laʔinnu) | /ʕaˈšaːn/, /laˈʔin.nu/ |
| 207 | name | اسم (ʔism) | /ˈʔism/ |