" List of Arabic-English Idioms

َ َ َ
1) ‫فار د ّ َم‬/ ‫‘د ُّمه‬faar damm-ii / damm-uh’
َ َ َ
Literally, it means: ‫‘فار‬boiled’, ‫‘د ّ َم‬my blood’, ‫‘د ُّمه‬his blood’

Idiomatically, it means ‘I/he became extremely angry.’

Example:

َ َ َ ْ َ ُ
‫‘ ِس ِم ْعته يك ِذب فـفار د ّ َم‬simi‘tu-h ya-kdhib fa-faar dammi’—I heard him
lying, so I became so furious.
ُ ُ َ َ
2) ‫‘ال ح ْو َل له وال ق ّوة‬laa Hawla lahu wala quuah’

َ ُ َ َ ُ
Literally, it means: ‫‘ال‬no’, ‫‘ح ْو َل‬ability/skill’ ‫‘له‬for him’ ‫‘وال‬and no’ ‫ق ّوة‬
‘strength’

Idiomatically, it means ‘he has no power / is powerless or incapable’

Example:
ُ َ َ َ ْ
‫ َس ِل ْيم ال ح ْو َل له وال ق ّوة‬. ‫‘ ِ!إط ِلب ِمن َمح ّمد‬saliim laa Hawla la-h wa laa quuah.
iTlib min mHmad’—Salim is helpless ask Mohammed for help.

3) ‫اب‬ َ ‫ َع ََل‬/ ‫ح َس ُابه‬/ ‫‘ ‘ ح َسابه‬alaa Hisaab-ii / Hisaab-uh (Hisaab-ih)’

‫حس‬
َِ ِ ِ ِ
ََ َ ُ
Literally, it means: ‫‘عَل‬on’, ‫اب‬
َ ِ ‫‘حس‬my
ِ account’, ‫‘ح َسابه‬his
ِ account’

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Idiomatically, it means ‘on me/him or I/he will pay.’

Example:

‫اب‬ َ ‫ َع ََل ح‬،‫‘ ! َوهللا َما ت ْد َفع ر َيال‬wallahi maa tidfa‘ riyal’—I swear you are not
‫س‬
َِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
paying a penny, it’s on me!

ْ َ
4) ‫‘ط ِويل ِل َسان‬Tawiil lisaan’

ْ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘ط ِويل‬long’, ‫‘ل َسان‬tongue’
ِ

Idiomatically, it means ‘he’s vulgar/abusive.’

Example:

َْ َ ْ َ
‫إلبنت ط ِويلة ِل َسان‬
ِ ‫ه‬ ‫ذ‬
ِ ‫ه‬ ‘hadhihi al-bint Tawiilat lisaan’—This young woman
is vulgar.

َّ َْ َ ِّ
5) ‫ضبة ِم َعلم‬ / ‫‘ ُم َعلم‬DHarbat mi‘allim (mu‘allim)’

َْ َ ِّ
Literally, it means ‫‘ضبة‬hit/strike’, ‫‘م َعلم‬expert’
ِ

Idiomatically, it means ‘a well-done job’

ُْ َ َ
6) ‫‘طار عقله‬Taar ‘aql-uh’

َ ُْ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘طار‬flew’, ‫‘عقله‬his mind/brain’

Idiomatically, it means ‘he become mad / lost his mind’

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 ّ ّ ُ َ
7) ‫‘ ِح ْيلك )شد( ِشد‬shidd Hiilak’

ّ
Literally, it means ‫‘شد‬tighten’
ِ ‫‘ح ْيل‬strength
ِ / force’

Idiomatically, it means ‘be patient / don’t give up / work hard’

َ ََ َ
8) ‫‘رأس عَل ع ِقب‬r’as ‘alaa ‘aqib’

ََ َ
Literally, it mean ‫‘رأس‬head’ ‫‘عَل‬on/over’ ‫‘ع ِقب‬heel’

Idiomatically, it means ‘Upside-down'

َ ََ
9) ‫‘ َس ْمن عَل ع َسل‬samn ‘alaa ‘asal’

َ ََ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘س ْمن‬butterfat/ghee’ ‫‘عَل‬on/over’ ‫‘ع َسل‬honey’

Idiomatically, it means ‘fully compatible/harmonious’

َ َ
10) ‫‘خ ِف ْيف د ّم‬khafiif damm’

َ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘خ ِفيف‬light/no heavy’ ‫‘د ّم‬blood’

Idiomatically, it means ‘funny/have sense of humor’

َ َ
11) ‫‘ث ِق ْيل دم‬THaqeel damm’
َ َ
Literally it means ‫‘ث ِق ْيل‬heavy’, ‫‘د ّم‬blood’

Idiomatically, it means ‘boring/have no sense of humor’

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 َ َ
12) ‫‘ؤَل َما شاء هللا‬ilaa
ِ maa shaa allah’

َ َ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘ؤَل‬to’
ِ ‫ا‬ ‫‘م‬whatever’ ‫اء‬ ‫‘ش‬destined’ ‫‘هللا‬Allah’

Idiomatically, it means ‘forever/everlastingly’

َ ْ َ ْ َ
13) ‫‘تحت أمرك‬that amra-k’

َ ْ َ َ ْ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘تحت‬under’ ‫‘أمرك‬your command’

Idiomatically, it means ‘(I’m) at your service’, ‘I would be glad to give

you a hand’

َْ ُْ
14) ‫إلعيش‬ ‫‘لق َمة‬luqmat al-‘aysh’

ُْ َْ
Literally, it means ‫‘لق َمة‬a bite of food’ ‫‘إلعيش‬the life/living’

Idiomatically, it means ‘one’s livelihood’

َ
15) ‫آخر َص ْيحة‬
ِ ‘aakhir SayHah’

َ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘آخر‬last’
ِ ‫‘ص ْيحة‬cry/scream’

Idiomatically, it means ‘a la mode/very up-to-date’

َ َ ْ
16) ‫‘بنت إلحالل‬bint al-Halaal’

ْ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘بنت‬girl/young
ِ woman’ ‫الل‬‫‘إلح‬the legal/lawful’

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Idiomatically, it means ‘the wife’

َ َ
17) ‫اليد ِح ْيلة‬
َ ‫‘ما ب‬maa
ِ bi-al-yadd Hiilah’

َ
Literally, it means ‫‘ما‬no’ َ ‫‘ب‬in hand’ ‫‘ح ْي َلة‬tick’
‫اليد‬ ِ ِ

Idiomatically, it means ‘helpless/unable to help’

َ ‫‘ َصا ِحب َو ْج َه‬SaaHib wajhayn’

18) ‫ي‬

Literally, it means ‫احب‬ َ َ ْ ‫‘و ْج َه‬two

ِ ‫‘ص‬owner of’ ‫ي‬
َ faces’

Idiomatically, it means ‘hypocrite’

ُ َ َ َ َ َ
19) ‫ ِإ ْست ْع َرض عضالته‬/ ‫الته‬
ِ ‫‘ عض‬ista‘raDH ‘aDHlaat-uh (‘aDHlaat-ih’
َ ُ َ َ
Literally, it means ‫‘إ ْست ْع َرض‬displayed’
ِ ‫‘عضالته‬his muscles’

Idiomatically, it means ‘showed his strength’

ُ َْ
20) ‫‘ب ِشق إألنفس‬bi-shiq
ِ al-anfus’

ُ َْ
Literally, it means ‫‘ب ِشق‬with
ِ dissection/cracking’ ‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‘إألن‬the souls’—
with dissection of the souls Idiomatically, it means ‘with
great effort/difficulty’