Ahlan wa Sahlan!

First of all, many thanks to Sharaf who's help was most valuable. Secondly, I thank all of you who looked at my rough draft and also gave me vauable feedback. I'm humbled by the difficulty of presenting a perfect lesson. This lesson is geared for those who wish to learn Arabic, in particular the Egyptian dialect, for the purpose of understanding the words in the songs that they hear. What better way to practice what you've learned than to sing it over and over to the classics. It is with your feedback and suggestions that I can improve future lessons. The words presented below are traditionaly called part one of the song INTA OMRI by Um Kalthoum.

For the serious student who wishes to learn each word, I recommend using flash cards to make this fun. You'll need about 30 to 40 cards. I aslo recommend printing this page as you follow along with the youtube clips. Good luck and I'm excited to see how well this works. There will be a quiz next week :)


Here is the audio/visual of the words to part one of INTA OMRI
www.youtube.com/watch

Here is the original by Um Kalthoum. The words appear in the time between 0:55 and 4:15
www.youtube.com/watch

check out this interesting clip
www.youtube.com/watch

another great clip
youtube.com/watch

good singer
www.youtube.com/watch

Typical English translation
Your eyes remind me of the lost days. They taught me to regret the past and its wounds. How could what I've seen in my wasted life be considered a life before you've come into my life? Your are my life which began with your light as it's dawn! You, you you are my life!


Exact translation
Retrurned me your eyes to the days that past. They taught me to regret the past and its wounds. That which I have seen, before sees you my eyes, my life is wasted. Counted how [can it be] against me? You are my life which began with your light as its morning and you you you are my life.



Transliteration
Raga3ooni 3inaik Li Ayam iL Li raHo. Alimoon-andam 3aLaL madi wu girahoo. iL Li Shoofto, abl mat shoofak 3einaya, 3omri daye3, yehsiboo izay 3alaya. iLi shofto, iLi shofto, abl mat shoofak 3enaya, 3omri daye3 we yehsiboo izay 3alaya inta 3omri, iLibitada bi nourak sabahoo, iL Li ibtada benourak sabahoo, inta inta itna 3omri.

Discussion
Raga3ooni= they returned me (they refers to 3einaik= your eyes)
3einaik= (m) your eyes
Li=to
Ayam= [the] days
iL Li= that which
raho= left or past

Raga3ooni 3einaik Li Ayam iL Li Raho= (literaly) "they returned me, your eyes, to the days which have past"
English= Your eyes returned me to the days which have past"


3alimoon= they taught me (they refers to 3einaik=(m) your eyes
andam= to retret
3Alal= upon the
Madi= past
wu=and
girahoo= its wounds ("its" refers to Madi=past)

3Alimoon-andam 3alal madi wu girahoo = literaly: They[your eyes] taught me to regret upon the past and its wounds.

Shofto= I saw
abl= before
shoofak= (m)"see you" (masculine refers to addressing a male)
3einaya= my eyes.
"mat"= difficult to translate. essentially is a form of "be" and can be explained by this example:
abl shoofak 3einaya= before sees you my eyes.
abl mat shoofak 3einaya= before [it] sees you, my eyes.... (this does not imply that "mat"=it)
3Omri=my life
daye3= is lost

iLi shofto, iLi shofto, abl mat shoofak 3einaya, 3omri daye3= That which I saw (X2), before it sees you my eyes, my life [is] lost.
intermediate translation: that which I've seen (or witnessed) before I saw you
English: when i look back at my life before I laid my eyes upon you, I see that its lost.


Wi= and
yehsiboo= they mathemataically come to the conclusion OR "they count" OR "they determine."
izay= how...... izayak/ik= how are you? (m/f)
3alaya=upon me
inta=(m) you
3omri=my life... 3omr=life

we yehsiboo Izay 3alaya, inta 3omri= and counted they how upon me, you are my life.
Intermediate translation: And how shall that be counted against me? you are my life!
In other words: How shall the lost past of my life even be considered a life? YOU ARE MY LIFE!

ilL Li = that which
ibtada= began......... pronounce as one word= iLibtada= that which began
bi=with
nourak=(m) your light..... pronounce as one word binourak=with your light
sabahoo= it's morning
inta= (m) you
3omri=my life
Inta 3omri=you [are] my life

inta 3omri iLi ibtada binourak sabahoo= you are my life which began with your light [as] it's morning