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Arabic tongue twisters

Apricots – مشمش

المشمش دة مش من مشمشكم

مكان المشمش دة مش من مشمشنا

al mesh’mesh dah mish mien meshmeshkum wikamah al mesh’mesh dah mish mien meshmeshnah.

Rough translation:

These apricots are not our apricots. The place of these apricots is not the place of our apricots


My soul – روحى

 

Rou7i we rou7ik ya rou7i rou7ain be rou7 matra7 ma trou7 rou7ik rou7i bet rou7!

روحي وروحك ياروحي روحين بروح , مترح متروح روحك روحى بتروح

Rough translation:

My soul and your soul are one soul. Wherever your soul goes, my soul also goes!


Fez – طربوش

طربوش تطربشنا به وطربوش ما تطربشنا به قوم يا متطربش وتطربش بالطربوش الذي لم نتطربش به

Tarboush tatarbshana beh wa Tarboush tatarbshana ma beh. Qowm ya mettarbsh we ttrabsh beltarboush althe lam nattrbsh beh

Rough translation:

There is a tarboosh, that we have set up, and a tarboosh, that we have not set up. Stand up tarboosh-wearer, and set up the tarboosh that we have not set up.


خيط حرير على حيط خليل

Khet 7arer 3la het khalil

Rough translation:

Silk string on Khalil’s wall


أسعد سعيد صابر صعد سور سعد صايل

As3ad sa3ed saber sa3d soor s3d sayel

Asaad Saied Saber climbed Saad Sayel’s fence.


  • روحي وروحك يا روحي روحين بروح مطرح ما تروح روحك روحي بيت روح! 
  • (Rouhi we rouhik ya rouhi rouhain be rouh matrakh ma trouh rouhik rouhi bet rouh!)

This one translates to “My soul and your soul are one soul. Wherever your soul goes, my soul also goes!” It’s a good challenge for those tricky “r” and “w” sounds.

  • خمس خمّش خشام حبش، حبش خمّش خشام خمس.
  •  (Khamees comash khashem Habash, habash comash khashem Khamees)

This translates to “Khamees pinches Habash’s nose, Habash pinches Khamees’s nose.” It’s a fun way to practice the “kh” sound and the quick back-and-forth between sounds.

  • دجاجة جارنا على جدار دارنا
  •  (Dajajat jarna ala jidār dārna)

This translates simply to “Our neighbor’s chicken is on the wall of our house.” This one is a good practice for emphasizing each consonant sound.

Here are a few more to test your skills:

  • من منَّ من منٍّ مُنَّ مِنَ المَنَّانِ 
  • (man manna min mannin munna mina l-mannāni)
  • وَقَبْرُ حَرْبٍ بِمَكَانٍ قَفْرٍ وَلَيْسَ قُرْبَ قَبْرِ حَرْبٍ قَبْرُ 
  • (waqabru ḥarbin bimakānin qafrin walaysa qurba qabri ḥarbin qabru)

These last two are more complex and may require some practice to say smoothly.

For an extra challenge, try coming up with your Arabic tongue twisters!

Tongue twisters may not have a meaning, but they are handy for learning to speak Arabic correctly. Practice makes perfect.

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