Lesson 28: How to Talk About the World Cup in Lebanese Arabic

Want to join the conversation about the biggest football tournament in the world? This lesson, featuring special guest Chantal, will teach you all the essential Lebanese Arabic vocabulary for talking about the World Cup (Mondiale).

Learn how to say which team you support, ask others about their favorite team, and discuss key concepts like players, winning, and losing.

Full Transcript: A Guide to World Cup Arabic

1. Key Terms for the World Cup

First, let’s learn the name for the tournament itself.

In Lebanon, most people call it the Mondiale (مُنديَال). The more technical term is Kes l 3alam (كاس العالم).

• Kes (كاس) means “cup.”
• l 3alam (العالم) means “the world.”

2. Asking About Team Support

This is the most common question you’ll hear. Here is how you can ask and answer.

To ask a man: enta ma3 ayya faree’? (إنت مع أيّا فريق؟) To ask a woman: enti ma3 ayya faree’? (إنتي مع أيّا فريق؟)

To answer, you say “I am with…” or “I am against…”

• I am with the Spanish team: Ana ma3 l espan. (أنا مع الإسبان)
• I am against the Germans: Ana dodd l elman. (أنا ضد الألمان)
• I was with the Italian team: Ana kenet ma3 Italia. (أنا كنت مع إيطاليا)
• This year I’m with no one: haydeh l seneh ana mish ma3 Hada. (هيدي السنة أنا مش مع حدا)

3. Talking About Teams and Players

Here is some vocabulary for discussing the teams.

• One team: faree’ (فريق)
• Multiple teams: fera’ (فرق)
• One team has players: l faree’ fi la33ibeh (الفريق فيه لعيبة)
• One player: le3ib (لاعب)
• Multiple players: la33ibeh (لعيبة)

4. Discussing Outcomes

What’s a game without a winner and a loser?

I hope your team will win (to a man): Inshallah faree’ak yerbaH. (انشالله فريقك يربح) I hope your team will win (to a woman): Inshallah faree’ik yerbaH. (انشالله فريقِك يربح)

• To win: yerbaH (يربح)
• To lose: yekhsar (يخسر)

5. Names of National Teams

• Spanish: Espan (إسبان)
• Brazilian: Braziliyeh (برازيلية) or Brazil (برازيل)
• Italy: Italia (إيطاليا)
• Germany: Elmanya (ألمانيا)
• France: Fransa (فرنسا)
• Switzerland: Swisra (سويسرا)
• Netherlands: Hollanda (هولندا)

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Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Lebanese Phrase	Transliteration	English Meaning
مونديال / كاس العالم	Mondiale / Kes l 3alam	World Cup
مع أيّا فريق؟	Ma3 ayya faree’?	Which team are you with?
أنا مع / أنا ضد	Ana ma3 / Ana dodd	I am with / I am against
فريق / فِرَق	Faree’ / Fera’	Team / Teams
لاعب / لعيبة	Le3ib / La33ibeh	Player / Players
يربح	YerbaH	To win
يخسر	Yekhsar	To lose
هيدي السنة	haydeh l seneh	This year
مش مع حدا	Mish ma3 Hada	(I’m) with no one