Nadine and Lama were told about a lovely hidden beach in Naqoura, a beautiful coastal city in the south of Lebanon. They went there early in the day ahead of their friends who plan to join later. The two start discussing how to spend their time before the rest of the group arrives. They decide to start the day by exploring the beach.
Lebanese Arabic Transcript and English Contextual Translation
نادين: واو لمى! شو حلو الشط! عنجد متل ما قال كريم، جوهرة مخباية.
Nadine: Wow Lama! How beautiful the shore is! Truly just like Karim said, it is a hidden gem.
لمى: عنجد حلو ومعظم الإيام بكون فاضي. بتحسي الشط والبحر بس لإلك.
Lama: It is really beautiful, and it is empty on most days. You feel as if the shore and the sea were only for you.
نادين: روعة! يعني اليوم البحر لإلنا. ليش قولك ما بتعجق؟
Nadine: Awesome! This means today the sea is ours! Why do you think it does not get crowded?
لمى: ما بعرف يمكن لأنو زغير، ومخبى ورا حقل الموز.
Lama: I do not know. Maybe because it is small and hidden behind the banana field.
نادين: معنا كل شي عايزينو؟
Nadine: Do we have everything we need?
لمى: إيه. وين بدك نحط الشمسية ونقعد؟
Lama: Yes. Where do you want us to put the parasol and sit?
نادين: فينا نحطا قدام شوي عاليمين، حد الصخرة.
Nadine: We can put it over there to the right near the rock.
لمى: منيح الموقع. جبتي معك الطابة؟
Lama: Good location. Did you bring the ball with you?
نادين: أكيد جبتا، وجبت غير ألعاب لأنو ما رح نقعد نتسمر كل النهار. مش ناوية إنشوي.
Nadine: Of course, I brought it, and I brought other games as well because we will not sit and sunbathe all day. I do not want to get burned.
ليلى: طيب كل ساعتين بنام لأتشمس لمدة ساعة، هيدا إذا ما زهقنا وفلينا بكير.
Lama: Okay. Every two hours I will lie to sunbathe for an hour unless we get bored and decide to leave early.
نادين: أكيد ما رح نزهق. بين نسبح، ناكل، ونلعب بيخلص النهار بسرعة.
Nadine: We will not get bored for sure. Between swimming, eating, and playing, the day will go by fast.
لمى: روعة. عندك مسحوق واقي من الشمس؟ أنا بس معي زيت التسمير.
Lama: Wonderful. Do you have sunscreen? I only have tanning oil.
نادين: إيه، معي تفضلي.
Nadine: Yes, I do. Here you go.
لمى: عبالك نتمشى شوي ونكتشف المنطقة؟
Lama: Do you feel like walking a little bit to discover the area?
نادين: أكيد. بدي شوف شو في ورا الصخور.
Nadine: Sure. I want to see what is behind the rocks.
لمى: يلا قومي، وبس نرجع منسبح.
Lama: Let us go, and when we get back, we go for a swim.
نادين: ماشي، يلا نروح.
Nadine: Okay. let us go.
لمى: منجهز الأكل قبل ما نروح؟
Lama: Should we prepare the food before we go?
نادين: مش أحسن نجهز الأكل بس نرجع؟
Nadine: Isn’t it better to prepare the food when we return?
لمى: ما في مشكلة.
Lama: No problem.
نادين: يي. وصلتلي رسالة من ربى. رح يلقولنا هون بعد شي ساعة.
Nadine: Oh. I got a message from Ruba. They will join us here in about an hour.
لمى: روعة! منتسلى مع المجموعة. قالتلك مين جاي معا؟
Lama: Awesome. We will have fun with the group. Did she tell you who is coming along?
نادين: رح تجي مع سارة، الياس، ونبيل.
Nadine: She will come with Sarah, Elias, and Nabil.
لمى: يلا نقوم نعمل جولتنا قبل ما يجو. قولك مناخد غراضنا؟
Lama: Let us do our tour before they come. Do you think we should take our stuff with us?
نادين: أحسن ناخدن. عالقليلة التلفونات والمصاري.
Nadine: It is better to take them, at least our phones and money.
لمى: يي عفكرة، إذا منمشي شي 2 كيلومتر من هون، في دكانة عالشط عندو أطيب بوظة، عبالك؟
Lama: Ohhh, by the way, if we walk 2 kilometers from here, there is a shop at the shore that sells the best ice cream. Would you like some?
نادين: إيه كتير عبالي بوظة.
Nadine: Yes, I really feel like having ice cream.
لمى: ليكي هالمنظر شو حلو، في خضار، صخر، رمل، وبحر، كلن بمحل واحد.
Lama: Look at how beautiful this scene is. There is greenery, rocks, sand, and sea; all in one place.
نادين: بالفعل بتحسي حالك بالجنة.
Nadine: Indeed, it feels like paradise.
لمى: طيب خلينا نمشي عالدكانة ونجيب البوظة ونرجع قبل ما يوصلو أصحابنا.
Lama: Okay, let us walk to the shop, get the ice cream, and return before our friends arrive.
نادين: إيه، بهالشوب بدا بوظة!
Nadine: Yes. This heat needs ice cream!
Comprehension Questions (try to answer the questions while speaking out loud to yourself and using full sentences in Lebanese Arabic)
1) Where are Lama and Nadine?
2) How do they plan to spend their day?
3) What did Lama and Nadine decide to carry with them when they went to explore the beach area?
4) What did Lama and Nadine want to grab before their friends arrive?
5) How would you spend a day at the beach?