Learn Lebanese Arabic with weekly transcribed podcasts exploring Lebanon and its people | تعلم اللغة العربية باللهجة اللبنانية مع البودكاست الأسبوعي والمكتوب الذي يعرفك على لبنان وشعبه
Dabke is a popular Levantine folk dance and often performed at weddings and other happy celebrations. It is a major part of Lebanese heritage that continues to evolve over time. Rana and Khaled both love this traditional dance, despite Khaled having two left feet! Learn more about Dabke as Rana tries to teach Khaled how … Continue reading Episode 72 – Dabke dance
Mother's day in the Middle East is celebrated on March 21. In this episode, Mariam hosts her mom and asks about her early years raising a family during the dark chapters of Lebanese history that included the 25-year Civil War and 15-year Israeli occupation in Lebanon. It was a difficult period of violence and economic … Continue reading Episode 71 – Mother’s Day
Bouchra and Dima are hanging out at a coffee shop in the popular Hamra neighborhood in Beirut. As they are getting ready to leave, Bouchra mentions she is planning to take a taxi to go home. Dima suggests that Bouchra considers taking a shared taxi, which is referred to locally as a service, as a … Continue reading Episode 70 – Skit: Taxi or service?
Ziad Rahbani, the talented son of Lebanese musical icons Fairouz and Assi Rahbani, grew up to be a composer, playwright, pianist, and political commentator. He directed his first play Sahriyye when he was only 17 years old. In this episode, Rana and Khaled discuss his artistic contributions, as well their favorite songs, plays, and books … Continue reading Episode 69 – Ziad Rahbani
Masculine and feminine words are two key elements in mastering the Arabic language. Knowing the gender of Arabic words allows us to be more understood and enhance our comprehension skills as well. Mariam teamed up with Khaled in this episode to explain how to differentiate masculine and feminine words, and how to use them in … Continue reading Episode 68 – Masculine and feminine words
Every year large numbers of Lebanese leave the country to study, find new work opportunities, or escape the economic and political challenges that Lebanon faces. Many people have family and friends who have emigrated and left behind a deep void. In this episode, Leen describes her personal experience with saying goodbye to her brother Wael … Continue reading Episode 67 – Farewells
The delicious maté drink is quite popular in Lebanon and the Levant region. Maté is traditionally a Latin American drink. As Lebanese emigration to the Western Hemisphere increased towards the end of the 19th century, the culture of drinking maté took root in Lebanon. In this episode, Rana and Khaled, both maté lovers, chat about … Continue reading Episode 66 – Maté
Aya is shopping for a dress for her friend’s wedding. She is excited to check out a clothing boutique a friend recommended. The first dress she likes is beyond her budget but she is surprised by the store’s quality and affordable prices on other items. Instead of buying one dress, she ends up buying three … Continue reading Episode 65 – Skit: clothes shopping
Siham is at a house party in Beirut where she only knows the busy host who is a longtime friend from university. Another guest, Sarah, knows several people at the get-together and strikes up a conversation with Siham. The two end up chatting about their lives, interests, and plans. It turns out to be a … Continue reading Episode 64 – Skit: get-together
Sursock Museum is one of the most prominent museums in Beirut. It represents an important landmark of the city’s cultural scene. Not only does it have a distinct architecture, but also an impressive interior. In this episode, Rana takes us a journey down memory lane, recounting how the museum evolved from being a beautiful palace … Continue reading Episode 63 – Sursock Museum