Phrases · Dialogue 3 · 12 lines
In the Taxi
A taxi ride from downtown Amman to the airport.
Maryam — a passenger in a hurry · Abu Khalid — the taxi driver
j / k or arrow keys step through the lines
- Maryamمَرْحَبًا! إِلَى الْمَطَار مِن فَضْلِكَ.
מרחבא! אלא אל-מטאר מן פצ'לך.marḥaba! ilā l-maṭār min faḍlika.
Hello! To the airport, please.
- Abu Khalidأَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا، تَفَضَّلِي.
אהלן וסהלן, תפצ'לי.ahlan wa-sahlan, tafaḍḍalī.
Welcome, hop in.
- Maryamكَم دَقِيقَة إِلَى الْمَطَار؟
כם דקיקה אלא אל-מטאר?kam daqīqa ilā l-maṭār?
How many minutes to the airport?
kam takes a singular noun — 'how many minute?'; and daqīqa is Hebrew דקה, both minted from the root 'thin, fine' (ד-ק-ק / د-ق-ق).
- Abu Khalidنِصْف سَاعَة تَقْرِيبًا، إِذَا لَم يَكُن هُنَاكَ ازْدِحَام.
נצף סאעה תקריבן, אד'א לם יכן הנאך אזדחאם.niṣf sāʿa taqrīban, idhā lam yakun hunāka izdiḥām.
About half an hour, if there is no traffic.
- Maryamطَيِّب. هَل الشَّارِع مُزْدَحِم الْيَوْم؟
טייב. הל א-שארע מזדחם אל-יום?ṭayyib. hal ash-shāriʿ muzdaḥim al-yawm?
Okay. Is the road busy today?
- Abu Khalidلَا، الْيَوْم الْجُمْعَة وَالشَّوَارِع فَاضِيَة.
לא, אל-יום אל-ג'מעה וא-שוארע פאצ'יה.lā, al-yawm al-jumʿa wa-sh-shawāriʿ fāḍiya.
No, today is Friday and the streets are empty.
- Maryamمُمْتَاز، أَنَا مُسْتَعْجِلَة قَلِيلًا.
ממתאז, אנא מסתעג'לה קלילן.mumtāz, anā mustaʿjila qalīlan.
Excellent — I'm in a bit of a hurry.
- Abu Khalidلَا تَقْلَقِي، سَنَصِل فِي الْوَقْت.
לא תקלקי, סנצל פי אל-וקת.lā taqlaqī, sanaṣil fī l-waqt.
Don't worry, we'll arrive on time.
- وَصَلْنَا، هٰذَا هُوَ الْمَطَار.
וצלנא, האד'א הו אל-מטאר.waṣalnā, hādhā huwa l-maṭār.
We've arrived — this is the airport.
- Maryamشُكْرًا! كَم الْأُجْرَة مِن فَضْلِكَ؟
שכרן! כם אל-אג'רה מן פצ'לך?shukran! kam al-ujra min faḍlika?
Thank you! How much is the fare, please?
ujra, the fare, is Hebrew אגרה (a fee or toll) — both descend, via Aramaic אגרא, from Akkadian igru, 'wages.'
- Abu Khalidخَمْسَة دَنَانِير يَا سِتِّي.
ח'מסת דנאניר יא סתי.khamsat danānīr yā sittī.
Five dinars, ma'am.
dīnār is the דינר of the Mishnah — both from Latin denarius; the whole Middle East kept the Roman coin's name.
- Maryamتَفَضَّل، وَشُكْرًا جَزِيلًا!
תפצ'ל, ושכרן ג'זילן!tafaḍḍal, wa-shukran jazīlan!
Here you go, and thank you very much!
yislamu īdēk — 'may your hands stay safe' — the warm Levantine thank-you, from the same س-ل-م root as שלום.