Tuesday

Kids Song: The Rabbit and the Fox (الأرنب و الثعلب)

This is another popular song by the Birds of Paradise طيور الجنة . Like all their songs it is strangely catchy and very popular. It's in the Syrian dialect, but even if you aren't used to hearing it spoken it's a pretty simple song. Basically the rabbit asks him mom if he can go out and play. She tells him no because the the fox might get him. Is he supposed to stay inside all the time? I don't know. Anyway, the rabbit goes to the orchard and runs around and sniffs a rose. Then the fox sees him and chases him. The rabbit hides in a hole and the fox gets lost in the orchard. The rabbit goes home crying and his mom tells him that he should have listened to her. You could probably understand this song even if you didn't know a word of Arabic since the video shows everything that happens. That's great for learning a language though. Enjoy!




ايش صار للأرنب لما ما رد على امه؟

  • What happened to the rabbit when he didn't listen to his mom?

Comments: ايش means "what" in Syrian. Most of the time رد means "respond" or "reply", but here it means "obey" or "listen to". You'll notice that they say إم instead of أم in Syrian dialect. صار means حدث , "happened".

قال الأرنب لامه, إسمحي لي روح العب ماما

  • The rabbit said to his mom, "Let me go play, mom."

قالت له لا يا ماما. يمكن يجيك الثعلب. يمكن يجيك الثعلب

  • She said to him, "No." The fox might come for you.

Comments: She says يا ماما which is strange to English speakers since she's talking to her son, but this is something Arab parents do when they talk to their kids.هز الارنب بكتافه ما سمع كلمة امه. راح يتمشى على البستان و يقطف ورد و يشمه

  • The rabbit shrugged his shoulders and didn't listen to his mother's words. He went walking to the orchard and picked a rose and sniffed it.

Comments: هز means "to shake", but "shrugged" works better when talking about shoulders. They say وارد but that's just to make it go with the rhythm. They mean ورد

شافه الثعلب, هجم عليه!! صار يركض و هو خوفان. و تخبأ في جحر صغير. و ضاع الثعلب في البستان

  • The fox saw him and attacked him. He started running and was scared. He hid in a small hole and the fox got lost in the orchard.

إجا الأرنب لامه و عيونه مليانة دموع

  • The rabbit came to his mom and his eyes were filled with tears.

قالت له ثاني مرة, خلي كلامي مسموع

  • She said to him a second time, listen to my words.

Comments: Literally خلي كلامي مسموع means "let my words be heard."

9 comments:

Aaron R said...

I could be wrong on this one, but صار might be better translated as "became". 'What became of the rabbit'. Nitpicking!

By the way, thanks for this blog. You do great work and it is extremely educational/entertaining to follow as a fellow student

The Arabic Student said...

Well it can mean both things. They say شو صار for "what happened". شو عم بيصير is "what's going on" or "what's happening". Thanks for the kind words!

Basil Teacher said...

I like your website. Walla il saf7a mumtaza. As far as shu 3am biseer, you can also add to it... sayyir... like in the old song albha sayyir sha3lit nar....

Hani said...

Not sure if Basil is still around - but I was actually looking for the name of the singer and the name of the song he mentions the lyrics from. "albha sayyir sha3lit nar". Do you happen to know who sings that and what the name of the song is? I remember it from my childhood and I've been trying to figure it out for a very long time!

abdullah said...

i would like to ask your permission to copy this lyrics and print it to teach my friend's children.may Allah bless you your good deed.shokran kteer!

abdullah said...

i would like to ask your permission to your copy the lyrics and translation and share them with my friends .may I?

abdullah said...

i would like to ask your permission to copy this lyrics and it's translation and share them with my friend for educational purpose.thanks.may i?

The Arabic Student said...

Sure, but if you could just let them know about this blog. :)

Bruce said...

Thanks man, I find this blog and your youtube channel brilliant.
I highly appreciate it. Keep sharing your knowledge. Thanks.