Unit 9 · Plans and presents
le-: for someone
Capitals mark the emphatic letters, 3 is ع and 7 is ح, and ' is the glottal stop that Cairo uses for q.
le- means "for" or "to" and joins onto the person: 'ashteri le-mona 'eeh? "what should I buy for Mona?" With a pronoun it becomes an ending on the verb: 'ageeblo 'eeh? "what should I get him?". It's the question behind every birthday, and the answer usually starts with momken: momken ward, "maybe flowers".
Hear it in sentences
دِي هِدِيَّة لِجِدِّي.
This is a present for my grandfather.
الْقَمِيص دَه لِكَرِيم.
This shirt is for Karim.
أَجِيبْلُه قَمِيص وَلَّا كَرَافَتَّة؟
Should I get him a shirt or a tie?
عَنْدِي تَذْكَرَة زِيَادَة لِلسِّينِمَا.
I have a spare ticket for the cinema.
يَا نُور، عِيد الْأُمّ الْجُمْعَة الجَّايَّة. أَشْتِرِي لِمَامَا إِيه؟
Nour, Mother's Day is this Friday. What should I get Mum?