If you study standard Arabic, or فصحى, you've most likely heard stories of fellow students failing to come to grips with regional dialects. You've probably also come across many words Arab people use on a daily basis that sound nothing like the standard language.
Don't feel bad, we know the struggle is real. Oftentimes, we go through that same awkward experience when faced with a dialect different from our own.
In this post, we'll take a look at the most popular variations of "so much". Here's a list of twelve different ways Arabic speakers can let you know that something is just too much.
1. Awee
From the standard Arabic قوي Qawi, meaning 'strong', this is how we say it in Egypt.
2. Kteer
This one is most probably the most widely used one throughout the Arab world, especially in the Levant.
3. Marra
This one was, and still is my favorite word from the Saudi dialect that I picked up in KSA.
4. 7eel
This one is used in both Iraq and Kuwait. Wondering how to say 'I love you' in Iraqi? 'A7ebek 7eel' will do magic.
5. Koma
Yet another way to say 'so much' in Iraq.
6. Hwai
And another one. Gotta love Iraq!
7. Wajed & Wayed
Whether you say 'wayed' or 'wajed', both are used throughout the Gulf.
8. Shadeed
This is how your Sudanese friends will tell you how much they miss you. شديد is always a must.
9. Halba
This is how our Libyan neighbors say 'too much'. I used to say هلبا all the time, before shifting to Awee of course after my family moved back to Egypt.
I do miss 'halba' though.
10. Barsha
This one became very famous especially after singer Saber El Robaee's popular hit song of the same name (Barsha barsha) was released.
11. Yaser
This is another one used by our brethren in Tunisia.
12. Bezzaf
Originally بجزاف, meaning plentifully, over time it became bezzaf.
Our brethren in Algeria and Morocco are masters of this word ... there is even a song called La Bezzaf.
Stay motivated, and keep learning. Arabic is worth it!