بلاش
North Levantine Arabic
Etymology
Probably from Arabic بِلَا شَيْء (bi-lā šayʾ, “for nothing”). Eventually the b- was considered part of the word, and the preposition ب (b(i)-) is now added before it again.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ba.ˈlaːʃ/
- (Lebanon) IPA(key): /ba.ˈleːʃ/
Noun
بلاش • (balāš) m
- No charge; no money; a price of zero; (in context) for free; gratis.
- ما في شي ببلاش غير العمى والطراش.
- Ma fi ši bi-balāš ḡayr il-ʿama wi-ṭ-ṭarāš.
- Nothing is for free except blindness and deafness. (A saying.)
South Levantine Arabic
Etymology
Probably from Arabic بِلَا شَيْء (bi-lā šayʾ, “for nothing”). Eventually the b- was considered part of the word, and the preposition ب (b(i)-) is now added before it again.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ba.laːʃ/, [baˈlæːʃ]
Audio (Jerusalem) (file)
Pronoun
بلاش • (balāš)
- nothing
- Synonym: ولا إشي (wala ʔiši)
- Antonyms: كل إشي (kull ʾiši), كل شي (kull ši)
- for free (without payment)
- أخدته ببلاش.
- ʔaḵadto bi-balāš
- I got it for free.
See also
- بلا (bala, “without”)
Interjection
بلاش • (balāš)
- never mind!
- Synonym: ما عليش (ma ʕalēš, literally “there is nothing on it”)