In Damascus, everything has a sound… and every sound has a name. Nothing happens around us without us giving it a name that fits just right—from hammers to spoons, ghee to cars, our dialect knows exactly how to describe every little detail. It’s like life has its own sound effects… only in Damascene Arabic.
Water boiling in a pot? That’s boqboqa – bubbling
Water sloshing in a bucket? That’s kharkhara – sloshing
Ghee sizzling on top of fatteh? Tashtasha – sizzling
Shivering from the cold? That’s tak taka – shuddering
Stuttering when you speak? Ta’ta’a – stuttering
Speaking nonsense? That’s barbara – babbling
Grinding your teeth? That’s kazkaza
Your keys clinking together? That’s khashkhasha
Chalk screeching on a board? Sarsara – screeching
Knocking on a door? Daqdaqa – knocking
A laugh from the heart? Karkara – a hearty laugh
Mouthwash swishing? Gharghara – gargling
Whispering softly? Washwasha – whispering
Stomach rumbling? Zaqzaqa – grumbling
Table wobbling? La’la’a – wobbling
Car stalling or slowing down? We say: “fi laklaka bel sayyara”
A ringing bell? Tantana
Scratching your skin? Hak haka
A ball bouncing off the ground? Dajdaja
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