say what?

Arabic translation: Na'am

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	say what?
Arabic translation:	Na'am
Entered by:	ProZ.com Staff

16:35 Feb 12, 2001

English to Arabic translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary

English term or phrase: say what?

What would be an informal (but not rude) way to say, "say what?!" or "what did you say?"

ProZ.com Staff

na'am? نعم؟

Explanation:
Little explanation is needed. Na'am نعم is the obvious polite choice.

mish fahim مش فاهم: is more wordy but is also a correct alternative. It is an Egyptian Arabic expression though.

Eh? إيه؟: is common and less courteous but not obscene. It is also universal.

Selected response from:

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 01:15

Grading comment

Thank you very much for the speedy answer.

Troy
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

na'am? نعم؟

Alaa Zeineldine

"Afandem" NOT "Na'am

Shiny Shin

Re: afandem

Alaa Zeineldine

Saudi (Nejdi) expressiona

Stephen Franke

Answers

50 mins

na'am? نعم؟

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 01:15
Native speaker of:

Arabic,

English
PRO pts in pair: 614

Grading comment

Thank you very much for the speedy answer.

Troy

7 hrs

"Afandem" NOT "Na'am

Explanation:
Afandem is more polite and also gives
the meaning. Na'am also gives the meaning, but it's not that polite,
as it could be used in a rude way too.
Like when we are astonished we can say
Na'am!!!!!!. But Afandem, never has
a doubt for saying it in a "polite way only"

Shiny Shin

17 hrs

Re: afandem

Explanation:
Afandem is a good choice as long as the language is Egyptian Arabic.

Shiny is also right that na'am can be negative if spoken with a negative tone while stretching the second syllable, but I think this is part of TV depiction of street slang more than it is part of real life colloquial Egyptian.

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 01:15
Native speaker of:

Arabic,

English
PRO pts in pair: 614

2 days 17 hrs

Saudi (Nejdi) expressiona

Explanation:
Greetings

In the Saudi (Nejd central region) dialect:

Present tense: Waish taqool?

Past tense: Waish qult?

More polite: law samaHt _or_ 3fwaan?... (with rising tone to indicate a question)

HTH.

Khair, innsha' Allah.

Regards from Los Angeles,

Stephen H. Franke

Stephen Franke
United States
Local time: 16:15
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 336

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