يَصيفُ
root: ص-ي-ف / form I present tense, hollow verb / definition: to be summery
It’s mid-July. Summer’s peak. And while most have their faces stubbornly positioned in a fan’s airpath, my own spectacled one has been nestled warmly into the dictionary’s pages.
It seems that, come rain or shine, my mind will always be drawn back to one place. And—oh!—there’s an Arabic phrase for that.
Come rain or shine, meet صاف الزمان أم شتا.
I found this phrase on page 623 of the Hans Wehr:
To break it down:
- صافَ / يَصيفُ = to be summery
- الزَّمانُ = the time
- أَمْ = or
- شَتا / يَشتو = to be wintery
The “past tense verbs and أَم” combination form a conditional meaning—something along the lines of: whether the time is summery or wintery. So: at all times and under all circumstances.
…Which I’d say is pretty similar in meaning and metaphorical imagery to the English “come rain or shine”. Right?
Have you come across any other Arabic phrases that are similar in meaning and metaphor to their English equivalent? Let us know in the comments below!
And don’t forget to check out last week’s Arabic Observations: Warm Hearts, Cool Eyes.
!مع السلامة
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