Welcome to a new blog – مرحبًا بكم في مدوّنة جديدة 😀. Today, I have a great Arabic song for you to listen to and study. The song is in Egyptian Arabic and it’s called لقيت الطبطبة or “I found love/support”.

The song is performed by the iconic Emirati singer: Hussain Al-jassmi حسين الجسمي. As is usually the case with many of his songs (especially those in Egyptian Arabic), the song has become very popular and is still trending now in the Arab world despite having premiered more than 3 weeks ago! If you’re not familiar with the works of this very popular Arab singer, click below to read a blog I posted a few months ago where I focused on his hit song then “Sunnet El-Hayaa” that he performed as a celebration of the start of Ramadan.

Ramadan Campaign: سنة الحياة Sunnet El-Hayaa

What’s “hit song” in Arabic?

As in the English word “hit”, the Arabic equivalent also suggests a similar meaning. For example, in Egyptian Arabic, a hit song is refreed to as >> مكسّره الدُّنيا mikassaRAh  id-dunya, meaning: shattering the world/life.

The word مكسّره is derived from the verb يُكسّر (to break): yukassir (MSA) or yikassAR (Egyptian Arabic).

= = = = = = = =

What does طبطبة. mean?

الطبطبة is an Arabic word (noun) that literally means “tapping” التّربيت and the meaning implied is to tap on one’s shoulder يربّت على كتف أحدهم , in a sign of showing support دعم and consoling مواساة.

The verb from it is يطبطب “yiTAbTAb” or “YTAbTib” in vernacular Arabic. The support/love الطبطبة can be general or in a romantic context, as is the case with today’s song.

= = = = = = = =

 

Let’s listen to the song >>

You won’t regret studying the song, it’s a great song, full of high energy طاقة عالية and makes anyone who listens to it just wants to dance يرقص 💃🤪

Lyrics

كلمات الأغنية

 

حبيبي بالبُنط العريض

My beloved, in bold font

غالي أقرب م (مِن) الوريد

precious and closer than the vein

حالتي تتشخص جُنون

my state can be diagnosed as craziness

بيقولولي انا بيك مريض

they say I’m *sick about you

(*I’m crazy about you)

أتاري كُل ما أحب فيك

it seems like the more I love you

بدمنك وبقيت مزاج

I get addicted to you and you became a *mood/ مزاج

(*the feeling of getting high – as a result of consuming something addictive)

أتلحق

can I be *caught/chased?

(*saved)

بقى دي ف (في) إيديك

This is *in your hands

*(up to you)

ما انت في لُقاك العلاج

because in meeting you, there’s healing

= = = = = = = =

 

آه لقيت الطبطبه

Oh I found *the tapping

*(love, someone who tapps on my shoulder & supports me or care for me)

واقوى لو ما انتاش بعيد

and it’s stronger, if you’re not far away

 ضحكتك فيها كهربا

Your laugh has electricity in it

بابقى زي واحد جديد

I become like a new person

= = = = = = = =

 

حبيبي، خدها ومني ليك

My beloved, take it, and from me to you

مشتريك آه مشتريك

I’m *buying you,  oh I’m buying you

(*I want you)

فوق ما تتصور كمان

more than you can even imagine

والوحيد ولا ليك شريك

and (you’re) the only one, no partner to you

لو انا هوصفك، اوصف ايه

if I’d describe you, what would I describe??

عُقد فُل ابيض وفيه

A necklace of white *foll , and in it

(*Arabian jasmine)

قلبي بيدلدق حنان

my heart is overflowing with kindness

مِـلكي بقى وانا أدرى بيه

It’s mine and I’m most aware of it

= = = = = = = =

 

آه لقيت الطبطبه

Oh I found *the tapping

*(love, someone who tapps on my shoulder & supports me or care for me)

واقوى لو ما انتاش بعيد

and it’s stronger, if you’re not far away

ضحكتك فيها كهربا

Your laugh has electricity in it

بابقى زي واحد جديد

I become like a new person

= = = = = = = =

 

Arabs everywhere (including kids!) reacted to it with short clips where they either sing with the song, dance to it, play it on the piano – as in this video below

or play darbuka  دربوكة to it