# EA: ana roHt balaash أنا رحت بلاش



## Andrew___

Hi guys,

I have heard this expression in Egyptian dialect, which I think means something like "I am dead!!!" or "I am in deep trouble!".  

Do you know what phrase I am talking about?  I hope so 

Does anyone know a suitable MSA equivalent of this?  The context is, someone is in deep trouble with his Mum because of something he has done.

Many thanks,
AS


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## kab

Hi Al sulhafa...

I think  you mean (( ana roht be ballash))

if so .. it means that.. i went there  without paying money

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also you may here 

 also it means that.. i went there  without paying money

but it's not formal ...i mean it's impolite to say that to you Mom or your manager..etc.

you can use it with your friends just for fun ...


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summary:

(( ana roht be ballash)) is used in general..... but  (( ana roht  balloshi)) is used with your friends as funny expression only

i hope that  you get my point of view


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## Xence

On the other hand, if you're seeking a phrase which means : "_I am in deep trouble!_" you can say : "_ana roHt fi sitteen dahya!_"
But it's a little bit colloquial.
Just for fun.


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## Andrew___

Thanks Xence,

May I ask, what does this word dahya mean?

I am surprised that no one has heard of this expression "Ana roHt balaish" before which means "I am in deep trouble!!"  Maybe I am writing it down incorrectly.


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## gusfand

hi Al Sulhafa,
dahya is catastrophe.
If you search the internet for "روحت بلاش", you'll get a huge number of results. And considering that بلاش is egyptian (otherwise مجانا) it seems quite probable that it is what you heard.


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## Xence

Al Sulhafa said:


> I am surprised that no one has heard of this expression "Ana roHt balaish" before which means "I am in deep trouble!!" Maybe I am writing it down incorrectly.


 
How would you write "balaish" otherwise?

I was thinking of parsing the word like this: _*bala-ish*_, but I can't see the relation with death or trouble.
All I could come with is:

_*bala 3ish* = without food?
*bala2ish* = could I find?_

_***_

Any Egyptian to validate or invalidate the above?


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## cherine

kab said:


> Hi Al sulhafa...
> 
> I think you mean (( ana roht be ballash))
> 
> if so .. it means that.. i went there without paying money


Hi Kab,

ro7t bbalaash is used when you go in a trip or go out with friends and don't pay anything.

But I don't think that this is what Al-Sulhafa is talking about.


> (( ana roht balloshi)) is used with your friends as funny expression only


You're right. ro7t balluushi means something like "imposing oneself on others" or "having them pay for your expenses".
But again, this is not the epxression we're talking about.

The expression ro7t balaash (Sulhafa, please let me know if you don't mind my changing the title of the thread to fix the tranliteration of بلاش ).

It's used when someone gets in very big trouble almost for nothing, 



Xence said:


> On the other hand, if you're seeking a phrase which means : "_I am in deep trouble!_" you can say : "_ana roHt fi sitteen dahya!_"
> But it's a little bit colloquial.


sittiin, sab3iin or tes3iin (as numbers) are used as intensifiers for "dahya". But they sort of change the meaning a bit:
If I hate someone very much and want him to "disappear", I'd tell him: "ghuur fe sitiin dahya" غور في ستين داهية, it's like: go to deep hell.
When he's gone  I'd say: raa7 fe settiin dahya راح في ستين داهية (= very good riddance).

When someone is angry, let's say, with his wife, and is about to leave the house. And she "innocently" asks him where he's going, he can reply angrily: raye7 fe dahya: I'm going to hell (not the best translation, sorry). If he's very very angry, he can say: رايح في ستين داهية .

But رحت في ستين داهية is not that common.



Xence said:


> How would you write "balaish" otherwise?


I'd write it as we pronounce it: balaash بلاش .


> I was thinking of parsing the word like this: _*bala-ish*_, but I can't see the relation with death or trouble.
> All I could come with is:
> 
> _*bala 3ish* = without food?_
> _*bala2ish* = could I find?_


I think it's from bilaa shay2 بلا شيء .



Al Sulhafa said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I have heard this expression in Egyptian dialect, which I think means something like "I am dead!!!" or "I am in deep trouble!".
> 
> Do you know what phrase I am talking about? I hope so


Yes, I think I do   But it's not commonly used these days.

I'm finding it hard to explain, but let's say that when someone is killed and not avenged he's راح بلاش , this is all I can think of as an origin for this expression.


> Does anyone know a suitable MSA equivalent of this? The context is, someone is in deep trouble with his Mum because of something he has done.


He can use it if he's mother is going to punish him hard for what he did. Other than that, it would be a bit "over". (that's an anglicisme used in Egypt أوفر  When something is too much, or is an overreaction)

An MSA expression can be much simpler: أنا في ورطة كبيرة or أنا في مشكلة ضخمة


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## Xence

cherine said:


> sittiin, sab3iin or tes3iin (as numbers) are used as intensifiers for "dahya". But they sort of change the meaning a bit:
> If I hate someone very much and want him to "disappear", I'd tell him: "ghuur fe sitiin dahya" غور في ستين داهية, it's like: go to deep hell.
> When he's gone  I'd say: raa7 fe settiin dahya راح في ستين داهية (= very good riddance).
> 
> When someone is angry, let's say, with his wife, and is about to leave the house. And she "innocently" asks him where he's going, he can reply angrily: raye7 fe dahya: I'm going to hell (not the best translation, sorry). If he's very very angry, he can say: رايح في ستين داهية .


And what about _sittin niila_?  Is _niila_ one degree up _dahya_? A kind of super deep hell? 
Anyway, I'd think twice before marrying an Egyptian woman... 



> I think it's from bilaa shay2 بلا شيء .


I know that. We have something similar in Algerian: we say _blaash_, with the same meaning.
But my question was that perhaps Al Sulhafa didn't mean _balaash_ to begin with, but some other phrase he couldn't spell correctly. Otherwise why did he use the letter "*i*"in _bla*i*sh_?


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## Andrew___

Hi guys,

I have watched the movie again from where I first heard this expression, and yes the actor said "balaash" not "balaish".

So regarding expression "Ana roHt balaash" ("I am in deep trouble!"), does anyone know if it is used only by children when they are in trouble, or can adults use this expression as well?


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## cherine

Xence said:


> And what about _sittin niila_?  Is _niila_ one degree up _dahya_? A kind of super deep hell?


This is a very different thing. If you're interested, please open a new thread (with context) and I'll be happy helping you understand its usage 


> Anyway, I'd think twice before marrying an Egyptian woman...


I don't understand very well what this has to do with the thread's topic, but it's always recommended to think well before get married 


Al Sulhafa said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I have watched the movie again from where I first heard this expression, and yes the actor said "balaash" not "balaish".


Good. You got me doubting with the "balaish" transliteration 
I changed the title according to this last clarification.


> So regarding expression "Ana roHt balaash" ("I am in deep trouble!"), does anyone know if it is used only by children when they are in trouble, or can adults use this expression as well?


I don't think children of these days even know this expression.
It's more of an adult expression, specially that it's getting obsolete, as I mentioned before.

To sum up: The expression is correct. It is getting obsolete, but using it will still be understood.


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## Andrew___

cherine said:


> I don't think children of these days even know this expression.



Hi Cherine, may I add that any child who has watched Disney films would be familiar with this expression.  I watched a Disney film tonight in Arabic (Lion King 2), and the expression was used (in the scene with the alligators).   It's also used in the film "Meet the Robinsons" (in the scene where they crash the time machine).  

Andrew


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## Josh_

cherine said:


> I'm finding it hard to explain, but let's say that when someone is killed and not avenged he's راح بلاش , this is all I can think of as an origin for this expression.


The expression is like 'to come to nothing' or 'to be in vain.'  An example I can think of, where I think it might be appropriate is:

I tried to advise her, but it was in vain.
حاولت أنصحها بس كلامي راح بلاش
Hawilt anSaHha bass kalaami raaH balaash.


-------------------
Concerning the expression ستين داهية it can be further intensified with ألف :
ruuH fi sittiin alf dahya!

There is another insulting expression I can think of using numbers:

ابن ستين في سبعين


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## gusfand

Josh_ said:


> The expression is like 'to come to nothing' or 'to be in vain.'



This statement was just what I was awaiting eagerly in this thread, but didn't dare to ask!! 

If it's true then it's the second time WR makes me realize a similarity between German and Arabic concerning lexical ambiguity.
بلاش = free of charge = in vain (equivalent to the german "umsonst").
This is kind of extraordinary because "free of charge" is a positive aspect and "in vain" a negative one!
Could a native please confirm?


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## Xence

cherine said:


> I don't understand very well what this has to do with the thread's topic,


Oh, that was just a kidding referring to Egyptian women sending their husbands in sixty deep hells. 
A tiny dose of humour and, moreover, _bi balaash_. 
As for opening a new thread about _niila_, well... let's wait for some _annihilated_ day نهار مِنيّل  

That being said, I really do appreciate your answers.

Sincerely.


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## Mahaodeh

This expression is used also in Iraq, interchangabley with رحت فطيس and رحت بلا ديّة (also, راح / راحوا / رحنا / رح نروح...etc.). Just a guess based on the last one, it may originally mean "I died without blood-money", meaning my death was meaningless like someone killed but he is so worthless his family is not entitled to a diyya.

In Iraq it means "I am in deep trouble with no hope of compasion from anyone".


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## cherine

Excellent post, Maha  

In Egypt, too, we have raa7 feTiiS (the س sounds more like the ص because it's following a ط ).


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## Andrew___

May I also ask, what does *Ana roHt balaash literally mean?

Thanks.
*


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## cherine

It means exactly what Maha said. That someone is lost/dead/killed with no hope of دِيّة (indemnity?).


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## Andrew___

Sorry I thought Maha was referring to رحت فطيس

We say in English "no hope of redemption" so perhaps that is the closest equivalent.


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## Josh_

gusfand said:


> This statement was just what I was awaiting eagerly in this thread, but didn't dare to ask!!
> 
> If it's true then it's the second time WR makes me realize a similarity between German and Arabic concerning lexical ambiguity.
> بلاش = free of charge = in vain (equivalent to the german "umsonst").
> This is kind of extraordinary because "free of charge" is a positive aspect and "in vain" a negative one!
> Could a native please confirm?


Yes, I had the same thought as you in terms of the connection between free of charge and in vain, although I'm having a little trouble putting it in writing.  When something is given free of charge there is no equivalent compensation; the giver is not benefiting from the transaction.  And when something happens in vain no benefit has been derived from it.  So we can see how the meaning of balaash as free of charge has been semantically extended in the phrase raaH balaash.


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## Xence

Al Sulhafa said:


> May I also ask, what does *Ana roHt balaash literally mean?*


Literally, it means: "_I've gone without anything_". What other members had explained is the subtext, the implicit meaning associated to this phrase.


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