tfaDDal / تفَضَّل

The Arabic word “tfaDDal / تفَضَّل” (in Modern Standard Arabic: “tafaDDal / تَفَضَّل”) is a common imperative, literally meaning “Be kind” or “Be generous”. Essentially, it is an invitation for someone to take something or do something (the idea being that it is an act of kindness to accept the invitation). This invitation may be offered spontaneously or in response to a request.

In this video, you can see how “tfaDDal / تفَضَّل” is used in various situations, as illustrated through a selection of short clips from Lebanese films and TV series. Note that “tfaDDal / تفَضَّل” is used to address a male, "tfaDDalé / تْفَضَّلي" to address a female, and "tfaDDalō / تْفَضَّلو" to address a group.

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