Arabic Job Words: Meet the 10 Southern Saudi Shabby Little Fellas
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HUB PAGE: Southern Fellas
Arabic Job Words: Meet the Southern Shabby Little Fellas
Quick answer: The Shabby Little Fellas are folk-inspired characters who each teach one Arabic word. The 10 Southern Fellas cover crafts and home trades: gardener, mat weaver, basket weaver, silversmith, handyman, potter, upholsterer, seamstress, beautician, and painter and decorator.
Who Are the Southern Fellas?
| Fella | Job | Arabic | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Sara](Post 1 link) | Gardener | بستانية | bustāniyya |
| [Salman](Post 2 link) | Mat Weaver | نسّاج حصير | nassāj ḥaṣīr |
| [Ibrahim](Post 3 link) | Basket Weaver | نسّاج سلال | nassāj silāl |
| [Hawdah](Post 4 link) | Silversmith | صائغة فضة | ṣāʾigha fiḍḍa |
| [Na’if](Post 5 link) | Handyman | عامل صيانة | ʿāmil ṣiyāna |
| [Layan](Post 6 link) | Potter | خزّافة | khazzāfa |
| [Faris](Post 7 link) | Upholsterer | منجّد | munajjid |
| [Hala](Post 8 link) | Seamstress | خيّاطة | khayyāṭa |
| [Dana](Post 9 link) | Beautician | خبيرة تجميل | khabīrat tajmīl |
| [Sa’ad](Post 10 link) | Painter/Decorator | دهّان | dahhān |
How Do Arabic Job Words Work?
Three patterns cover most of this page:
- A doubled middle letter and a long “aa”: nassāj (weaver), khazzāf (potter), khayyāṭ (tailor), dahhān (painter). This pattern names someone who does a thing habitually.
- A starting mu-: munajjid (upholsterer) and muzāriʿ (farmer) begin with mu-, meaning “the one who does it.”
- An -ī ending: bustānī (gardener) means “of the garden.”
For a woman, the word usually adds an “-a” ending: khayyāṭ becomes khayyāṭa, and khazzāf becomes khazzāfa.
Where Should I Start?
Start with the doubled-letter pattern: [Salman], [Layan], [Hala], and [Sa’ad]. Then try the mu- pair: [Faris] and the northern farmers [Aisha], [Abdul], and [Rashaidah].
FAQ
- What are the Shabby Little Fellas? Original folk-inspired characters, each linked to one Arabic word, blending Japanese kawaii style, Arabian heritage, and contemporary design.
- Are there other Fellas? Yes. [Meet the Northern Fellas → Northern hub link.] The Central, Eastern, and Western Fellas are coming.
Shop the Southern Fellas: [Southern Collection]