Questions & Answers about الطاولة ورا الباب.
Why is there no word for is in this sentence?
In Levantine Arabic, the verb to be is usually not said in the present tense.
So instead of saying something like The table is behind the door, Arabic simply says:
- الطاولة ورا الباب
- literally: the table behind the door
This is very normal in Arabic.
Compare:
- الطاولة ورا الباب = The table is behind the door
- الطاولة كانت ورا الباب = The table was behind the door
- الطاولة رح تكون ورا الباب = The table will be behind the door
So in the present tense, no separate is is needed.
What does ورا mean exactly?
ورا means behind or in back of.
It is a very common Levantine word for location.
Examples:
- ورا الباب = behind the door
- ورا البيت = behind the house
- ورا السيارة = behind the car
In more formal Arabic, you often see وراء instead.
So:
- ورا = colloquial Levantine
- وراء = more formal / MSA-style
Why is the word order the table + behind the door?