كان بدي اكوي القميص، بس ما لقيت الكاوية.

I wanted to iron the shirt, but I could not find the iron.

Breakdown of كان بدي اكوي القميص، بس ما لقيت الكاوية.

• ال: the
• بده: to want
• ما: not
• بس: but

Questions & Answers about كان بدي اكوي القميص، بس ما لقيت الكاوية.

Why does the sentence start with كان بدي? Why use كان if the meaning is about wanting to do something?

In Levantine Arabic, كان بدي is a very common way to say I wanted to or I was going to do something.

• بدي = I want
• كان بدي = literally something like it was my wanting, but naturally it means I wanted / I had intended

So:

• بدي اكوي القميص = I want to iron the shirt
• كان بدي اكوي القميص = I wanted to iron the shirt / I was going to iron the shirt

Using كان puts the desire or intention in the past.

What exactly is بدي?

بدي is a very common Levantine expression meaning I want.

It comes historically from a phrase related to in my desire / I want, but for learners it is best to treat it as a fixed everyday form.

Some related forms:

• بدي = I want
• بدك = you want
• بده = he wants
• بدها = she wants
• بدنا = we want
• بدهم = they want

So كان بدي is built from:

• كان = was
• بدي = I want

Together: I wanted.

Why is there no separate word for to before اكوي?