الكمبيوتر شغال هلا، بس الطابعة خربانة.

the

Breakdown of الكمبيوتر شغال هلا، بس الطابعة خربانة.

• هلا: now
• بس: but
• كمبيوتر: computer

Questions & Answers about الكمبيوتر شغال هلا، بس الطابعة خربانة.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

In Levantine Arabic, the verb to be is usually left out in the present tense.

So:

• الكمبيوتر شغال = The computer is working / on
• الطابعة خربانة = The printer is broken

This is completely normal. Arabic does the same thing in both colloquial Levantine and Standard Arabic in present-time statements.

If you wanted past or future, then you would use a verb:

• الكمبيوتر كان شغال = The computer was working
• الكمبيوتر رح يكون شغال = The computer will be working

What does شغال mean exactly?

شغال means working, running, or on, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• الكمبيوتر شغال means the computer is working or the computer is on

You can use شغال for many machines and devices:

• المكيف شغال = The AC is running
• التلفزيون شغال = The TV is on
• الإنترنت شغال = The internet is working

It can also be used with people in other contexts to mean working/busy/employed, so the exact meaning depends on what it describes.

What does هلا mean?