ܨܚܬܝܢ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology

Borrowed from a colloquial dialect of Arabic صَحْتَيْن (ṣaḥtayn, literally “double health”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sax.tenː], [saħ.tenː]

Interjection

ܨܲܚܬܹܝܢ! • (ṣaḥtēn!)

1. bon appétit, enjoy your meal (used to wish someone enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat)

Usage notes

• Unlike equivalent phrases in English, ܨܲܚܬܹܝܢ (ṣaḥtēn) in Assyrian is mostly used as a politeness formula used much more automatically, like please or thank you.
  • As well as when serving a meal or sitting down to eat with others, it is also used when getting up from the table where others are still eating, or when greeting or departing from someone who is eating, or when saying goodbye to someone who is leaving in order to eat (e.g. leaving work at lunchtime).

See also

• ܢܗܵܢܹܐ ܠܘܼܟ݂ (nhānē lūḵ)
• ܨܵܠܹܐ ܘܒܵܢܹܐ (ṣālē w-bānē)