How to say “there were” in Palestinian Arabic

The word is kaan fee (كان فِي). Capitals mark the emphatic letters, 3 is ع and 7 is ح; the whole reading key is one page.

كان فِي

there was · there were

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Same word, different English

kaan fee sits behind each of these too.

كُنْت بِدِّي قَهْوِة، بَس ما كان فِي.

I wanted coffee, but there wasn't any.

kaan fee muTreb, u-'ughniyto 7ilwe kteer.

كان فِي مُطْرِب، وَأُغْنِيْتُه حِلْوة كْتِير.

There was a singer, and his song was really nice.

il-beet kaan faaDi, ma kaan fee 7ada juwwa.

البِيت كان فاضِي، ما كان فِي حَدا جُوّا.

The house was empty, there was no one inside.

kaan fee tawqeef la-l-7araami ba3d iT-Towshe.

كان في تَوْقِيف لَلحَرامي بَعِد الطَّوْشة.

There was an arrest of the thief after the brawl.

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