Rooh is a magnet of a word, able to draw in or repel, depending on its charge. As a noun, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/weekend/2022/03/11/hudood-the-arabic-word-for-borders-maps-out-social-and-political-boundaries/" target="_blank">Arabic word of the week</a> translates to "spirit" or "soul". Rooh al insan refers to the human spirit. Rooh al aazam, meanwhile, alludes to the divine. A lighthearted person can be said to have a light spirit, or khafif el rooh. Someone who is easy going, not deterred by minor setbacks, can be said to have rooh riyadiye. It can also mean good sportsmanship and a positive attitude. If you’re being asked to do something dangerous, drive faster, for example, you could refuse, citing ghalawat el rooh — the pricelessness of the soul. If someone greets you enthusiastically, you could say istaqbalni birooh. When referring to morale, you can use the term rooh el maanawiye. In love, you can use rooh, or rather roohi, as a term of endearment by saying enta/enti roohi. Not beguiling enough? You could say enta/enti tawaam roohi, if you want to go down the soulmate route. If you want to de-stress, you could say beddi rawweh aan nafsi. Unsurprisingly, rooh is a favourite in Arabic music, particularly love songs. One classic track by Syrian singer George Wassouf is <i>Rooh el Rooh </i>or Soul of the Soul. The track title is a play on the sweet-nothing rooh roohi, which Lebanese singer Najwa Karam has a song named after, too. Rooh can have a more commanding, and repelling, connotation, because the word can also translate as "go". Rooh aal madrase or rooh aal shugl is "go to school” or “go to work”. Want to tell someone to get lost? Rooh aan wajhi is a good way to get them going. Tired of having a particular conversation or want to put a pin in it? Rooh baadein bnehki.
