Meaning
To use one's power or influence to achieve a particular result.
Cultural Background
In the Levant, this phrase is often used in the context of 'Wasta'. If someone has a powerful uncle, they might say 'خالي رمى بثقله' to mean their uncle used his connections to get them a job. In Gulf business culture, 'throwing weight' often refers to the influence of major tribal families or royal members in commercial ventures. Egyptians might use the variation 'نازل بتقله' (Nāzil bi-tuqlu) in a more colloquial way to describe someone who is acting very important or using their power aggressively. In North Africa, the phrase is strictly formal and used in political discourse, often appearing in newspapers like 'Al-Khabar' or 'Le Matin' (Arabic edition) to discuss government policy.
Use in News
If you are writing an essay about politics or economics in Arabic, this phrase will make you sound very professional and native-like.
Preposition Alert
Never forget the 'bi' (بـ). Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete in Arabic.
Meaning
To use one's power or influence to achieve a particular result.
Use in News
If you are writing an essay about politics or economics in Arabic, this phrase will make you sound very professional and native-like.
Preposition Alert
Never forget the 'bi' (بـ). Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete in Arabic.
Gender Matching
Always check if the subject is a company (feminine) or a person (masculine) to conjugate 'Ramat' vs 'Rama' correctly.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
قرر المدير أن يرمي _______ لإنجاح المشروع.
The idiom requires the preposition 'bi' and the noun 'thiql' with the correct possessive suffix.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in a figurative sense?
اختر الجملة الصحيحة:
This sentence correctly uses the idiom to mean using political influence.
Match the subject with the correct form of the idiom.
صل بين الفاعل والتكملة المناسبة:
The possessive pronoun must match the gender and number of the subject.
Complete the dialogue using the idiom.
أحمد: هل تعتقد أن القانون سيتغير؟ خالد: نعم، إذا ____ النقابات ____ خلفه.
'Niqābāt' (unions) is a feminine plural, so it takes 'ramat' and 'bi-thiqlihā'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesقرر المدير أن يرمي _______ لإنجاح المشروع.
The idiom requires the preposition 'bi' and the noun 'thiql' with the correct possessive suffix.
اختر الجملة الصحيحة:
This sentence correctly uses the idiom to mean using political influence.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
The possessive pronoun must match the gender and number of the subject.
أحمد: هل تعتقد أن القانون سيتغير؟ خالد: نعم، إذا ____ النقابات ____ خلفه.
'Niqābāt' (unions) is a feminine plural, so it takes 'ramat' and 'bi-thiqlihā'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsYes, but it sounds a bit boastful. It's better to use it for others or for entities like companies.
They are 99% interchangeable. 'Alqā' is slightly more common in very formal written news.
Not necessarily. A dictator can 'throw his weight' to suppress a protest. It just means using power.
You could say 'وقف على الحياد' (stood on the neutral side) or 'انسحب' (withdrew).
Yes, but you would say 'رمى بتقلُه' (dropping the 'h' sound and changing 'th' to 't').
The words 'Ramā' and 'Thiql' appear, but not this specific idiom.
Yes, but it would be literal. 'The crane threw its weight on the bridge.'
You can use the same phrase, but add 'يتظاهر بالقوة' (pretending to be strong) or use 'يتسلط' (to be tyrannical).
It's a bit advanced, but good to recognize. B2 is the perfect level to start using it.
In this idiom, yes. It represents the 'mass' of one's power.
رموا بأثقالهم (Ramaw bi-athqālihim).
Only if someone is using their family influence to allow a marriage! Otherwise, it's too 'heavy' for romance.
Related Phrases
ألقى بظلاله
similarTo cast a shadow over something.
بذل قصارى جهده
similarTo do one's utmost.
قلب الموازين
builds onTo tip the scales / flip the balance.
كلمته مسموعة
specialized formHis word is heard (he has influence).
