Some Illustrative Examples from Linguata Arabic (4)

aṣghar (أصغر) = smaller, smallest.

Is there another colour?.... hal yūjad lawnun ākhar?

هل يوجد لون آخر؟

lawn (لون) = colour; ākhar (آخر) = another.

Where are you from?.... min ayyi baladin anta?(m);.... min ayyi baladin anti? (w)

من أي بلد أنت؟ ....; من أي بلد أنتي؟

min (من) = from; ayy (أي) = what; baladin = genitive of balad (أنتي), country.

Do you speak English?.... hal tatakallamu al-inglīzīya?

هل تتكلم الإنجليزية؟

tatakallam(u) = 2nd person sing.(m.) of takallama (تكلم) to speak; ) al-inglīzīya, fem. of inglīzī, English.

I don't speak Arabic.... ana lā ’atakalam(u) al-‘arabeya

أنا لا أتكلم العربية

’atakalam(u) = 1st person sing. present.

Does anyone speak English?... ’ayūjadu aḥad yatakallam al-inglīzīya?

أيوجد أحد يتكلم الإنجليزية؟

yatakallam = 3rd person sing.present; aḥad = one, anyone.

Could you write it down?.... ’ayumkinaka an taktubaha lī?

أيمكنك أن تكتبها لي؟

’ayumkinaka = it is possible for you, with prefix ’a- (أ) indicating a question; ’an (أن) = to; taktub(u) = you write (masc.), plus –hā (ها) attached pronoun = it (fem.); lī (لي) = l (ل) for, plus attached pronoun –i (ي) me.

Can you repeat that ? (m).... ’a‘īdha marra ukhrā.

أعدها مرة أخرى

Can you repeat that ? (w).... ’a‘īdīha marra ukhrā?

أعيديها مرة أخرى

’a‘īd = repeat, 2nd person sing. (m) imperative, derivative from عود to return, come back; marra = once; ukhra fem. of ākhar.

Can you write the word down?(m).... ’uktub hadhihil-kalima?

أكتب هذه الكلمة

’aktub = write, imperative of kataba; hathihi = this (f.); al-kalima = the word.

I understand .... ana fahimt

أنا فهمت

fahimt(u) = past tense of fahima (فهم) to understand.

I don't understand.... ana lam ’afham

أنا لم أفهم

’afham = present tense of fahima (فهم) to understand.

Pardon (what)? .... ‘afwan!

عفواً؟

‘afwan from ‘afā (عفا) to forgive, excuse, exempt.

What is this called in Arabic?... ma ismu hadha bil-‘arabīya?

ما اسم هذا بالعربية؟

bi = by, with; bil = with the.

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