Some Illustrative Examples from Linguata Arabic (5)

Please speak more slowly (m).... lau samaḥt takallam bibuṭ’

لو سمحت تكلم ببطئ

bibuṭ’ = bi + buṭ’ (slowness).

What does .. mean?.... mādhā ta‘nī…?

ماذا تعني ...؟

ta‘nī = 3rd sing. fem. Present. From ‘anā (عنى) to have in mind, mean.

Where are you from?.... min ayki makānin ant?(m)

من أي مكان أنت؟

min = from (preposition taking genitive); ayy = any, which; makān = place.

Have you visited my country?.... hal zurta baladī min qabl?(m)

هل زرت بلدي من قبل؟

zurta = 2nd pers. sing. of zāra (زار) to visit ; qabl = before, min qabl = previously.

I'm here with a group.... ji’tu ma‘a majmū‘a

جئت مع مجموعة

ji’tu = I came, from jaa’a (جيء to come); majmū‘a = a group.

I don't have children.... laysa lī aṭfāl

ليس لي أطفال

laysa = not, it is not; lī = to, for ,of me; aṭfāl = plural of ṭifl, child.

I have a son.... ladāya walad

لدي ولد

ladā = with; walad = boy.

I'm retired ana ‘alal-ma‘āsh

أنا على المعاش

‘ala = on; al-ma‘āsh = pension.

I'm here on holiday.... ana hunā liqaḍa’ ’ijāza

أنا هنا لقضاء أجازة

hunā = here; li = for; qaḍa’ = spend/pass (of time); ijāza = a holiday.

No way!.... mush ma‘qūl!

مش معقول

ma‘qūl = reasonable; mush = not.

I want to check my e-mail.... ’urīdu moraja‘at barīdīl elektronīya

أريد مراجعة بركيدي الالكتروني

moraja‘a = examination, checking; barīd = mail.

Can we have breakfast?.... ayumkinuna an natanāwul al-’ifṭār

أيمكننا أن نتناول الإفطار؟

natanāwul = from tanāwula = 1st person plural present, take food, eat, drink from nāla (نول) to give.

Graham Rooth

References and Recommended Reading

Awde, N. and Smith, K. Arabic Dictionary (London: Bennett and Bloom, 2004)

Ayyad, A.T. Teach Yourself Arabic: Rules of Reading and Writing (London: Ta-Ha Publishers, 1996)

Cohen, J.M. ed. Arabic-English Dictionary, 4th Edition (Urbana, Il: Spoken Language Services, 1994)

Liddicoat, M-J, Lennane, R., and Rahim, I.A. Syrian Colloquial Arabic, a Functional Course. http://syrianarabic.com/.

Mace, J. Teach Yourself Beginner’s Arabic Script (London: Hodder Arnold, 2003)

Wightwick, J. and Gaafar, M. Arabic Verbs and Essentials of Grammar (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008)