Egyptian Arabic for Beginners

Egyptian Arabic for Beginners!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

*EASY* Egyptian Verb List!There is no infinitive in Egyptian Arabic, so the verbs will be listed in Present and Past. Look to my other page to learn how to conjugate in different tenses!

"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 *glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 *a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English alphabet - (ain') ع = 3 *

** WILL ADD ARABIC SCRIPT SOON!

(To be) able - idir, yi2darTo accept - abal To admit - 3itaraf, yi3tarif To be afraid of - khayif/a minTo agree (with) - ittafa2, yittifi2 (ma'a)

To agree (on) - waafi2, yiwaafi2 (3ala)To allow - sama7, yisma7To argue - gaadil, yigaadil To arrive - wisil, yiwsilTo ask (for something) - talab, yotlobTo ask a question - sa2al, yis2al

To be - kaan, yikoonTo begin - ibtada, yibtidiTo bless - barraik, yibarrikTo bleed - nazaf, yinzifTo book - 7agas, yi7gizTo borrow -istalaf, yistilif To break - Kasar, yiksarTo breathe - itnaffas, yitnaffisTo bribe - rasha, yirshi To bring - gaab, yigeeb to build - bana, yibni To buy - ishtara, yishtiri

To camp - 3askar, yi3askar Can (be able to) - idar, yi2dar To cancel - lagha, yilghi To care about - ihtamm, yihtamm bi To care for (look after) - akhad, yakhud baal minTo carry - shall, yisheelTo celebrate - i7tafal, yi7tifil

To change - ghayyar, yighayyar To make change - fakk, yifokk To chat - 3aakis, yi3aakis To check - tammin, yitammin 3ala To choose - ikhtar, yikhtarTo climb - tili3, yitla3 To close - afal, yi2filTo come here - ga, yeegiTo come (arrive) - wasal, yowsilTo confirm - 2akkid, yi3akkidTo cook - tabakh, yotbokhTo cost - kallif, yitkallif To count - 3ad, yi3idd To cut up - atta3, yi2atta3To cut (with scissors) - 2as, yi2osTo cycle - rakib, yirkab 3agala

To dance - ra2as, yir2usTo date someone - maashi ma3To decide - qarrar, yiqarrarTo deny - nafa, yinfiTo depart (leave) - mishi, yimshi To destroy - dammar, yidammarTo die - maat, yimootTo discover - iktashaf, yiktishif To do - 3amal, yi3mil

To drink - shirib, yishrab To be drunk - sakran/a To dry (clothes) - nishif, yinshaf

To earn - kisib, yiksabTo eat - akal, yaakol, To eat breakfast - fitir, yiftar To eat lunch - itghadda, yitghadda To eat dinner - it3shsha, yit3ashsha To end - intaha, yintihi To enjoy oneself - inbasat, yinbisitTo enter - dakhal, yodkhol To exchange - ghayyar, yighayyarTo exhibit - 3arad, yi3rid

To feel - 7ass, yi7iss (bi)To fight - itkhaani2, yitkhaani2 ma3aTo fill - mala, yimla To find - la2a, yilaa2i To follow - taba3, yitba3 To forget - nisi, yinsa To forgive - saami7, yisaami7To freeze - gammid, yigammid To have fun - 2inbasat, yinbisit To make fun of (laugh at) - da7ak, yid7ak 3ala

To give - idda, yidda To go - ra7 yiroo7To guess - 7azzar, yi7azzar

To have - 3andTo hear - simi3, yisma3To help - saa3id, yisaa3idTo hire - 2aggar, yi2aggar To be hot (temperature) - harran/a

To inject - 7a2an, yi72in

To joke (with) - hazzar, yihazzar (ma3a) To jump - nat, yinot

To kill - mawwit, yimawwit To kiss -baas, yiboos To know - 2irif, yi2raf

To learn - 2it3allim, yit3allimTo be left (behind) - fidil, yifdalTo lie - kidib, yikdib To light - walla2, yiwalla2 To like - 7abb, yi7ibb

To listen - simi3, yisma3To live (life) - 3aash, yi3eesh To live (somewhere) - sikin, yoskonTo lock - sakk, yisokkTo look - bass, yibossTo look after - khad, yaakhod baal min To look for - dawwar, yidawwar (3ala)To lose - dayya3, yidayya3To love - 7abb, yi7ibb

To make - 3amal, yi3mil To marry - 2itgawwiz, yitgawwiz To meet - it2aabil, yit2aabil (ma3a) To miss (someone) - wa7ash, yiw7ashTo mix - khalat, yikhlit

To need - i7taag, yi7taag

To open - fata7, tifta7To order - talab, yotlob To owe - 3alay

To paint (not art) - dahan, yidhin To paint (art) - rasam, yirsimTo park - rakan, yirkin

To pass - faat, yifootTo pay - dafa3, yidfa3To pick up- shaal, yisheel To plant - zara3, yizra3 To play cards - yila3ib kutsheenaTo play a game - li3ib, yil3abTo point (to) - shaawair, yishaawit (3ala)To prefer - faddal, yifaddalTo prepare - gahhiz, yigahhizTo produce - antag, yintig To protect - 7ama, yi7mi To protest - i7tag, ya7tag To pull - sa7ab, yis7abTo push - za2, yizo2 To put - 7att, yi7ott

To question - sa3al, yis3al

To read - 2ara, yi3raTo realize - 3arafTo receive someone - ista2bil, yista2bilTo receive something - istalam, yistilim To recongize - 3irif, yi3raf To recommend - 2iqtara7, yaqtari7To refund - istarid, yistirid To refuse - rafad, yirfod

To regret - nidim, yindamTo relax - irta7, yirta7 To remember - iftakar, yiftikir To rent - 2aggar, yi2aggar To repeat - karrar, yikarrar To reserve - 7agaz, yi7giz To rest - istirayya7, yistirayya7To return - rigi3, yirga3To ride (a horse) - rikib, yirkab To be right - sa7, yisa7 To rob - sara2, yisra2To run - giri, yigri

To save (time, money, etc) - waffar, yiwaffar To say - aal, yi2oolTo score a goal- gaab golTo see - shaaf, yishoof To sell - baa3, yibee3 To send - ba3at, yib3atTo separate - fasal, yifsil To sew - khayyat, yikhayyat To share (with) - sharrik, yishaarik To share a dorm - it2aasim ghorfa To shave - 7ala3, yi7la3 To ship - na3al, yin3il To shoot (someone) - takhkh, yitokhkh

To shoot at - darab, yidrab nar To go shopping - tasawwoq, yatsawwaq To shout - za3a2, yiza3a2To show - warra, yiwarri To shut - 2adal, yi2filTo sign - mada, yimdi To sing - ghanna, yighanni To sit - a23ad, yo23odTo sleep - naam, yinaamTo smell - shaam, yishimmTo smile - ibtasam, yibtisim To smoke - dakhkhan, yidakhkhan To speak - kallim, yikallim To start - bada2, yibda2To stay (remain) - a2ad, yo23odTo stay (somewhere) - nizil, yinzil (fee) To steal - sara2, yisra2To stop - wi2if, yo2af To suffer - 3aana, yi3aani To survive - 3aash, yi3eesh To swim - saba7, yisba7

To take away - wadda, yiwaddi To take (food, train, etc) - khad, yakhodTo take pictures - sawwar, yisawwir To talk - kallim, yikallim

To telephone - itkallim, yitkallim To tell - aal, yi2ool To thank - shakar, yoshkor To think about - fakkar, yifakkar feeTo think (believe) - iftakar, yiftikir To touch - lamas, yilmasTo translate - targim, yitargim To travel - saafir, yisaafir To trust - siqa To try (out) - garrab, yigarrab To try (attempt) - 7aawil, yi7aawil

To understand - fihim, yifham

To visit - zar, yizoorTo vote - intakhab, yintikhib To walk - misi, yimshi To want - 3aayiz, 3ayzaTo wash - ghasal, yighsil To watch - itfarrag, yitfarrag To wear - libis, yilbis To weigh - wazan, yiwzin To win - kisib, yiksab To wish - itmanna, yitmaana To work - ishtaghal, yishtagalTo write - katab, yiktib

Thursday, July 21, 2011

*EASY* Verb Conjugations! - Part 1Arabic has 2 real tenses (imperfect - present or future) and the (perfect - past).

Imperfect Just add the prefixes and suffixes to form the imperfect of the root verb! This root verb is consisted of three or more consonants. For instance, ktb for katab. Some have more than three consonants, but the three or (trilateral) is the most common. In essence, you are simply taking out the vowels of the word. Another note, when working with three letter stem verbs, the first two letters stay together, like: I write - aktib. This form is very useful to know, because many other conjugations are added to this conjugation!


Prefixes & Suffixes I a -

you (m) ti - you (f) ti - ... -eehe yi - she ti - we ni - you (pl) ti - ... - o they yi - ... - o

Masalan (for example)...

I write - aktibyou (m) write - tiktib you (f) write - tiktibeehe writes - yiktibshe writes - tiktib we write - niktib you (pl) write - tiktibothey write - yiktibo

Imperfect - Present All you do here-- add "bi-" to the beginning of the basic conjugated verb.

Masalan (for example)...I write - baktib You (m) write - bitiktib You (f) write - bitiktibeeHe writes - biyiktibShe writes - bitiktibWe write - biniktibYou (pl) write - bitiktiboThey write - biyiktibo

Imperfect - FutureThis is simply formed by adding the prefix "Ha-" at the beginning of the imperfect form of the verb. *Now remember the aspirated "H" is denoted with a 7, when writing Arabic in English.


I will write - 7aktib You (m) will write - 7atiktib You (f) will write - 7atiktibeeHe will write - 7ayiktib She will write - 7atiktib We will write - 7aniktibYou (pl) will write - 7atiktibo

They will write - 7ayiktibo

Perfect - Past Verbs that have been completed, done with, finished. In this tense, we only add suffixes, and the "he" or third person singular has no suffix.

Suffix I - tyou (m) - tyou (f) - teehe - she - itwe - nayou (pl) - tothey - o


I wrote/ have written - katabt You (m) wrote/ have written - katabt You (f) wrote/ have written - katabtee He wrote/ has written - katabShe wrote/ has written - katabit We wrote/ have written - katabnaYou (pl) wrote/ have written - katabtoThey wrote/ have written - katabo

Credits to Lonely Planet Phrasebooks: Egyptian Arabic.

*Easy* Verb conjugations Part 2- To BeTo Be

In Arabic, there is no present tense of the verb "to be." when describing someone, you simply have to say, she smart, he happy, etc. HOWEVER, to be DOES exist in the past and future! :)


To be (kaan) - PastI was - ana kuintyou (m) were - enta kuintyou (f) were - enti kuint

he was - howa kaanshe was - hiyya kannit we were - i7na konnayou (pl) were - into kontothey were - homma kannu

To be (kaan) - Future A note on the future tense, it is formed by adding "7a-" to the Imperfect form (go to Verb Conjugations Part 1). So basically, you take "kaan" conjugate it in the imperfect, then add "7a-" Also remember the 7 is an aspirated H sound when writing Arabic in English.

I will be - 7akoonyou (m) will be - 7atkoonyou (f) will be - 7atkooneehe will be - 7aykoonshe will be - 7atkoonwe will be - 7ankoonyou (pl) will be - 7atkoonothey will be - 7aykoono

There is/ There were?Yes, it exists!

There is - feeThere isn't/ aren't - mafeeshThere were - kaan feeThere wasn't/ weren't -makaansh fee

*Easy* Verb conjugations Part 3 - To Have & PossessiveIn order to understand the verb to have, we must first learn the possessive suffixes. These are endings you attach to a noun in Arabic that shows possession. You own it, it is yours! Lets learn what these suffixes are!


*Masculine nouns take the suffix, feminine nouns (that end in -a), take off the -a, add -it, then add the suffix.

my - eeyour (m) - akyour (f) - ikhis/ its - oher/ its - haour - nayour - kotheir - hom


Masculine nouns:book - kitabmy book - kitab-ee

house - bayttheir house - bayt-hom

Feminine nouns: ticket - tazkara your ticket - tazkarit- ik

bag - shantaour bag - shantit-na

To HaveWhy does the verb "to have" need to know the possessives? Because these suffixes, like with the nouns, get added to the end of the verb "3and" - to have. It makes sense because if you have something... it's yours isn't it? :)

To make the present, just add the possessive suffixes to "3and."

To have - PresentI have - 3andeeyou (m) have -3andakyou (f) have - 3andikhe has - 3andoshe has - 3andaha we have - 3andinayou (pl) have - 3andokothey have - 3andohom

To have - Pastjust add "kaan" (to be) to "3and" in the present!

I had - kaan 3andeeyou (m) had - kaan 3andakyou (f) had - kaan 3andik he had - kaan 3andoshe had - kaan 3andaha we had - kaan 3andina

you (pl) had - kaan 3andoko they had - kaan 3andohom

To have - FutureTo "have" something in the future, just add the future form of "to be" (7aykoon) to 3and in the present.

I will have - 7aykoon 3andeeyou (m) will have - 7aykoon 3andak you (f) will have - 7aykoon 3andikhe will have - 7aykoon 3ando she will have - 7aykoon 3andaha we will have - 7aykoon 3andina you (pl) will have - 7aykoon 3andokothey will have - 7aykoon 3andohom

*EASY* Egyptian Verbs- Negatives!"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 * glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 *a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English alphabet - (ain') ع = 3 *

Two types of negatives in Egyptian Arabic:

1. Negatives for verbs in general:

ma- ... -sh - gets added to the beginning and ending of a verb to make it negative.


He went- howa ra7

He didn't go - howa mara7sh

2. Negatives for future verbs, nouns, adjectives:

mesh gets added to the beginning of a verb/noun/adjective to make it negative.

Masalan (for exmaple)...

I will not write - mesh 7aktib

This is not good - da mesh kuwayyis

I'm not an engineer (m). - ana mesh mohandis

*EASY* Egyptian Arabic Possession, Prepositions & Pronouns"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 *glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 *a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English alphabet - (ain') ع = 3 *

Prepositions:These words are just like that in English.

against - 3alafrom - minlike - zayon - 3alafor - 3ashaan with - ma3

Pronouns:

Two types of Pronouns: Subject and Object pronouns

Subject Pronouns:

I - anayou (m) - entayou (f) - entihe - howashe - hiyyawe - i7nayou - intothey - homma

Object Pronouns: have what is called Direct Object Pronouns and Indirect Object pronouns. Both act like

suffixes and are added to the end of the verb.

Direct Object Pronouns are:

me - eeyou (m) - akyou (f) - ikhim/ it - oher/ it - haus - nayou (pl) - kothem - hom


I saw them - ana shuftohom

I like it - ba7ibbo

Indirect Object Pronouns are:

to me - nee/ -leeto you (m) - lakto you (f) - likto him - loto her - lahato us - linato you (pl) - lokoto them - lohom


she talks to me - hiyya bitkallimnee

we write to you - i7na biniktiblik

**When a direct and indirect object pronoun appear in the same sentence, the structure is:

verb + direct object + indirect object (both of which are still being added to the end of the verb)


Write it for me - iktib-haalee

Send them to us - iba3at-homlina

***These direct object pronouns can also be added to prepositions!


from me - min-neelike you (pl) - zay-kufor them - 3ashaan-homThis letter is from her- il maktoob da minha

Possession - part 2

Belonging to, or bitaa3 is translated into (my, yours, our, etc). It is used only for people! It must agree with number and gender of the noun!

For Masculine Nouns:

my/ mine - bitaa3eeyour/ yours (m) - bitaa3akyour/ yours (f) - bitaa3ikhis - bitaa3oher - bitaa3haour/ours - bitaa3nayour/ yours (pl) - bitaa3kotheir/ theirs - bitaa3hom

For Feminine Nouns:

my/ mine - bitaa3teeyour/ yours (m) - bitaa3takyour/ yours (f) - bitaa3tikhis - bitaa3toher - bitaa3ithaour/ours - bitaa3itnayour/ yours (pl) - bitaa3itkotheir/ theirs - bitaa3it-hom


her book (m); the book is hers - il kitab bitaa3ha

their bag (f); the bag is theirs (f) - ish shanta bitaa3it-hom

*EASY* Egyptian Conjunctions, Demonstratives, Comparitives & Superlatives"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 *glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 * a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English - (ain') ع = 3 *

alphabet

Conjunctions!same as in English...

and - wabut - bas

or - owif - laowuntil - lighaayatsince/ than - minbecause - 3ashaan

Demonstratives!These must agree with number and gender of the noun that they are referring to. They go at the end of the noun.

Refers to animals, things, and pluralsThis (one); that (one) (m) - daThis (one); that (one) (f) - dee

Refers to peoplethese/ those - dol


This house - il bayt da

Those animals - il 7ayawanaat dee

Comparitives & SuperlativesComparatives are when you are comparing two things. Superlatives are when you are comparing one thing to a lot of things. Comparatives: "bigger/ more than," superlatives: "biggest/ most extrordinary" etc. In Arabic, both are used by the same word, it just depends how you use it. Comparatives and superlatives are formed by taking your adjective of choice, taking out all the vowels (forming the root) and adding an "a" to the beginning of the root, and another "a" in front of the last consonant.

big - kibeer --> (root) kbr --> akbar (bigger/biggest)cheap - rakhees --> (root) rkhs --> arkhas (cheap/ cheapest)many - kiteer --> (root) ktr --> aktar (more/ most)

When using it as a comparative between two nouns substitute "min" for "than".


bigger than - akbar min

The girl is bigger than the boy - el bint akbar min el walad

*EASY* Egyptian Articles, Nouns & Plurals!

Articles!Arabic just has "the" the definite article. It does not have the indefinite articles, such as "a, an" (but are expressed in as a plural form below-- i.e. collective plurals). Arabic, though, has what is called moon and sun nouns. The article is affected based on which noun it proceeds.

"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 *glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 * a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English - (ain') ع = 3 *alphabet

For MOON NOUNS:

"The" translates into "el" in arabic.

book - kitaab

the book - el kitaab

girl - bintthe girl - el bint

For SUN NOUNS:

If the noun starts with the letters d, n, r, s, sh, t, or z then the "l" from "el" is dropped and the first consonant of the noun takes its place.


sun - shams the sun - ish shams

back - dahrthe back - id dahr

dog - kalbthe dog - ik kalb

Nouns!In Arabic: nouns are either feminine or masculine.

Feminine nouns mostly end with an "a" or "ya"Masculine nouns end with any letter

Masculine nouns:book - kitaabmorning - saba7

Feminine nouns: table - tarabeezayear - sana

** However, there ARE exceptions!! Some masculine nouns can end in a "a" and somefeminine nouns end is random letters! (mostly from parts of the body or countries).

Exceptions for feminine nouns:Egypt - masrhand - eedsun - shamsmother - ommsister - okht

Exceptions for masculine nouns: air - hawa

Plurals!Three types of plurals:

1. standard2. dual 3. collective

1. The standard takes some memorizing. Regular masculine nouns have the ending "-een." This is added directly after the noun. For regular feminine nouns, you take off the ending of "a" and add the ending "-aat"

engineer (m) - mohandis --> engineers (m) - mohandiseenengineer (f) - mohandisa --> engineers (f) - mohandisaat

** Irregular plurals need to be memorized.

house - bayt --> houses - boyootschool - madrassa --> schools - madaarisday - yom --> days - ayaam

2. The dual is used when you are talking about two of something. If it ends with an "a," then you take off the "a" and add "-tayn." For every other ending, just add "-ayn" to the end of the word.

library - maktaba --> two libraries - maktabtayn book - kitaab --> two books - kitaabayn

3. The collective plural is used when talking about a group or class of items (such as fruits or vegetables). You use this when talking about a specific number or amount of something. It is also what can be translated into the indefinite article as "a" or "an". For form a collective plural, you just add "-a"to the end

eggplants - bitingaan --> an eggplant - bitinganaapples - tofaa7 --> an apple - tofaa7atrees - shagar --> a tree - shagara *EASY* Egyptian Adjectives!Adjectives!Adjectives are placed after the noun and act very much like nouns themselves. They must (just like nouns) agree with number and gender. The adjective can have a definite article in front of it. Whether it has one or not changes the meaning of the sentence:

"sounds like an aspirated "h - (haa) ح = 7 *glottal stop - (hamza) أ = 2 * a "choked" letter sounding like an "a" you can't represent with the English - (ain') ع = 3 *alphabet

the big dog - ek kalb ek kabeer (m) the dog is big - ek kalb kabeer (m)

**Remember there is no "is/ to be" in arabic!! It is simply omitted!

To make an adjective feminine, just add "-a" to the end.

the popular girl - el bint el ma7booba (f) the girl is popular - el bint ma7booba (f)

Plurals of Adjectives!They act the same way as nouns for the most part. There are 3 generalizations:

1. Plural adjectives with nouns that refer to people: add "-een" to the singular form of the adjective. masalan: the happy teacher - el modarris el mabsoot --> the happy teachers - el modarriseen el mabsooteen the angry tourist - el sayi7 el za3laan --> the angry tourists - el sowwa7 el za3laneen

2. Irregular form of the plural adjective is replacing the long vowel in the middle of the word with a long "a" sound. masalan: the big girl - el bint ek kabeera --> the big girls - el banat ik kubar

3. All plurals that refer to objects use the feminine singular form of the adjective. Disregard gender and number. masalan:the big house - el bayt ek kabeer --> the big houses - el boyoot ek kibeerathe small bus - el otobees is soghayyar --> the small buses - el otobeesaat es soghayyara

Documents

Egyptian Arabic for Beginners