xpsal

I thought you guys might be interested in learning some Arabic basics, like everyday conversations ... I will put everyday some sentences & phrases and if someone has a question I will do my best to answer

Hi! Salam! سلام

Good Morning! Sabah el kheer صباح الخير

Good Afternoon/ Evening! Masaa el kheer مساء الخير

Good Night (when leaving) to a male ==> Tosbeh ‘ala khair تصبح على خير
Good Night (when leaving) to a female ==> Tosbeheena 'ala khair تصبحين على خير

Good Bye! Ma’a salama مع السلامة

See You Later! Araka (Araki for female) fee maba'd أراك في مابعد

How Are You? Kaifa haloka/ haloki (female) كيف حالك؟

I'm Fine! And You? Ana bekhair, wa anta? (wa anti? for female) أنا بخير وأنت؟

Thank You (Very Much)! Shokran (jazeelan) شكرا *جزيلا

You're Welcome! Al'afw ألعفو

What's New? Maljadeed? - مالجديد؟

Nothing new! Lashai jadeed لا شيء جديد

How is everything going? Kaifa taseeru al omoor? كيف تسير الامور؟

Pretty good! Bekhair, alhamdu lellah بخير,الحمد لله

Hey Friend! Ahlan sadiqi/ (sadiqati to a female) أهلا صديقي/صديقتي

I Missed You So Much! Eshtaqto elaika/ (elaiki to a female) katheeran إشتقت إليك كثيرا (not that the "th" of katheeran is pronounced as the "th" of the word "think")

Take Care! E'tanee benafsek/ (benafseki to a female) إعتني بنقسك

Welcome! Ahlan! (or) Marhaban أهلا, مرحبا

note that the the tick (') is used to refer to a letter which doesn't exist in English, the closest pronouncition to this letter would be a soundless "a", let me know if you need more clarifications!

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Salim ۞ ۩ ۝ ۩۩۩

abu_dana

Shukran ya Salim li hadha maqala huna!

(I hope i make myself clear here?)

I was writing an answer here then my connection played some game on me and my message was lost!

Speaking of "Tosbeheena 'ala khayr" I find it very interesting since you conjugate it make it for males and females as opposed to "Good morning" - Sabah el kheir (May be, because there is no verb here?). Can you say "Tosbehakum 'ala khayr!" to address to several people?

What are the Arabic forms for "Sorry", "Excuse me?" and etc.?

xpsal

That's a good notion, yes that's true about tesbah ala kheer, literally it means I hope that you will find yourself in good shape in the morning, or "get up in the morning in good shape!"
Tosbeheena 'ala khayr means good night, but if you analize it, it talks more about how your condition will be in the morning, and not how you will spend the night, and to address several people we say" tosbehoona 'ala khair"
because you have to conjugate the verb asbaha to the plural, and not add the possessive pronoun "kum" to it, I know it's a little bit tough because it doesn't literally mean Good night! I added some more phrases, including the one you asked for...

Can I Help You?
Hal beemkani mosa’adatak/(mosa'adataki for female)?
هل بإمكاني مساعدتك؟

Can You Help Me?
Hal beemkanek mosa’adati? (beemkankeki for female)
هل بإمكانك مساعدتي؟

Where Can I Find (a drugstore/ milk)?
Ayna ajed (assaidaliah/ alhaleeb)
أين أجد (صيدلية/الحليب)؟

It's Not Far!
Almakan laisa ba’eedan
المكان ليس بعيدا

I'm Looking For John.
Abhatu ‘an John
أبحث عن جون

One Moment Please!
Lahda men fadlek/ (fadleki for female)
لحظة من فضلك

Hold On Please! ( on the phone)
Lahda men fadlek/ (fadleki for female)
لحظة من فضلك

How Much Is it?
Kam howa thamanoh? (th as in bath)
كم هو ثمنه؟

Ok? (Is that alright? as a question) - Ok (answer)
Okee? – Tayeb
أوكي؟ - طيب

Excuse Me! ( to ask for something)
Men fadlek/ (fadleki for female)
من فضلك
or
Alma'derah!
المعذرة

Excuse Me! ( to pass by)
Alma'derah!
المعذرة

Come With Me!
Tafaddal/ (Tafaddali for female) ma'ee
تفضل/ تفضلي معي

Follow Me!
Etba'nee/ etba'eeni!
أتبعني/ أتبعيني

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Salim ۞ ۩ ۝ ۩۩۩

Nadine

Salam Salim

I have some questions about "Almakan laysa ba'eedan"

1. I know that
Laysa means " not to be" (3rd person singular)
and ba'eedan is "far"

But what does the word "almakan" mean ?

2. We learned that in fus7a almost all verbal sentences begin with the verb, but here that does not seem to be the case. Is there a particular reason for it ?


Thanks in advance

Nadine

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In the summer I stretch out on the shore and think of you. Had I told the sea what I felt for you,
It would have left its shores, its shells, its fish, and followed me.Nizar Qabbani.
When I drown my eyes in your eyes, I glimpse the deepest dawning and see the ancient times;
I see what I do not comprehend and feel the universe flowing between your eyes and mine. Adonis.
You're beautiful, you're beautiful... But it's time to face the truth. I will never be with you. James Blunt.

xpsal

good question,
Almakan means the place, so the literal meaning of the sentence is: the place is not far, because as Nani mentioned in a different thread, the word "it's" isn't used that often in Arabic (but gramatically possible), instead you have to mention the whole subject, which is "the place" in our case. so in Arabic we tend to refer to the actual thing rather than use an "it's" instead.
You can also use the word "ennaho" which means "he is" to replace "the place" because place in arabic is masucline, but it doesn't sound as nice as if you mention the whole subject which is "the place" almakan.
I hope this is a little bit clear.

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- Learn Arabic, Arabic Calligraphy, Spanish, Arabic Keyboard
- Phrases in more than 52 languages
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Salim ۞ ۩ ۝ ۩۩۩

Nadine

Shokran ya Salim !

It's perfectly clear now.
Don't want to be a pain, but for my second question : is it correct that the verb should come first in the sentence ? That's what our teacher says...
Or is it not thàt important ?

Nadine

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In the summer I stretch out on the shore and think of you. Had I told the sea what I felt for you,
It would have left its shores, its shells, its fish, and followed me.Nizar Qabbani.
When I drown my eyes in your eyes, I glimpse the deepest dawning and see the ancient times;
I see what I do not comprehend and feel the universe flowing between your eyes and mine. Adonis.
You're beautiful, you're beautiful... But it's time to face the truth. I will never be with you. James Blunt.

Asminha

Hello Nadine,
I will answer your question myself :-)
I would say that the verb doesn't come in the firs place always.
Example: akala al-waladu attufaa7ata = The boy ate the apple. (Why for God sake do we always make sentences that are about eating heheh..Actually, we've been repeating that sentence like..forever!)
That sentence could also be:
Al-waladu akala attufaa7ata.

I think that it depends on what part of the sentence you want to put more emphasis, is it the "subject", or the "action".

I hope that I made myself clear enough :-)

(Au plaisir de t'être utile Nadine! Et ne baisse pas les bras pour tetris Ecrasons Salim hehehe)

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