adapted from http://arabic.desert-sky.net/g_conj.html
* sounds from http://www.lisaanmasry.com/
SHIFT+CLICK * to listen
add ending -i female, -u plural
| remove | iي | (ua pron u) | if several consonants | remove i (pron yi at start) | add a (pron i at start) | |
| put | iħoŧ * | ħŧ * (-/-i/ua) | go/walk | imwi | amwi (-i/ua) | |
| go | iruħ | ruħ | open | iftħ | aftħ | |
| change | iǵai-r * | ǵi-r * | wait | istany * | astany * (-y/-i/ua) | |
| talk to s.o. | ikal-m | kl-m | wake up | icħy | acħy | |
| help | isaod | saod | forget | insy | ansy | |
| study | izakr | zakr | do | ioml | aoml | |
| get up | iqum | qum | return | irgo | argoi | |
| carry | iwil | wil | run | igri | agri | |
| try/test | igar-b | gr-b | go down | inƶl | anƶl | |
| try/attem. | iħaul | ħaul | talk | itkl-m | atkl-m | |
| reply | irud- | rd- | remember | iftkr | aftkr | |
| look | ibuc- | bc- | work | ijtaǵl | ajtǵl | |
| leave | isib | sib | promise | iuod | auod | |
| take | iaxud | xd | relax | ihda | ahda | |
| eat | iakul | kl | shut up | iuskut | askut | |
| think | fakir | |||||
| irregular | ||||||
| bring | igib | hat | ||||
| come | igi | toaly | ||||
| give (me) | idi (li) | give it(m/f) to me | idi huh/ha li |
polite suggestions
can you – mmkn..
you should – almfruđ..
it’s better to – áħsn
you must – laƶm
please mn fđlk, lu smħt
laƶm tfkr fi almuđuo mn gmio nuaħih qbl ma taxd qrar
You should think about the issue from every angle before you make a decision.
كان المفروض توصل من زمان
kan almfruđ tucl mn ƶman
you should have arrived a long time ago
áħsn txlc alklie qbl ma ttguƶ
It’d be better to finish college before you get married.
ممكن توريني السكة؟ mmkn turini alske?
Can you show me the way?
Negative
MA-2nd person imperfect-cħ
ending -iij female, -uuj plural
| DON’T | 2nd person imp | ma-j | ا | |||
| put | tħoŧ | matħŧ-j | -j,-ij,-uj | go/walk | tmji | matmjij |
| go | truħi | matruħij | open | tftħua | matftħuj | |
| change | tǵi-r | matǵi-rj | do | toml | matomlj (j,ij,uj) | |
| talk to s.o. | tkl-m | matkl-mj | return | trgo | matrgoj | |
| help | tsaod | matsaodj | run | tgri | matgrij | |
| study | tzakr | matzakrj | go down | tnƶl | matnƶlj | |
| get up | tqum | matqumj | talk | ttkl-m | mattkl-mj | |
| carry | tjil | matjilj | remember | tftkr | matftkrj | |
| jork | tjtǵl | matjtǵlj | ||||
| irregular | ||||||
| bring | tgib | matgibj | ||||
| come | tigi | matgij |
there are a few other ways to tell someone not to do something:
- Use بلاش blaj with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation. This is not as strong as a direct negative order; it can have the connotation of a polite request or even mere advice/preference on behalf of the person talking.
If you saw a friend standing in the street to catch a bus and there was a place to sit nearby, you might say
بلاش تستنى كدة في الشارع، أحسن لك تقعد جوة blaj tstny kde fi aljaro, áħsn lk tqod gue
“No need to wait like that in the street, it’d be better for you to sit inside.”
بلاش blac can also be used with a مصدر mcdr. If you were in a library and there were a bunch of children making noise nearby, you could tell them
بلاش دوشة يا ولاد
blaj duje ia ulad
“No noise, kids.”
- Use إوعى íuoy (ew3a) with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation. Note that if you’re addressing a woman, إوعي Iuoi (ewa3i), and a group, أوعوا áuoua (ewa3u). This word can have different connotations depending on how it’s used; it can be a “watch out/take care!” kind of statement (like خللي بالك xlli balk often is), a warning, or a very strong “Don’t dare do that!” kind of statement.
If someone tall was going into a room with a low door, you might tell them
إوعى راسك
íuoy rask (ew3a raasak)
Watch out for your head.
íuoy tfđl mstniah oly ŧul (ew3a tifđal mistinnyaah 3ala ŧuul)
Don’t keep waiting for him forever.
To warn someone not to forget their cellphone:
إوعي تنسي موبايلك íuoi tnsi mubailk (ewa3i tinsi mobaylek)
إوعى تكلّمني تاني، أنا مش عايزة أشوف وشك! íuoy tkl-mni tani, ána mj oaiƶe ájuf ujak!
Don’t dare talk to me again, I don’t want to see your face again!
- And finally, there’s إياك íiak (iiyyaak) with the appropriate second-person imperfect verb conjugation. Note that if you’re addressing a woman,إياكي íiaki (iiyaaki), and a group, إياكوا íiakua (iiyyaaku). إياك íiak is from fucħa but used colloquially to express a very strong prohibition (like “Don’t you dare do that!!”). However in context it doesn’t necessarily express such strong feeling.
إياكي تاكلي من أكلي في التلاجة íiaki takli mn ákli fi altlage (iiyaaki takli min akli fet-tallaaga)
Don’t eat any of my food that’s in the fridge!