Language Learning

1. الكلمة دي معناها شنو؟

   Il-kilma di maʿnāha shinu?

   What does this word mean?

   Usage

   Ask about a word you have just heard

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. "كلمة" is feminine, so "دي" is used, and the "-ها" in "معناها" means "its"

2. دا اسمو شنو بالعربي؟

   Da ismu shinu bil-ʿarabi?

   What is this called in Arabic?

   Usage

   Ask while pointing at something. "ب" plus "العربي" means "in Arabic"

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. The "ـو" in "اسمو" means "its" for a masculine noun

3. كيف اقول شكرا بالعربي؟

   Kēf agūl shukran bil-ʿarabi?

   How do you say "thank you" in Arabic?

   Usage

   Replace "شكرا" with the word you want to learn

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. "اقول" means "I say". The letter "ق" is read as "g"

4. بتكلم انجليزي شوية

   Batkallam ingilīzi shuwayya

   I speak a little English

   Usage

   Tell the other person which language you can use

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. "بتكلم" means "I speak" and differs from the second-person "بتتكلم"

5. ما بتكلم عربي كويس

   Ma batkallam ʿarabi kuwayyis

   I do not speak Arabic well

   Usage

   Useful as an opener before asking someone to speak slowly

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. The negative "ما" is written separately before the verb

6. في زول بتكلم انجليزي هنا؟

   Fī zōl bitkallam ingilīzi hina?

   Is there anyone here who speaks English?

   Usage

   Look for someone who can interpret when you are stuck

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. The verb after "زول" works as a relative clause

7. اكتب الكلمة دي لو سمحت

   Iktib il-kilma di law samaḥt

   Please write this word down

   Usage

   Ask for a word you could not catch in writing. To a woman, say "اكتبي"

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. The imperative "اكتب" is made polite with "لو سمحت"

8. ممكن نتكلم عربي؟

   Mumkin nitkallam ʿarabi?

   Can we speak Arabic?

   Usage

   Ask a local person to help you practise

   Grammar Note

   Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Vowels in the romanization are estimated. "ممكن" followed directly by a verb makes a request or suggestion

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