Past Events#
Objective: By the end of the chapter, you will be able to: • talk about past activities with regular and irregular verbs • talk about what you did not do using negative sentences • ask about past experiences (Have you ever…) and respond (I’ve never…) • use object pronouns with verbs • ask varied questions with different question words Time Vocabulary Before we begin the past tense, let’s learn some words that will help us describe when past events took place. Then we will be ready to talk about some of our past activities. Days of the Week نهار / يوم Dayyum / nharweeksimanaسيمانة Sundayl-7dd)(الحد األحد ّ Mondayl-tnin )لتنين ( األتنين Tuesdayt-tlat)(التالت الثالثاء Wednesdayl-arb3)ربعال( األربعاء Thursdayl-khmisالخميس Fridayj-jm3aالجمعة Saturdays-sbtالسبت Months of the Year monthsh-hrشهرJuneyunyuيونيو year3amعامJulyyulyuzيوليوز JanuaryyanayrنايريَAugustghushtشتغُ FebruaryfbrayrفبرايرSeptembershutnbirرتنبشُ MarchmarsمارسOctoberoktubrأُكتوبر AprilabrilأبريلNovembernuwanbirربنوَ نُ MaymayمايDecemberdujanbirرنبجَ دُ seasonfaSlفَصلsummerS-Sifالصيف seasonsfoSulفُصولfalll-khrifالخريف springr-rbi3الربيعwintersh-shtaالشتا The Seasons For information about the months of the Islamic calendar and some of the major religious events of the year, see “Moroccan Holidays” on page 155.46 • Moroccan Arabic Time Expressions العام دهَ this yearhad l-3amlast yearl-3am lli fatفات اللي العام last monthsh-sh-hr lli fatفات اللي الشهر last weeks-simana lli fattفات ّ اللي السيمانة yesterdayl-bar7البارح todayl-yumاليوم on (+ day of the week)nhar…نهار on Fridaynhar j-jm3aالجمعة نهار in (+ month)f sh-hr…شهر ف in Augustf sh-hr ghusht f sh-hr tmnyaat (+ time)fat 9:00f t-ts3udالتسعود ف at dawnf l-fjrالفجر ف in the morningf S-Sba7الصباح ف in the afternoon / eveningF l-3shiyaالعشية ف at nightf l-lilالليل ف at midnightf nS l-lil شتغُ شهر ف تمنية شهر ف ف الليل نص ف Past Tense – Regular Verbs Verbs in General When learning verbs in a foreign language, we usually learn the “infinitive” form of the verb (e.g. to eat), and then learn how to “conjugate” from that infinitive (I eat, he eats, they eat). In Arabic, there are not infinitives for verbs in this way. Rather, we learn the “he” form of the verb (i.e. third person masculine singular) in the past tense, and then learn how to conjugate the other forms (I, you, she, etc.) from the “he” form. Because we use this past tense “he” form like an infinitive for the purposes of learning verbs, if you see something referred to as an “infinitive,” it is this form. Some examples: past tense “he” form: like an infinitive he drankshrbشرب he hitDrbضرب he satglsگلس Whenever you are given a new verb in this book or by your teacher, it will be given to you in this form. You will be able to conjugate verbs in the past or present tense based upon this “infinitive” form. The vast majority of Darija (Moroccan Arabic) verbs are made up of three letters (see the verbs above). To these “stems” we can add prefixes (letters that we attach to the beginning of a word) and suffixes (letters we attach to the end of a word) in order to conjugate the verb. Stems with a vowel in the middle and stems with a vowel at the end will differ from verbs with three consonants.Peace Corps / Morocco • 47 Regular Verbs in the Past Tense When we say “regular verb,” we mean a verb that is conjugated according to rules that the large majority of verbs in the language use. An “irregular verb” is conjugated according to different rules. There are regular and irregular verbs for both the past and present tense in Darija. However, irregular verbs that are similar in the past may be different in the present. So, you need to realize that the groups of verbs categorized together for the past tense may not always correspond to the groups in the present tense. In general, “regular verb” refers to: All 3-letter verbs without the long vowel “a” (ى / )ا in the middle or end position (i.e. 3-letter verbs made up only of consonants) All verbs with more than 3 letters and not ending in “a” (ى / )ا To conjugate a regular verb in the past tense, we add the following suffixes (endings): Remember that the “infinitive” is the same as the past tense “he” form. “to write”ktbكتب I wrotektbtكتبت you wrote (masc. sing.)ktbtiكتبتي you wrote (fem. sing.)ktbtiكتبتي he wrotektbكتب she wrotektbatكتبات we wrotektbnaكتبنا you wrote (plur.)ktbtuوكتبت they wrotektbuكتبو In the past tense, you (masc.) and you (fem.) are the same. In the present tense, they will be different. Some Regular Verbs to drinkshrbشربto understandfhmفهم to know3rfعرفto workkhdmخدم to playl3bلعبto hitDrbضرب to drawrsmرسمto stop / stand upwqfوقف to sleepn3sنعسto arrivewSlوصل to wearlbsلبسto hear / listensm3سمع to stay / sitglsگلسto asksuwlto enterdkhlدخللسو ّ to travelsafrسافر to go outkhrjخرجto help3awnعاون to returnrj3رجعto sendSifTصيفط to watchtfrrjجتفر ّto washghslغسل to usest3mlto speaktkllmتكلّم ستعمل48 • Moroccan Arabic Some examples: Yesterday, I drank tea without sugar.l-bar7, shrbt atay bla skkar.Last week, Said wrote a letter to his friend.s-simana lli fatt, Sa3id ktb bra l sa7bu..صاحبو ل را ب كتب سعيد ،فات اللي السيمانة Last year, we traveled to New York.l-3am lli fat, safrna l New York..نيويورك ل سافرنا ،فات اللي العام َّ بال أتاي شربت ،البارح .رسك Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the correct form. Mohamed: wesh (n3s) bkri l-bar7? البارح؟ بكري )(نعس واش:محمد .ال:حسن عالش؟:محمد هُممع َ )(تكلّم و ديالي العائلة مع َ )(گلس ،)(رجع ملّي .)}(خرج{حنا ،بعد من .شوية:حسن Hassan: lla Mohamed: 3lash? Hassan: (gls) m3a l-3a-ila dyali u (tkllm) m3ahum shwiya. mn b3d, {7na}(khrj). mlli (rj3), (l3b) l-karTa u (tfrrj) f t-tlfaza. mn b3d {ana}(dkhl) l l-bit dyali u (n3s). l-7dd lli fat, (3awn) khti f l-kuzina: (ghsl) l-mma3n u (Tiyb) l-ghda. من .التلفَزة ف )ج(تفر ّ و الكارطة )(لعب .)(نعس و ديالي البيت ل )(دخل }{أنا ،بعد )ب(طي ّ ّ و اعنالم ّ )(غسل :الكوزينة ف ختي )(عاون ،فات اللي الحد .الغدا Past Tense – Irregular Verbs When we speak about irregular verbs for the past tense, we refer to three categories: 1. three-letter verbs with the long vowel “a” ()ا in the middle position, 2. any verb with the long vowel “a” (ى / )ا at the end, and 3. two-letter verbs. 1st Category: long vowel “a” ()ا in the middle position To conjugate a three-letter verb in the past tense with the long vowel “a” in the middle position, remove the long vowel “a” for the I, you (sing.), we, and you (plur.) forms before adding the past tense endings. For the she form, only add a “t.” The he and they forms are like regular verbs. In these forms, we remove the middle “a” and then add the endings. In these forms, we keep the middle “a” and then add the endings. “to be”kanكان I waskntكنت you were (masc. sing.)kntiكنتي you were (fem. sing.)kntiكنتي he waskanكان she waskantكانت we wereknnaاكن ّ you were (plur.)kntuكنتو they werekanuكانوPeace Corps / Morocco • 49 Some Irregular Verbs with long vowel “a” ()ا in the middle position to seeshafشافto get up / stand upnaDناض to do / makedarدارto throwla7الح to swim3amعامto pass / pass bydazداز to sellba3باعto passfatفات to bringjabجابto love / be dying format 3lato saygalگالto increasezadزاد to fastSamصامto be scaredkhafخاف to driveSagصاگto live3ashشعا على مات Some examples: .السبعة ف نضت الصباح دهَ This morning I got up at 7:00.had S-Sba7 nDt f s-sb3a.What did you do yesterday?shnu drti l-bar7?البارح؟ درتي شنو What’s done is done. (proverb)lli fat mat..مات فات اللي Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the correct form. s-simana lli fatt, ana u S7abi (3am) f la-ppisin. Sara (3ash) .يسينالپ ّ اللي السيمانة ّ ف )(عام صحابي و أنا ،فات .ينعام َ ريكانم ف )(عاش سارة f mirikan 3amayn. nhar s-sbt f l-3shiya, ana u S7abati (kan) f l-7mmam. mlli khrjna (daz) l l-qhwa. ملّي .امالحم ّ ف )(كان صحاباتي و أنا ،العشية ف السبت نهار .القهوة ل )(داز خرجنا 2nd Category: long vowel “a” (ى / )ا at the end To conjugate a verb with the long vowel “a” at the end, change the vowel to “i” for the I, you (sing.), we, and you (plur.) forms, then add the normal endings. For the she form, only add a “t.” The he and they forms are like regular verbs. In these forms, we change the final “a” to “i” then add the endings. In these forms, we keep the final “a” and then add the endings. “to eat”klaكلى I ateklitكليت you ate (masc. sing.)klitiكليتي you ate (fem. sing.)klitiكليتي he ateklaكلى she ateklatكالت we ateklinaكلينا you ate (plur.)klituكليتو they ateklauكالو50 • Moroccan Arabic Some Irregular Verbs with the long vowel “a” (ى / )ا at the end to gomshaمشىto rentkraكرى to startbdaبدىto runjraجرى to buyshraشرىto finishsalaسالى to singghnnaىغن ّto have lunchtghddaىتغد ّ to give3Taعطىto have dinnert3sh-shaىشّ تع to forgetnsaنسىto hopetmnnaتمنى to crybkaبكىto waittsnnaتسنى to wantbghaبغىto read / studyqraقرى to takekhdaخدىto meettlaqaتالقى to comeJa جا Some examples: Last Sunday, I went to the medina and bought a jellaba.l-7dd lli fat, mshit l l-mdina u shrit jllaba. They sang at the party on Saturday.huma ghnnau f l-7fla nhar s-sbt. شريت و المدينة ل مشيت ،فات اللي الحد ّ .جالّبة .السبت نهار الحفلة ف اوغن ّ ماهُ Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the correct form. John u Amy (kra) Dar zwina f Marrakech. l-bar7 ana u Paul (tlaqa) m3a S7abna f r-risTura u (tghdda) mjmu3in. s-simana lli fatt, huma (sala) l-khdma dyalhum f l-mghrib. .مراكش ف زوينة دار )(كرى أيمي و دجون )ى(تغد ّ و الريسطورة ف صحابنا مع َ )(تالقى پول و اأن البارح .مجموعين بالمغر ف ديالهُم الخدمة )(سالى ماهُ ،فات ّ اللي السيمانة. Moroccan Wisdom: ل يصرب العسل بغى اللي .النحل قريص l-li bgha l-3sl y-Sbr l qriS n- n7l. whoever wants honey must tolerate bee stings. English equivalent: Every rose has its thorn.Peace Corps / Morocco • 51 3rd Category: two-letter verbs When we say “two-letter verbs,” some confusion can arise. When we write them in Arabic, they have only two letters. However, there is a “shedda” on the second letter (see pages 3 and 142), so in the transcription we double the second letter, making them look like three-letter verbs. In this case, you can still recognize them because the second and third letters are the same. Or, look at the Arabic script and you can be sure of the fact that they are, indeed, two-letter verbs. To conjugate this type of verb, we add the long vowel “i” to the I, you (sing.), we, and you (plur.) forms, then add the normal endings. The he, she, and they forms are like regular verbs. In these forms, we add “i” to the verb, then add the normal endings. In these forms, we simply add the normal endings. “to open”7llلّ ح I opened7llitحلّيت you opened (masc. sing.)7llitiحلّيتي you opened (fem. sing.)7llitiحلّيتي he opened7llلّ ح she opened7llatحالّت we opened7llinaحلّينا you opened (plur.)7llituحليتو they opened7lluحلّو A two-letter verb with “shedda” on the second letter. Some two-letter verbs to closesddسد ّto be ableqddقد ّ to smellshmmشم ّto pick uphzzهز ّ to handmddمد ّto thinkDnnضن ّ to answer / return backrddرد ّto be boredmllلّ م to pourkbbكب ّto take / catchshddشد ّ to feel7ssحس ّto pull / dragjrrجر ّ to put7TTّحط Some examples: I opened the window and I closed the door7llit s-srjm u sddit l-bab. I felt cold7ssit b l-brd. .الباب يتسد ّ و السرجم حلّيت .البرد ب يتحس ّ Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the correct form. l-bar7 f S-Sba7, Mary (rdd) l-ktab l l-khizana.زانةالخ ل الكتاب )(رد ّ ماري ،الصباح ف ارحالب. mlli kan l-3jaj, {ana} (sdd) s-srajm..السراجم )(سد ّ }{أنا ،العجاج كان ملّي {7na} (7TT) l-7wayj f l-makina d S-Sabun. .الصابون د كينةالم َ ف الحوايج )ّ(حط }{حنا52 • Moroccan Arabic Negation Normal Negative Form In order to express the negative of a verb (i.e. “didn’t,” or “don’t,” or “doesn’t”), we add the prefix (ma) ()ما to the beginning of a verb and the suffix (sh) ()ش to the end of a verb. We drank.shrbna We didn’t drink.ma-shrbna-sh شربنا شربناش ما Exercise: Conjugate the verbs in parentheses in the negative form. فات ّ اللي السيمانة )(سافر وَ ه. ُ huwa (safr) s-simana lli fatt. l-bar7 f l-lil (qra) l-ktab dyali 7it knt 3iyan. hiya (gls) m3ana 7it (sala) l-khdma dyalha..عيان كنت حيت ديالي الكتاب )(قرى الليل ف البارح 7na (n3s) bkri 7it (t3sh-sha) bkri..بكري )ىشّ (تع حيت بكري )(نعس حنا Kari (lbs) l-kswa j-jdida f l-7fla 7it (kan) 3ndha l-wqt. mlli ja l l-mghrib (Sift) bra l l-walidin dyalu..الوقت عندها )(كان حيت الحفلة ف الجديدة الكسوة )(لبس كاري .ديالها الخدمة )(سالى حيت معانا )(گلس هي َ ديالو دينالوال ل را ب )(صيفت بالمغر ل جا ملّي. kan l-brd u {ana}(7ll) s-srajm. .السراجم )لّ (ح }{أنا و البرد كان Additional Negative Forms The following negative forms replace the (sh) ()ش we use for the normal negative form. We still use ( ma) ()ما before the verb, but we use these forms after the verb or, sometimes, before the verb (and thus before ma). والو NothingwaluNothing7tta 7ajaحاجة حتّى Nothing7tta shiشي حتّى no one7tta wa7dواحد حتّى no one(7tta) 7ddحد )(حتّى neither … norla … walaوال … ال only / justghir غير Some examples: .والو عرفت ما I knew nothing.ma-3rft walu.I ate nothing.ma-klit 7tta 7aja.حاجة حتّى كليت ما. No one came.7tta wa7d ma-ja..جا ما واحد حتّى He saw no one.ma-shaf 7tta wa7d / 7dd. حد ّ / واحد حتّى شاف ما.Peace Corps / Morocco • 53 I met neither Mohamed nor Amber.ma-tlaqit la Mohamed wala Amber..أمبر وال محمد ال القيتت ما I drank only water.ma-shrbt ghir l-ma.الما غير شربت ما. Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the proper form. l-7dd lli fat (gls) f D-Dar, (khrj (negative)) 3la7qqash (kan) sh-shta. f l-3shiya Sa7bi (ja) u (msha) l s-sibir bjuj. mn b3d (msha) l s-sinima. (shaf) wa7d l- film zwin. mlli (khrj), (daz) l s-suq.(shra) l-khuDra. mn b3d (shdd) Tobis u (rj3) l D-Dar. ف .الشتا )(كان علَحقّاش )(خرج ،الدار ف )(گلس فات اللي الحد ّ ل )(مشى بعد من .بجوج ريالسيب ل )(مشى و )(جا صاحبي ةالعشي ّ .السوق ل )(داز ،)(خرج ملّي .زوين الفيلم واحد )(شاف .ماالسين .الدار ل )(رجع و الطوبيس )(شد ّ بعد من .الخضرة )(شرى Have you ever… / I’ve never… Have you ever…? We can use the word 3mmr (ر)عم ّ to express the English equivalent of the present perfect tense: “Have you ever…?” and “I have never…” We “conjugate” it as follows: رنيعم ّ / ريعم ّ واش Have I ever…wesh 3mmri / 3mmrniHave you (sing.) ever…wesh 3mmrkركعم ّ واش Has he ever…wesh 3mmruروعم ّ واش Has she ever…wesh 3mmrhaرهاعم ّ واش Have we ever…wesh 3mmrnaرناعم ّ واش Have you (plur.) ever…wesh 3mmrkumمكُرعم ّ واش Have they ever…wesh 3mmrhumمهُرعم ّ واش The verb that follows عmmr is often in the past tense. Some examples: Have you ever gone to France? wesh 3mmrk mshiti l Fransa? Have they ever eaten couscous? wesh 3mmrhum klau l-ksksu? Have you ever drunk mint tea in America? wesh 3mmrkum shrbtu atay b n-n3na3 f mirikan? نسا؟فر ّ واش َ ل مشيتي ركعم الكسكسو؟ كالو مهُرعم ّ واش ف النعناع ب أتاي شربتو مكُرعم ّ واش ريكان؟م I’ve never… This is like the conjugation above, with the addition of ma ()ما at the beginning of 3mmr (ر)عم. ّ I have never… ma 3mmri / ma-3mmrni رنيعم ّ ما / ريعم ّ ما54 • Moroccan Arabic you (sing.) have never…ma-3mmrkركعم ّ ما he has never…ma-3mmruروعم ّ ما she has never…ma-3mmrhaرهاعم ّ ما we have never…ma-3mmrnaرناعم ّ ما you (plur.) have never…ma-3mmrkumمكُرعم ّ ما they have never…ma-3mmrhumمهُرعم ّ ما Some examples: I’ve never eaten hamburger.ma-3mmrni kleet l-hamborgr. She has never been abroad.ma-3mmrha safrat l l-kharij. He has never spoken Arabic.ma-3mmru tkllm l-3rbiya. .الهامبورگر كليت رنيعم ّ ما .جالخار ل سافرات رهاعم ّ ما .العربية تكلّم روعم ّ ما Object Pronouns In English, we have pronouns for the subject of a sentence: I, you, he, she, we, and they. But we also have object pronouns that we use after verbs: He hit me. I saw her. Ask him a question. We gave them some cake. So far, you have learned the independent pronouns (see page 7) and the possessive pronouns (see page 8). Here are the object pronouns that we use in Moroccan Arabic after verbs: meniـني you (sing.)kـك him / itu / hher / ithaـها Usnaـنا you (plur.)kumمكُ ـ Themhumـهُم ـه / ـو These pronouns are the same as the possessive pronouns, with the exception of “me.” The “him” form uses u after consonants and h after vowels, exactly like the possessive pronoun form. Some examples: 3umar 3ta wa7d l-ktab l Omar gave a book to Mohamed. Mohamed. .مدحَ مُ ل الكتاب واحد عطى رمَ عُ .مدحَ مُ ل عطاه رمَ عُ Omar gave it to Mohamed.3umar 3Tah l Mohamed.Did you write the letter to Hassan?wesh ktbti l-bra l Hassan?Yes, I wrote it to Hassan.iyeh, ktbtha l Hassan..حسن ل كتبتها ،إيه Why did you leave us with him?3lash khllitina m3ah?معاه؟ خلّيتينا عالش حسن؟ ل را الب كتبتي واشPeace Corps / Morocco • 55 She saw me at the movie theater. .نيماالس ف شافتني shaftni f s-sinima. As you can see, these pronouns are attached directly to the verb. As a result, when a verb with an object pronoun is made negative, the sh ()ش is used after the pronoun. Some examples: شفتيني You saw me.shftiniYou didn’t see me.ma-shftini-shDid you see Hakima and Karim?wesh shfti Hakima u Karim?ريم؟كَ و كيمةحَ شفتي واش No, I didn’t see them.lla, ma-shfthum-sh..شفتهُمش ما ،ال شفتينيش ما Exercise: Replace the underlined nouns by the corresponding pronouns. 1. qrit dik l-jarida l-bar7 f S-Sbaн. 2. nsau s-sarut dyalhum f D-Dar. 3. zrt duk n-nas f Fes l-bar7. 4. ddau wldhum m3ahum l s-sinima. .الصباح ف البارح ريدةالج َ ديك قريت .الدار ف ديالهُم الساروت نساو .البارح فاس ف الناس دوك زرت .نيماالس ل ممعاه مولده ُ ُ اودّ 5. wqqfna shffar f z-znqa..الزنقة ف شفّار وقّفنا 6. bba 3awn khuk f l-7sab..الحساب ف خوك عاون ابَ Question Words Some of these you already know. Some will be new for you. شكون WhoshkunWho are you?shkun nta / nti?؟نت / نت َ شكون whatash / shnu / ashnuأشنو / شنو / أش What did you do yesterday?shnu drti l-bar7?البارح؟ درتي شنو whichashmnWhich bus did you take?ashmn Tubis khditi?wherefin / faynWhere did you eat pizza?fin kliti l-ppitza?howKifashHow did you get to the hotel?kifash wSlti l l-uTil?from wheremninWhere did you come from?mnin jiti?جيتي؟ منين whenfuqash / imtaإنتى / فوقاش أشمن خديتي؟ طوبيس أشمن فاين / فين ـيتزا؟الپ ّ كليتي فين كيفاش لوطيل؟ ل وصلتي كيفاش منين56 • Moroccan Arabic البارح؟ نعستي فوقاش When did you sleep yesterday?fuqash n3sti l-bar7?When did you arrive?imta wSlti?why3lashWhy did you come late?3lash jiti mm3TTl?معطّل؟ جيتي عالش Because I didn’t get up early.3la7qqash ma-nDt-sh bkri..بكري نضتش ما علَحقّاش وصلتي؟ إنتى عالش The word mn ()من is used after some prepositions to create question words. with whom m3a mn With whom did you travel to Rabat? (In the US: Who did you travel m3a mn safrti l Rabat? to Rabat with?) من مع َ الرباط ل سافرتي من مع َ whosedyal mnمن يالد how many / how muchsh7alشحال The question word sh7al ()شحال may is followed by either d ()د or mn ()من, depending upon the noun following it. Uncountable nouns are nouns that do not have a plural because they speak about something that can be “measured,” but not “counted” (e.g. tea, air). Countable nouns are nouns that have plural forms and, therefore, nouns with which we use numbers (e.g. 5 cats, 3 books). With sh7al: sh7al + d + singular uncountable noun or sh7al + d + plural countable noun or sh7al + mn + singular countable noun How much time?sh7al d l-wqt?الوقت؟ د شحال How many books?sh7al d l-ktub?الكتوب؟ د شحال How many books?sh7al mn ktab?كتاب؟ من شحال In referring to prices, sh7al is almost always preceded by the preposition b ()ب. How much is this shirt? How much did you pay for them? bsh7al had l-qamija? bsh7al shritihum? .القَميجة دهَ بشحال شريتيهُم؟ بشحالPeace Corps / Morocco • 57 Exercise: Write your time line of activities for last Sunday. Use the following time expressions and verbs to write as many sentences as you can. e.g. f l-weekend t3sh-shit m3a S7abi f r-risTora. Time Expressions .الريسطورة ف صحابي مع َ يتشّ تع الويكاند ف Verbs tfrrjجتفر ّt3sh-shaىشّ تع بكري الصباح فdarدارsafrسافر f l-3shiyaالعشية ف3awnعاونtsnnaىتسن ّ f l-lilالليل فSamصامjaجا mn b3dبعد منkbbكب ّmshaمشى فات اللي الحد ّdqqدق ّtlaqaتالقى )(وقت فkhafخافwSlوصل shafشافqraقرى Duwshشدو ّtkllmتكلّم SifTطصيف f l-weekend f S-Sba7 bkri l-7dd lli fat f (time) الويكاند ف Lbs لبس