Supplementary Grammar Lessons#
These are lessons you can work on by yourself or with your tutor once you arrive at your site. It is unlikely you will be able to complete them during stage, unless you already have some experience with Arabic. Making Intransitive Verbs into Transitive Verbs Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not require a direct object such as: to come indkhlدخلto be afraidkhafخاف to go outkhrjخرجto drinkshrbشرب to laughD7kضحكto understandfhmفهم to fallTa7طاحto go upTl3طلع to go downhbTهبط All these verbs are trilateral (i.e. they are made up of three letters) and they can be made transitive by doubling their middle consonant (i.e. putting a shedda on it). The new transitive verb normally has the meaning “to make someone do something.” Look at how the meaning changes when the intransitive verb ḍнk “to laugh” is changed into a transitive verb: You are laughing / you laugh.kat-D7k..تضحككَ You make me laugh.kat-D7-7kni..كنيتضح ّ كَ Here is a list of verbs commonly used in their transitive form: to make (someone or something) enter / to bring indkh-khlلدخ ّ to make (someone or something) exit / to take outkhrrjجخر ّ to make (so/sth) laughD7-7kكضح ّ to drop / to throw down (i.e. to make something fall)Tiy7حطي ّ to frighten (i.e. to make someone afraid)khuwfفخو ّ to water (i.e. to make something “drink”)shrrbبشر ّ to make (someone) understand / to explainfhhmفهّم to make go up / to promote / to take upTll3طلّع to bring down / to demotehbbTطهب ّPeace Corps / Morocco • 145 Some examples: The clown makes small kids laugh.dkh-khlt wa7d l-klb l D-Dar welakin bba khrrju. l-klun kay- D7-7k d-drari S-Sghar. Take this table out of here, please.khrrj 3afak had T-Tbla mn hna. I brought in a dog to the house but my father took it out. .جوخر ّ ّ ابّ نلَكوَ الدار ل الكلب واحد لتدخ .الصغار الدراري كيضح ّ كَ لكلون .هنا من ةالطبل دهَ فاكعَ جخر ّ Passive Verbs Transitive verbs can be made passive by adding t ()ت to them, as shown below: to writeKtbكتب to be written (masc.)tktbتكتب to be written (fem.)tktbatتكتبات to be written (plur.)tktbuتكتبو to understandfhmفهم to be understood (masc.)tfhmتفهم to be understood (fem.)tfhmatتفهمات to be understood (plur.)tfhmuتفهمو to buyshraشرى to be bought (masc.)tshraتشرى to be bought (fem.)tshratتشرات to be bought (plur.)tshrauتشراو to stealsrqسرق to be stolen (masc.)tsrqتسرق to be stolen (fem.)tsrqatتسرقات to be stolen (plur.)tsrquتسرقو Some examples: Ali ate pizza.3li kla l-pitza..الپيتزا كال علي The pizza was eaten.tklat l-pitza..الپيتزا تكالت The teacher wrote the lesson.l-ustad ktb d-drs.The lesson was written.d-drs tktb.The students understood the riddle.t-tlamd fhmu l-lughz. .الدرس كتب األُستاد .تكتب الدرس .اللُغز فهمو التالمد146 • Moroccan Arabic The riddle was understood.l-lughz tfhm. Laila bought some clothes.layla shrat l-7wayj. Some clothes were bought.l-7wayj tshrau. .تفهم اللُغز .الحوايج شرات لَيلى .تشراو الحوايج Exercise: Put the sentences below in the passive form. 1. lSSq t-tSwira f l-7itT. 2. ba3u l-flla7a l-m7Sul dyalhum. .الحيط ف التصويرة قلص ّ .1 .ديالهُم المحصول فالّحةال باعو .2 3. Sbnat Jamila l-7wayj..الحوايج ميلةجَ صبنات .3 4. hrrs Peter l-kisan..الكيسان بيتر سهر ّ .4 5. smma Aziz bntu Ibtisam. .سامإبت بنتو عزيز ىسم ّ .5 6. sm3t S-Sda3 l-bar7..البارح الصداع سمعت .6 7. jlat Lupe l-purTabl..الپورطابل لوپي جالت .7 8. jr7at Jill Sb3ha b l-mus..الموس ب صبعها دجيل جرحات .8 9. 3Tat Aicha l-kaDu l Malika..ليكةمَ ل وضالكا عيشة عطات .9 10. kra shi wa7d had D-Dar. .الدار دهَ واحد شي كرى .10 The Past Progressive The Moroccan Arabic equivalent for the English past progressive (was doing, were doing) is the past of kan ()كان “to be” followed by the present tense. For example: He was talking.kan kay-tkllm. He wasn’t talking.ma-kan-sh kay-tkllm. You were talking.knti kat-tkllm. I wasn’t workingma-knt-sh kan-khdm. She was writing.kant kat-ktb. .يتكلّمكَ كان .لّميتككَ كانش ما .تتكلّمكَ كنتي .نخدمكَ كنتش ما .تكتبكَ كانت This construction can also be translated as “used to.” For example: I used to sell cars. knt kan-bi3 T-Tomobilat. .الطوموبيالت نبيعكَ كنت Whether a given occurrence of this construction is to be translated as past progressive or “used to” depends upon the context. I used to travel a lot. knt kan-safr bzzaf. mlli knt f S-Swira, knt When I was in Essaouira, I used kan-akul l-7ut kul to eat fish every day. nhar. knt kan-tfrrj f I was watching TV when t-tlfaza mlli dqq shi someone knocked at the door. wa7d f l-bab. I used to work in this school. knt kan-khdm f had .افبزّ نسافركَ كنت الحوت لكُ ناكَ كنت ،الصويرة ف كنت ملّي .نهار لكُ ف واحد شي دق ّ ملّي التلفَزة ف جنتفر ّ كَ كنت .الباب .سةالمدر َ دهَ ف نخدمكَ كنتPeace Corps / Morocco • 147 l-mdrasa. knt kan-jri kul Sba7. I used to run every morning. knt kan-kmi bzzaf, I used to smoke a lot but I quit welakin ma-bqit-sh smoking (don’t smoke anymore). kan-kmi. .صباح لكُ نجريكَ كنت .نكميكَ بقيتش ما نلَكوَ ،افبزّ نكميكَ كنت Exercise: Put the verbs in parentheses in the correct form. mlli ana (kan / qra) f j-jami3a f mirikan, (kan / skn) m3a wa7d l-3a-ila mirikaniya. l-3a-ila m3a mn (kan / skn), 3ndha juj d l-bnat (kan / qra) m3aya f l-jami3a. w7da mnhum (kan / t3llm) l-3rbiya l-fuS7a, u ana (kan / raj3) m3aha d-durus dyalha. l-ustad l-li (kan / qrra) l-3rbiya l-fuS7a f dik l-jami3a smitu d-duktur Jawad. huwa miSri welakin dar jinsiya mirikaniya. واحد مع َ )سكن / (كان ،ريكانم ف عةالجام ف )قرى / (كان أنا ملّي البنات د جوج عندها ،)سكن / (كان من مع ّ رم لةالعائ َ لةالعائ .ةيكاني ةبيّ العر )تعلّم / (كان منهُم وحدة .عةالجام ف معايا )قرى / (كان اللي األُستاد .ديالها روسالد ُ معاها )راجع / (كان أنا و ،الفوصحة .وادجَ كتورالد ُ سميتو عةالجام ديك ف الفوصحة ةبيّ العر )ىقر ّ / (كان .ةيكاني ّ رم ةنسي ّ ج دار نلَكوَ مصري وَ هُ The Verb “to remain” The verb bqa ()بقى “to remain” is followed by the present tense or by the active participle (see section below) when it corresponds to the English “kept doing something.” Some examples: .ماه ّ كَ بقات ُ تتسن She kept waiting for them.bqat kat-tsnnahum.He kept on searching in the well until he got tired.bqa kay-qllb f l-bir 7tta 3ya.He kept going (habitually).bqa kay-mshi..يمشيكَ بقى He kept going (continued on his way, on one occasion).bqa mashi..ماشي بقى .عيى حتّى البير ف يقلّبكَ بقى When negated, bqa ()بقى in verb phrases is equivalent to “no longer, not anymore,” with either past or present meaning. For example: He didn’t (doesn’t) laugh at them ma-bqa-sh kay-D7k 3lihum. anymore. .عليهُم يضحككَ بقاش ما The active participle baqi preceding the present tense is equivalent to the English “still.” He’s still working with us. huwa baqi kay-khdm m3ana. .معانا يخدمكَ باقي وَ هُ Verb Participles Verb participles are adjectives derived from verbs. They agree in gender and number, like all adjectives, but not in person (I, you, he) or tense (past, present). Transitive verbs have two participles, an active and a passive participle. Intransitive verbs have only an active participle. The Active Participle Verb Stem Active Participle to writeKtbكتبhaving writtenkatb(a))كاتب(ة to open7llلّ حhaving opened7all(a))(ةلّ حا148 • Moroccan Arabic to sellba3باعhaving soldbay3(a))بايع(ة to buyshraشرىhaving boughtshari(a))شاري(ة Some examples: He had written he lessons.kan katb d-durus dyalu..ديالو روسالد ُ كاتب كان She had sold her house.kant bay3a D-Dar dyalha..ديالها الدار بايعة كانت .الباب ف واقف لقيتو I found him standing at the door. lqitu waqf f l-bab. .جديدة قَميجة البس وَ هُ He is wearing a new shirt today.huwa labs qamija jdida.I saw her wearing a green coat.shftha labsa kbbuT khDr..خضر وطكب ّ البسة شفتها Everyday I see him walking on this street.kul nhar kan-shufu mashi f had z-znqa..الزنقة دهَ ف ماشي نشوفوكَ نهار لكُ For a small group of verbs, the active participle must be used in order to express a current (i.e. progressive) activity. For these verbs, the present tense expresses only a habitual activity Verb Stem Active Participle to sit / stayglsگلسsittinggalsگالس to wearlbsلبسwearinglabsالبس to sleepn3sنعسsleepingna3sناعس to leave / exitkhrjخرجleavingkharjخارج to enterdkhlدخلenteringdakhlداخل to returnrj3رجعreturningraj3راجع to standwqfوقفstandingwaqfواقف to travelsafrسافرtravelingmsafrمسافر to rentkraكرىrentingkariكاري to regretndmندمregrettingnadmنادم to be quietsktسكتbeing quietsaktساكت to be afraidkhafخافbeing afraidkhayfخايف to spend the nightbatباتspending the nightbaytبايت Some examples: He wears a green shirt every day. (habitual → present tense)kay-lbs qamija khDra kul nhar..نهار لكُ خضرة قَميجة يلبسكَ He is wearing a green shirt. (now→ participle)huwa labs qamija khDra..خضرة قَميجة البس وَ هُPeace Corps / Morocco • 149 She goes to sleep at 10:00. (habitual → present tense)kat-n3s f 10:00. She is sleeping. (now→ participle)hiya na3sa. .10:00 ف تنعسكَ .ناعسة يَ ه Passive Participle Verb Stem Passive Participle to writektbكتب(having been) writtenmktub(a))مكتوب(ة to open7llلّ ح(having been) openedm7lul(a))محلول(ة to sellba3باع(having been) soldmbyu3(a))مبيوع(ة to buyshraشرى(having been) boughtmshri(a))مشري(ة to make (manufacture)Sn3صنع(having been) made / manufacturedmSnu3(a))ة(مصنوع Some examples: This tray is made of silver. These boxes have something written on them. This letter is written; I need only a stamp to send it. Go to my room, the door is open. had S-Siniya mSnu3a mn l-fD-Da. had Snadq mktub 3lihum shi 7aja. had l-bra mktuba, khSSni ghir t-tanbr bash n-SifTha. sir l l-bit dyali rah l-bab m7lul. .ةالفض من مصنوعة ةالصيني دهَ ّ ّ .حاجة شي عليهُم مكتوب صنادق دهَ باش التانبر غير نيخص ّ ،مكتوبة را الب دهَ .نصيفطها .محلول الباب راه ديالي البيت ل سير Intransitive Verbs with Only One Participle Verb Stem Participle to garnishkhDDrرخض ّhaving garnished having been garnishedmkhDDr(a))ر(ةمخض ّ to coverghTTaغطّىhaving covered having been coveredmghTTi(a))مغطّي(ة to travelsafrسافرhaving traveled having been traveledmsafr(a))مسافر(ة to restrta7رتاحhaving rested having been restedmrta7(a))مرتاح(ة to go flattfshتفشhaving gone flat having been gone flatmfshush(a))مفشوش(ة to hidekhbbaىخب ّhaving hidden having been hiddenmkhbbi(a))ي(ةمخب ّ Some examples:150 • Moroccan Arabic She is traveling now because she is on vacation.hiya msafra daba 7it 3ndha 3uTla..طلةعُ عندها حيت بادَ مسافرة يَ ه I’m relaxed since I finished my work.ana mrta7 mlli kmmlt l-khdma dyali..ديالي الخدمة لتكم ّ ملّي تاحمر أنا The tajine is garnished with prunes and almonds.T-Tajin mkhDDr b l-brquq u l-luz..اللوز و البرقوق ب رمخض الطاجين ّ He is covered with a blanket because he is cold.huwa mghTTi b l-kash-sha 7it jah l-brd..البرد جاه حيت شةكَ ال ب يط ّ مغ وَ هُ She was hidden behind the door.kant mkhbbya mur l-bab..الباب مور يةمخب ّ كانت Exercise: In the sentences below, supply the proper form of the participle of the verb written in parentheses. .نسافر َ ل )(سافر عيشة .1 1. Aicha (safr) l fransa. 2. kant Sara (7ll) l-bab..الباب )لّ (ح سارة كانت .2 3. D-Dar dyal Hassan (ba3))(باع حسن ديال الدار .3 4. kant Layla (msha) s-suq..السوق )(مشى لَيلى كانت .4 5. 3lash khlliti s-srjm (7ll)..)لّ (ح السرجم خلّيتي عالش .5 .)(نعس ختي كانت جيت ملّي البارح .6 6. l-bar7 mlli jit kant khti (n3s). .)خ(وس ّ ديالي القَميجة .7 7. l-qamija dyali (wusskh). الكوزينة؟ ديال الباب )(سد ّ واش .8 8. wesh (sdd) l-bab dyal l-kuzina? .البارح )(غاب عادسُ كانت .9 9. kant Su3ad (ghab) l-bar7. .اللوز ب )ر(عم ّ .10 ّ الدجاج بتطي 10. Tiybt d-djaj (3mmr) b l-luz. .نسافر َ ف )(صنع الكاس دهَ .11 11. had l-kas (Sn3) f fransa. 12. wesh kant Erika (gls) f D-Dar?الدار؟ ف )(گلس إريكا كانت واش .12 13. had l-ktab (trjm) mn l-3rbiya l n-ngliziya. 14. ana (3rf) blli djun (rj3) l-mghrib..ةيّلنگليزا ل ةبيّ العر من )(ترجم الكتاب دهَ .13 .بالمغر )(رجع دجون بلّي )(عرف أنا .14 Conjunctions either … orimma … wlla Either send a letter or call me.imma SiftT liya bra wlla 3iyT liya f t-tilifun. in order tobash I am learning Arabic in order to talk to people.kan-t3llm l-3rbiya bash n-tkllm m3a n-nas. Ifwesh I want to know if you read thisbghit n-3rf wesh qriti ّوال … اإم ّ .فونلالت ف اليّ طعي ّ ّوال را ب اليّ صيفط اإم ّ باش .الناس مع َ نتكلّم باش ةبيّ العر نتعلّمكَ واش .الكتاب دهَ قريتي واش نعرف بغيتPeace Corps / Morocco • 151 book.had l-ktab. when / sincemlli / mnin When I came to Rabat I took the mlli / mnin jit l Rabat shddit t-tran. train. I have been sick since I came to mlli jit l Rabat u ana mriDa. Rabat. who / whom / which / thatl-li The man who is sitting at that table is my friend.r-rajl l-li gals f dik T-Tbla Sa7bi. The book that I read is important.l-ktab l-li qrit muhimm. Until7tta I won’t sleep until I finish this book.ma-ghadi-sh n-n3s 7tta n-kmml had l-ktab. as soon asghir As soon as I finished my work I went out.ghir kmmlt l-khdma dyali u khrjt. Wheneverwqt mma Whenever I am upset I cry.wqt mma tqllqt kan-bki. although / even thoughwakha Although John is not a Muslim he fasts.wakha John mashi muslim kay-Sum. Butwelakin I want to help you but I can’t.bghit n-3awnk welakin ma-qddit-sh. Beforeqbl ma منين / ملّي .التران يتشد ّ الرباط ل جيت منين / ملّي .مريضة أنا و الرباط ل جيت ملّي اللي .صاحبي الطبلة ديك ف گالس اللي الراجل .مّ همُ قريت اللي الكتاب حتّى .الكتاب دهَ لنكم ّ حتّى عسنّ غاديش ما غير .خرجت و ديالي الخدمة لتكم ّ غير امّ وقت .نبكيكَ تقلّقت امّ وقت اخّ وَ .يصومكَ مسلمُ ماشي دجون اخّ وَ نلَكوَ .يتشقد ّ ما نلَكوَ نعاونك بغيت ما قبل This conjunction requires the present tense without the prefix ka (ـكَ ), even if the past is referred to. I always read before I sleep.dima kan-qra qbl ma n-n3s. Afterb3d ma .عسنّ ما قبل نقرىكَ ديما ما بعد In sentences having this conjunction, the verb of the subsequent phrase has to be in the same tense as the first one. After I went home, I showered.b3d ma mshit l D-Dar, duwsht. Thatblli I knew that you weren’t there.3rft blli ma-knti-sh. .شتدو ّ ،الدار ل مشيت ما بعد بلّي .كنتيش ما بلّي عرفت152 • Moroccan Arabic حيت 7it since / when / because Since you had a lot of work, why 7it 3ndk l-khdma bzzaf 3lash mshiti l s-sinima? did you go to the cinema? When I was in Marrakech I went to the Menara.7it knt f Marrakech mshit l l-Menara. I went to the doctor because I was sick.mshit l T-Tbib 7it knt mriD. Because3la7qqash He didn’t go to school because he didn’t wake up early.ma-msha-sh l l-mdrasa 3la7qqash ma-faq-sh bkri. Withoutbla ma They talked without thinking.hDru bla ma y-fkru. Whereverfin mma Wherever there is water there is life.fin mma kayn l-ma, kayna l-7ayat. Then3ad I ate then slept.klit 3ad n3st. ل مشيتي عالش افبزّ الخدمة عندك حيت ما؟السين .المنارة ل مشيت مراكش ف كنت حيت .مريض كنت حيت الطبيب ل مشيت علَحقّاش فاقش ما علَحقّاش سةالمدر َ ل مشاش ما .بكري ما بال .يفكرو ما بال هضرو امّ فين .ياةالح َ كاينة ،الما كاين امّ فين عاد .نعست عاد كليت Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate conjunction from the list. bash7itmlli باشحيتملّي 3la7qqash 3ad علَحقّاش عاد 7ttablliweshbla mal-li welakin qbl حتّىبلّيواشما بالاللي 1. ma-ghadi-sh n-safr ____ t-ji. 2. khSSki t-3rfi ____ 7tta 7aja maS3iba. 3. bghit n-duwsh ____ n-rta7. 4. bghau y-3rfu ____ kayna shi mdrasa hna. 5. d-dwa ____ st3mlt mzyan. نلَكوَ لقب .تجي ____ نسافر غاديش ما .1 .ماصعيبة حاجة حتّى ____ تعرفي يكخص ّ .2 .نرتاح ____ شندو ّ بغيت .3 .هنا سةمدر َ شي كاينة ____ عرفوي بغاو .4 .مزيان ستعملت ____ الدوا .5 6. ____ kant mriDa mshat l 3nd T-Tbib..الطبيب عند ل مشات مريضة كانت ____ .6 7. bghat t-shufu ____ ma-3ndha-sh l-wqt..الوقت عندهاش ما ____ تشوفو بغات .7 8. fkkr ____ jawb. 9. l-mdina ____ knt sakn fiha kbira. 10. ktbt bra ____ n3st. 11. kay-akul ____ y-ghsl yddih ____ kay-akul b l-frshiTa. 12. ma-safrat-sh ____ ma-3ndha-sh l-flus. .جاوب ____ ركّ ف .8 .كبيرة فيها ساكن كنت ____ المدينة .9 .نعست ____ را ب كتبت .10 .الفرشيطة ب لكُ ياكَ ____ يهيد ّ يغسل ____ لكُ ياكَ .11 .الفلوس عندهاش ما ____ سافراتش ما .12