At the Post Office#
Objective: By the end of the chapter, you will be able to: • buy stamps and send letters and parcels • use prepositions correctly with verbs The Post Office Stamps are available at tobacco stores in addition to the post office. It is best to mail your letters at the mail slot outside the post office since pick-ups can be infrequent at other mail boxes. When sending packages out of the country, you are required to fill out a customs declaration form. Be sure to leave the package open because an official is required to see the contents before it is sealed. Vocabulary post office l-bosTa البوسطة جوا Address ladrisaلَدريسة l-3unwanنوانالع ُ envelopejwaletterbra/briyastamptanbrتَنبرmoney order l-manDastampstnabrتنابرPackagekulyaكولية registered letterbra rikomandiكوماندير را بNormal3adiعادي postmanl-fakturالفاكتورExpressexpressإكسپريس post boxbwaT posTalوسطالپّ بواطCustomsd-diwanaالديوانة box (for a package)kartTonaTapes-skotshالسكوتش GluelSaq برية /را ب كارطونة post card karT posTal الوسطپّ كارط المانضة لصاق Verbs to sendSifTصيفطto close / sealshdd شد ّ to pastelSSqقلص ّto receivetwSSl b to fill in (a form)3mmrرعم ّ ب لتوص ّ Expressions بالمغر / ريكانم ديال التَنبر واحد بغيت I want a stamp for the US / Morocco please.bghit wa7d t-tanbr dyal mirikan /l-mghrib 3afak.I want to send this letter / this package.bghit n-SifT had l-bra/ had l-kulya..الكولية دهَ / را الب دهَ نصيفط بغيت How much will I pay to send this…?bsh7al ghadi n-SifT had … ?؟… دهَ نصيفط غادي بشحال How much time will it take for it to arrive to … ?sh7al d l-wqt kay-khSS bash t-wSl l … ?؟… ل توصل باش يخصكَ الوقت د شحال Why don’t letters arrive quickly?3lash l-brawat ma-kay-wSlu-sh dghiya..ةدغي ّ يوصلوشكَ ما واتالبر َ عالش .فاكعَPeace Corps / Morocco • 113 Dialogue البوسطة ف f l-bosTa Judy: bghit t-tnabr, lla .يخلّيك اهلل ،التنابر بغيت :دجودي y-khllik. l-muwDDaf: fin ghadya t-SifTi َّ المو وات؟البر َ تصيفطي غادية فين :فض ّ l-brawat? Judy: bghit n-SifT w7da 3adiya وحدة و ريكانم ل ةعادي وحدة نصيفط بغيت :دجودي ّ l mirikan u w7da .بالمغر ف هنا كوماندير rikumandi hna f l-mghrib. l-muwDDaf: wakha a lalla,3ndk 22.50 َّ المو .درهم 22.50 عندك ،ّلَال أ اخّ وَ :فض ّ drhm. Paul: ana bghit n-SifT kulya l .ريكانم ل كولية نصيفط بغيت أنا :پول mirikan. َّ المو .فيها شنو نشوف را أ :فض ّ l-muwDDaf: ara n-shuf shnu fiha. .سيدي أ هاك :پول Paul: hak a sidi. َّ المو .فاكعَ المطبوع دهَ رعم ّ :فض ّ l-muwDDaf: 3mmr had l-mTbu3 3afak. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ l-muwDDaf: wesh t-SifTha 3adi wlla َّ المو إكسپريس؟ ّوال عادي تصيفطها واش :فض ّ express? .فاكعَ عادي غير :پول Paul: ghir 3adi 3afak. l-muwDDaf: wakha a sidi, 3ndk 250 drhm. Paul & Judy: shukran, َّ المو .درهم 250 عندك ،سيدي أ اخّ وَ :فض ّ .السالمة ب ،را كشُ :دجودي و پول bslama. َّ المو .يعاون اهلل :فض ّ l-muwDDaf: lla y-3awn. البوسطة؟ ف دجودي تديركَ شنو .1 1. shnu kat-dir Judy f l-bosTa? 2. wesh bghat t-SifT l-brawat express? إكسپريس؟ واتالبر َ تصيفط بغات واش .2 پول؟ يصيفط بغى شنو .3 3. shnu bgha y-SifT Paul? يدير؟ وخص ّ شنو .4 4. shnu khSSu y-dir? Exercise: Make as many sentences as you can using the following words. You may need to add some of your own words. mshitمشيتbghauبغاوshraشرىmanDaمانضة mshaمشىbghinaبغيناshafشافkulyaكولية mshatمشات l l-bosṭa عla нqqaš bghitبغيتkhdaخدىtnabrتنابر bghatبغاتSiftTصيفطmirikanريكانم bghaبغىSrfصرفbghituبغيتو mshina مشينا mshau مشاو mshitu مشيتو البوسطة ل حقّاش على bwaṭ posTal بواط وسطالپّ114 • Moroccan Arabic Using Prepositions with Pronoun Endings & Verbs Learning how to use prepositions correctly can sometimes be tricky. First, the prepositions don’t always correspond directly to English prepositions . Thus, at different times in Moroccan Arabic we will use different prepositions for what would be the same preposition in English. Second, prepositions sometimes change in meaning depending upon the verb they are used with. This is true in English, too: She spoke on the rights of homeless people. (on means “on the subject of”) I put the book on the table. (on means “on top of”) With these challenges, it may take awhile for you to be a master of Darija prepositions. But with continued use and exposure, they will become natural for you, just as greetings are now natural for you. In this section, we will look at two aspects of prepositions: 1. how to connect prepositions with pronoun endings, and 2. which verbs use certain prepositions. Some prepositions you have already learned (such as dyal) simply add the normal pronoun endings (ex. dyali, dyalk, etc.). The following prepositions, however, change slightly when pronoun endings are added: to / forlل on / about3laعلى Withm3aمع َ in / at / aboutfف with / bybب The Preposition “l” The preposition l ()ل often means “to” (ex. I gave something to you) or “for” (ex. I did something for you). It may also be used with certain verbs simply to express the meaning of the verb; in these cases, it doesn’t translate into anything in English. To add the pronoun endings: ل to / forlto / for meliya / lito / for you (sing.)likto / for himlih / luto / for herlihaليها to / for uslinaلينا to / for you (plur.)likumمكُ لي to / for themlihumليهُم لي / اليّ ليك لو / ليه Some verbs that go with this preposition: Excusesm7 lل سمحsend (to)SifT (l))(ل صيفط explain (to)fssr (l))(ل رفس ّbring (to)jab (l))(ل جاب say (to)gal (l))(ل گالto be possible (for…)ymkn (l))(ل يمكنPeace Corps / Morocco • 115 Some examples: Kristin sent a letter to Chad.Kristin SifTat bra l Chad.Kristin sent a letter to him.Kristin SifTat bra lih..ليه را ب صيفطات كرستن Thomas bought a present for Jessica on her birthday.Thomas shra wa7d l-kaDu l Jessica f 3id l-milad dyalha.ف كاجس د ل وضالكا واحد شرى طوماس Thomas bought it for her.Thomas shrah liha.Excuse me.sm7 liya. .تشاد ل را ب صيفطات كرستن .ديالها الميالد عيد .ليها شراه طوماس .اليّ سمح wesh ymkn liya n-hDr m3ak? I can’t (i.e. it is not possible for me) go out ma-ymkn-sh liya n-khrj deba. now. Can I (i.e. is it possible for me) talk with you? معاك؟ نهضر اليّ يمكن واش .بادَ نخرج اليّ يمكنش ما As you can see in the example “Excuse me” above, sometimes the Arabic verb requires the preposition in order to be equivalent to the English verb. In these cases, the English translation doesn’t have a preposition, but the Arabic still requires it. The Preposition “3la” The preposition عla is used with many verbs and expressions, and as a result it translates into many English prepositions, including: “on,” “about,” “to,” “at,” and others. With pronoun endings: on (and others)3laعلى on me3liyaاعلي ّ on you (sing.)3likعليك on him3lihعليه on her3lihaعليها on us3linaعلينا on you (plur.)3likumمكُ علي on them3lihumعليهُم Some verbs that go with this preposition: defenddaf3 3laعلى دافعlie (to)kdb (3la))(على كدب look/search (for)qllb (3la))(على قلّبlaugh (at)D7k (3la))(على ضحك speak (about)tkllm (3la))(على تكلّمto love (i.e. to be dying for)mat (3la))(على مات In the first verb, “defend,” the preposition 3la does not have an English translation since it is required in order to translate the Arabic verb into “defend.” In the second verb, “look/search,” however, the preposition 3la is basically equivalent to the English “for.” Some examples:116 • Moroccan Arabic Did we talk about the role of Peace Corps in Morocco?wesh tkllmna 3la d-dawr dyal hayAat s-salam f l-mghrib?Yes, we talked about it.iyeh, tkllmna 3lih.Are you looking for a house to rent?wesh kat-qllb 3la Dar l l-kra?Yes, I’m looking for one.iyeh, kan-qllb 3liha..عليها نقلّبكَ ،إيه I love (am dying for) pizza.kan-mut 3la l-pitza..الپيتزا على نموتكَ I love it.kan-mut 3lihaDon’t lie to me.ma-tkdb-sh 3liya..اعلي ّ تكدبش ما He’s laughing at me.kay-D7k 3liya..اعلي ّ يضحككَ ف المالس َ على تكلّمنا واش َ يئةهَ ديال ورالد ب؟المغر .عليه تكلّمنا ،إيه الكرا؟ ل دار على تقلّبكَ واش عليها نموتكَ The Preposition “m3a” The preposition mعa almost always translates into the English “with.” With pronouns: Withm3aمع َ with mem3ayaمعايا with you (sing.)m3akمعاك with himm3ahمعاه with herm3ahaمعاها with usm3anaمعانا with you (plur.)m3akumمكُ معا with themm3ahumممعاه ُ Some verbs that go with this preposition: laugh (with)D7k (m3a))(مع َ ضحكmeet (with)tlaqa (m3a))(مع َ تالقى be helpful (with)t3awn (m3a))(مع َ تعاونstay (with)bqa (m3a))(مع َ بقى shake hands (with)tsalm (m3a))(مع َ تسالمargue (with)tkhaSm (m3a) )(مع َ تخاصم Some examples: I met (with) Samir in the post office. I met (with) him in the post office.tlaqit m3a Samir f l-bosTa. I’m just kidding! (with you)ghir kan-D7k m3ak! Would you like to come to the movies with me?bghiti t-mshi l s-sinima m3aya? tlaqit m3ah f l-bosTa. .البوسطة ف ميرسَ مع َ تالقيت .البوسطة ف معاه تالقيت !معاك نضحككَ غير معايا؟ نيماالس ل تمشي بغيتيPeace Corps / Morocco • 117 The Preposition “f” Like عla, the preposition f has many different English translations, including: “in,” “about,” “at,” “on,” and others. When used with pronouns: Infف in mefiyaافيّ in you (sing.)fikفيك in himfihفيه in herfihaفيها in usfinaفينا in you (plur.)fikumمكُ في in themfihumفيهُم Some verbs that go with this preposition: ask (about)suwl (f))(ف لسو ّparticipate (in)shark (f))(ف شارك think (about)fkkr (f))(ف ركّ فtake care (of)thlla (f))(ف تهلّى talk (about) a personhDr (f))(ف هضرtrust (in)taq (f))(ف تاق Some examples: I came over (asked about you) yesterday, but I didn’t find you. We trusted (in) him, but he betrayed us.suwlt fik l-bar7, welakin ma-lqitk-sh. Take care of yourself.thlla f rask. .لقيتكش ما نلَكوَ ،البارح فيك لتسو ّ .بينا غدر و ،فيه تقنا tqna fih, u ghdr bina. .راسك ف تهلّى This preposition, with pronouns, can also have the meaning of the verb “to be.” I am hungry.fiya j-ju3..الجوع افيّ I am thirsty.fiya l-3Tsh..العطش افيّ He has a fever.fih s-skhana..السخانة فيه And sometimes it takes the meaning of “to have” in the expression “to have in it/them.” This house has five rooms. had D-Dar fiha khmsa d l-byut. .البيوت د خمسة فيها الدار دهَ118 • Moroccan Arabic The Preposition “b” The preposition b usually has the meaning of “with” (I eat with my hands), but can also be used for: “by,” “in,” “about,” “for,” and others. With pronouns: Withbب with mebiyaابيّ with you (sing.)bikبيك with himbihبيه with herbihaبيها with usbinaبينا with you (plur.)bikumمكُ بي with thembihumبيهُم Some verbs that go with this preposition: believe (in)amn (b))(ب آمنmarry (with)tzuwj (b))(ب جتزو ّ dream (about)7lm (b))(ب حلمwelcomer7-7b bب برح ّ be responsible (for)tkllf (b))(ب تكلّفwant to be sepa- skha (b) rated (from))(ب سخى Some examples: She married (with) him last year.tzuwjat bih l-3am l-li fat. They welcomed me into their house.r7-7bu biya f Darhum. I dreamed about him.7lmt bih. .فات اللي العام بيه جاتتزو ّ .مهُدار ف ابيّ بورح ّ .بيه حلمت Exercise: Replace the underlined nouns with the corresponding pronouns. Sometimes you will need to use a preposition and pronoun together. Example: l-qT kla l-7ut. l-qT klah. 1. Tony shrb l-7lib..الحليب شرب طوني .1 2. Ahmed shra Tomobil..طوموبيل شرى أحمد .2 3. l-mutaTawwi3in mshau l s-suq. 4. Latifa ddat d-drari l l-mdrasa. 5. wesh nsiti l-magana f D-Dar? 6. Greg 3Ta l-flus l Amy. 7. d-drari safru m3a S7abhum. 8. Sara ma-kat-akul-sh l-l7m. .السوق ل مشاو عينوِّ َتَطالم ُ .3 .سةالمدر َ ل الدراري اتدّ لَطيفة .4 الدار؟ ف گانةالم َ نسيتي واش .5 .أيمي ل الفلوس عطى گريگ .6 .صحابهُم مع َ سافرو الدراري .7 .اللحم لشكُ تاكَ ما سارة .8 9. sllm 3la mwalin D-Dar..الدار موالين على سلّم .9 10. Jerry kay-khaf mn Tom..طوم من يخافكَ دجيري .10 Exercise: Make all of the above verb forms negative.