Language/Central-atlas-tamazight/Grammar/Questions
Hi Central Atlas Tamazight learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about questions in Central Atlas Tamazight grammar. Questions are an important part of any language, and mastering them will help you communicate more effectively with native speakers. As always, we will include cultural information and interesting facts to help you better understand the language. Don't forget to use the Find native speakers and ask them any questions you have. Let's get started!
Introduction[edit | edit source]
In Central Atlas Tamazight, there are different types of questions that can be used to gather information or to confirm something. Questions generally start with a question word. We will cover the most commonly-used question words and how to use them.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Adjectives, Plurals & Negation.
Wh-questions[edit | edit source]
Wh-questions are questions that are used to ask for information about a specific thing or detail. In Central Atlas Tamazight, these questions start with a wh-word. The most commonly-used wh-words in Central Atlas Tamazight are:
- achno ('what')
- acḥal ('when')
- ach ('who')
- ayughal ('how')
- adday ('where')
- mad ('why')
To form a wh-question, simply use the appropriate wh-word at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the verb. Here are some examples:
| Central Atlas Tamazight | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| achno ara yedder ? | ['aʃno a'ra jeðːer ?] | What are you doing? |
| acḥal druhed tcirrak-nneɣ a-tḥemmum ? | ['atʃaɫ dɾu'heð tʃi'r:ak-nnəɣ a'tʰem:um ?] | When did you arrive at the office? |
| ach ad s-tenni ? | [aʃ ad s'tenni ?] | Who told you? |
| ayughal t'hiyi ɣer wudem ? | [ajuɣal t'hi:ji ʁer wu'dem ?] | How do you get to school? |
| adday ara yellaɣ anwan-nneɣ? | ['adːaj a'ra jellæɣ anwan-nneɣ?] | Where do we meet? |
| mad akk ɣer tagaraɣt ? | [mad akː ɣer ta'ɣaraʁt?] | Why are you going to the market? |
Yes-No Questions[edit | edit source]
Yes-no questions are questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. In Central Atlas Tamazight, to form yes-no questions, invert the subject and verb of the statement. Here are some examples:
| Central Atlas Tamazight | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sɣur-agi d-yefkaɣ amezwaru. | [sɣur-agi d-jevkaɣ a'mezwaru.] | I am sweeping the floor. |
| Sɣur-agi ara yekkaɣ amezwaru ? | [sɣur-agi a'ra jekkaɣ a'mezwaru ?] | Am I sweeping the floor? |
| Tuccḍa-nneɣ tettwali ɣer tagaraɣt. | [tuccɗa-nneɣ tettwali ɣer ta'ɣaraʁt.] | Our car is going to the market. |
| Tuccḍa-nneɣ ara tettwali ɣer tagaraɣt ? | [tuccḍa-nneɣ a'ra tettwali ɣer ta'ɣaraʁt ?] | Is our car going to the market? |
Tag Questions[edit | edit source]
In Central Atlas Tamazight, tag questions are used to check the accuracy of a statement, and are formed by placing the particle 'walla' at the end of a statement. For example:
- Zemreɣ ad iyi-t-id yir ussan-is walla ? ('You will give it to him, won't you?')
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Here is a dialogue between Ahmed and Fatima. Ahmed is asking Fatima about her trip to the market.
- Ahmed: Mad akk ɣer utar n tagaraɣt ? (Why are you going to the market?)
- Fatima: Akken i d-yeffer fell-as. (To buy vegetables)
- Ahmed: Ayaɛni i tellid-agi d-urar ? (When did you leave home?)
- Fatima: Yal tikelt-a kra n tseddawit. (I left at the beginning of the morning)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we have learned about questions in Central Atlas Tamazight grammar. We covered different types of questions, and learned how to form them using various question words. To improve your Central Atlas Tamazight grammar, you can also check out the grammar section on the Polyglot Club website. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Finished this lesson? Check out these related lessons: Gender & Give your Opinion.