Language/Chadian-arabic/Grammar/Questions
Hi Chadian Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about forming questions in Chadian Arabic. We will also provide you with cultural information and interesting facts. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form and ask questions like a pro!
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Give your Opinion, Pronouns & Negation.
Basic Word Order[edit | edit source]
The basic word order in Chadian Arabic is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), just like in English. However, this order can be changed to emphasize a particular element in the sentence.
For example:
| Chadian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| محمد يقرأ الكتاب. | mohamed yaqra' al-kitab. | Mohamed reads the book. |
| الكتاب يقرأه محمد. | al-kitab yaqra'uh mohamed. | The book, Mohamed reads it. |
Here, the basic sentence structure is SVO, but the word order changes when we want to emphasize the object of the sentence - the book.
Forming Yes/No Questions[edit | edit source]
To form most yes/no questions in Chadian Arabic, we simply add هل (hal) to the beginning of the sentence. This is similar to using "do/does" in English.
For example:
| Chadian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| هل محمد يقرأ الكتاب؟ | hal mohamed yaqra' al-kitab? | Does Mohamed read the book? |
| هل تحب الشاي؟ | hal tuhib ash-shay? | Do you like tea? |
Note that the word order remains the same as in the declarative sentence.
Forming Information Questions[edit | edit source]
Information questions in Chadian Arabic begin with a question word, similar to English: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Here are some examples:
| Chadian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ماذا تفعل؟ | maadha taf'al? | What are you doing? |
| كيف حالك؟ | kayfa haluk? | How are you? |
| أين البيت؟ | ayna al-bayt? | Where is the house? |
It is important to note that in Chadian Arabic, the question word appears at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and the subject.
Tag Questions[edit | edit source]
Tag questions in Chadian Arabic follow the same pattern as in English - we add a short question at the end of a statement to ask for confirmation. However, in Chadian Arabic, the tag question always begins with أليس (alaysa) or أليست (alaysta).
For example:
| Chadian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| أنت تتكلم اللغة العربية، أليس كذلك؟ | anta tatakallam al-lugha al-arabiya, alaysa kadhalik? | You speak Arabic, don't you? |
| نحن سنذهب إلى السوق، أليست كذلك؟ | nahnu sanadhhab ila as-suq, alaysta kadhalik? | We're going to the market, right? |
Cultural Tips[edit | edit source]
In Chadian Arabic, it is common to begin a conversation with a polite greeting, such as السلام عليكم (as-salamu alaykum), which means "peace be upon you". The other person will respond with وعليكم السلام (wa alaykum as-salam), which means "and peace be upon you".
When asking a question in Chadian Arabic, it is important to maintain a polite tone. Using question words such as من فضلك (min fadlik), which means "please", or برجاء (baraja'), which means "kindly", can make a big difference.
Practice Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: هل تتكلم اللغة العربية؟ (hal tatakallam al-lugha al-arabiya?) - Do you speak Arabic?
- Person 2: نعم، أتحدث العربية. (na'am, atuhaddith al-arabiya) - Yes, I speak Arabic.
- Person 1: كم عمرك؟ (kam 'umruk?) - How old are you?
- Person 2: عمري ثلاثين سنة. ( 'umri thalathin sana) - I am thirty years old.