Language/Algerian-arabic/Grammar/Questions

Algerian Arabic Grammar - Questions

Hi Algerian Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on Algerian Arabic questions. Asking questions is essential in any language, as it allows you to explore topics, get to know people, and understand situations. So, let's start by exploring question words, their usage in questions, and some common question patterns.

Question words

Question words are words used to ask questions. In Algerian Arabic, the most common question words are:

Algerian Arabic	Pronunciation	English
شكون	shkun	Who
واش	wach	What (used for yes/no questions)
أشحال	asheshaal	How much/many
فين	feen	Where
أما واش	ama wach	Why
كيفاش	keifaash	How
شحال	shihaal	How much/many (used for money)

Examples

Here are some examples of question words in action:

• __شكون__ جاب لي هذا؟ (shkun jeb li hdda?) - Who brought me this?
• __واش__ دارت الواجب؟ (wach dart el wajeb?) - Did you do the homework?
• __أشحال__ باغين تدفعوا؟ (asheshaal baghyin tdaf3u?) - How much do you want to pay?
• __فين__ كاين؟ (feen kayen?) - Where is it?
• __أما واش__ كاين الفلوس؟ (ama wach kayen el flous?) - Why is the money missing?
• __كيفاش__ جاوبت؟ (keifaash jawabt?) - How did you answer?
• __شحال__ راهو الديوري؟ (shihaal raho ddyouri?) - How much is the rent?

Patterns of questions

There are different types of question patterns in Algerian Arabic. Let's take a look at some common ones.

Yes/no questions

Yes/no questions are questions that require a simple "yes" or "no" answer. In Algerian Arabic, you can form a yes/no question by adding the particle "واش" (wach) at the beginning of a statement.

For example:

• __واش__ نحنا في البيت؟ (wach n7na f el bayt?) - Are we at home?
• __واش__ تحب تشرب شاي؟ (wach t7eb tshrab shay?) - Do you like to drink tea?

Note that you can also ask yes/no questions by simply changing the intonation of a statement. For example, if you say "كنتمشي" (kanmshi) - "We are walking", you can turn it into a question by raising your voice at the end, "كنتمشي؟" (kanmshi?).

Information questions

Information questions are questions that require an answer in the form of information. To form an information question, you can use the question word at the beginning of a sentence, followed by the verb and the subject.

For example:

• __شكون__ جا عندك ؟ (shkun ja 3ndek?) - Who came to your place?
• __فين__ كاين الصالون؟ (feen kayen el salon?) - Where is the living room?
• __كيفاش__ تدير الشاي؟ (keifaash tdr shay?) - How do you make tea?

In some cases, you can omit the question word and use "واش" (wach) instead.

For example:

• __واش__ لقيت الحاجة اللي خرجتي تدوري عليها؟ (wach laqit el 7aja li khrjeti tdewri 3liha?) - Did you find what you were looking for?

Choice questions

Choice questions are questions that require a choice between two or more options. In Algerian Arabic, you can form a choice question by using the word "واحد" (wa7ed) (one) for singular options and "اثنين" (ethnein) (two) for dual options, followed by the particle "واش" (wach).

For example:

• __واش__ تحب تشري موبايل __واحد__ ولا __اثنين__؟ (wach t7eb tshri mobile wa7ed wela ethnein?) - Do you want to buy one mobile or two?

Exercises

To practice what you've learned, try answering the following questions in Algerian Arabic:

1. __شكون__ كيفاش تديرو الكسكسي؟ (shkun keifaash tdiru el kessksi?) - Who knows how to make couscous? 2. __فين__ كاين الحمام؟ (feen kayen el hammam?) - Where is the bathroom? 3. __كيفاش__ تحضر الكوسة؟ (keifaash t7edder el koussa?) - How do you prepare zucchini?

Dialogue

Here is a dialogue to help you see question words and patterns in context:

• __Person 1:__ تحب تشرب شاي __فين__؟ (t7eb tshrab shay feen?) - Where do you want to drink tea?
• __Person 2:__ بغيت نشربو __في الحديقة__. (baghit nshrbo f el hadiqa) - I want to drink it in the park.
• __Person 1:__ و__شكون__ غادي يجي معانا؟ (wshkun ghadi yji ma3na?) - And who is coming with us?
• __Person 2:__ __شحال__ حنا واحد وختي وأميمة. (shihaal hna wa7ed wkhti w 3mima) - It's just me, my sister, and Amima.

Conclusion

Asking questions is a key aspect of communication in any language. By knowing question words and patterns, you will be able to ask and answer questions with ease. Remember to practice regularly and keep exploring.

To improve your Algerian Arabic Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Algerian Arabic
• Question words
• Interrogative