Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Past-Tense

Egyptian Arabic → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Past Tense

Welcome to another exciting lesson in our "Complete 0 to A1 Egyptian Arabic Course"! Today, we’ll dive into a crucial aspect of Egyptian Arabic grammar: the past tense. Understanding how to express actions that have already happened is fundamental for communication, whether you're sharing stories about your day or discussing historical events.

Importance of the Past Tense

In Egyptian Arabic, just as in English, the past tense allows us to convey information about actions that have been completed. This is essential for storytelling, recounting experiences, and connecting with others on a personal level. Knowing how to use the past tense effectively will enrich your conversations and help you express yourself more clearly.

Lesson Structure

In this lesson, we will cover:

• Introduction to Past Tense

• Formation of Past Tense

• Examples of Past Tense Usage

• Practice Exercises

Let's get started!

Introduction to Past Tense

In Egyptian Arabic, the past tense is primarily formed by modifying the root form of the verb. This modification depends on the subject pronoun and the gender of the subject. The structure is relatively straightforward, making it accessible for beginners.

Formation of Past Tense

The past tense in Egyptian Arabic can be formed for both regular and irregular verbs. Here’s a basic breakdown:

1. Regular Verbs: These verbs follow a predictable pattern.

2. Irregular Verbs: These verbs do not follow the standard rules and must be memorized.

Let's take a closer look at how to form the past tense for both types of verbs.

Regular Verbs

For regular verbs, the past tense is generally formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem. Here’s a simple formula:

• For masculine singular, add -ت (pronounced -t) to the verb root.

• For feminine singular, add -ت (pronounced -t) and then -ي (pronounced -i) to the verb root.

• For plural (both masculine and feminine), add -وا (pronounced -wa).

Here’s a table illustrating the past tense formation for the verb كتب (to write):

Subject	Egyptian Arabic	Pronunciation	English
I (masculine)	كتبت	katabt	I wrote
I (feminine)	كتبتِ	katabti	I wrote
You (masculine)	كتبتَ	katabta	You wrote
You (feminine)	كتبتِ	katabti	You wrote
He	كتب	katab	He wrote
She	كتبت	katabat	She wrote
We	كتبنا	katabna	We wrote
You (plural)	كتبتم	katabtum	You wrote
They	كتبوا	katabu	They wrote

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs in Egyptian Arabic often change their forms more dramatically. There are no fixed rules for these verbs, so it’s essential to study them individually. Here's an example using the verb أكل (to eat):

Subject	Egyptian Arabic	Pronunciation	English
I (masculine)	أكلت	akalt	I ate
I (feminine)	أكلتِ	akalti	I ate
You (masculine)	أكلتَ	akalta	You ate
You (feminine)	أكلتِ	akalti	You ate
He	أكل	akal	He ate
She	أكلت	akalat	She ate
We	أكلنا	akalna	We ate
You (plural)	أكلتم	akaltum	You ate
They	أكلوا	akalu	They ate

Examples of Past Tense Usage

Let’s look at some practical examples to solidify your understanding of the past tense in Egyptian Arabic. Below are 20 sentences that illustrate the use of the past tense:

Egyptian Arabic	Pronunciation	English
أنا رحت السوق.	ana raht el-souq.	I went to the market.
هي شافت الفيلم.	hiya shafat el-film.	She saw the movie.
هو لعب كورة.	howa la'ib kora.	He played football.
إحنا أكلنا في مطعم.	ihna akalna fi mat'am.	We ate at a restaurant.
أنتم جبتوا الهدايا.	entum gebtu el-hadaya.	You brought the gifts.
هم كتبوا الرسالة.	homma katabu el-risala.	They wrote the letter.
أنا شربت شاي.	ana sherebt shay.	I drank tea.
هي غنت أغنية.	hiya ghannat ughniya.	She sang a song.
هو سافر إلى باريس.	howa safar ila Paris.	He traveled to Paris.
إحنا درسنا في الجامعة.	ihna darasna fi el-gam'aa.	We studied at the university.
أنتم لعبتوا في الحديقة.	entum la'ibtu fi el-hadeeqa.	You played in the park.
هم شافوا الصور.	homma shafu el-suwar.	They saw the pictures.
أنا اتعلمت عربي.	ana it'alamt 'arabi.	I learned Arabic.
هي زارت جدتها.	hiya zarat geddata.	She visited her grandmother.
هو قرأ الكتاب.	howa qara el-kitab.	He read the book.
إحنا مشينا على الشاطئ.	ihna mashina 'ala el-shati.	We walked on the beach.
أنتم رحتوا الكافيه.	entum rahtu el-cafe.	You went to the cafe.
هم حضروا الحفل.	homma hadaru el-hafl.	They attended the party.
أنا كتبت مقال.	ana katabt maqaal.	I wrote an article.
هي شافت البحر.	hiya shafat el-bahr.	She saw the sea.
هو حاول يتعلم سباحة.	howa hawal yit'allim sibaha.	He tried to learn swimming.

Practice Exercises

Now that you have a solid understanding of the past tense, let’s put your knowledge to the test! Here are 10 exercises designed to help you practice.

1. Translate the following sentences into Egyptian Arabic:

• I ran in the park.

• She cooked dinner.

• They danced at the wedding.

• You (masculine) visited the museum.

• We watched a movie.

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in past tense:

• أنا ______ (write) رسالة. (I wrote a letter.)

• هي ______ (see) الفيلم. (She saw the movie.)

• هم ______ (eat) في المطعم. (They ate at the restaurant.)

3. Change the following sentences from present to past tense:

• أنا أدرس في المدرسة. (I study at school.)

• أنتِ تكتبين في الدفتر. (You (feminine) write in the notebook.)

• هو يلعب كورة. (He plays football.)

4. Complete the sentences with the correct pronoun and verb:

• ______ (I) ______ (go) to the market.

• ______ (you feminine) ______ (see) the sea.

• ______ (they) ______ (travel) to Luxor.

5. Create sentences in the past tense using the following verbs:

• زار (to visit)

• لعب (to play)

• شرب (to drink)

6. Identify the errors in the following sentences and correct them:

• أنا أكله شاي. (I drank tea.)

• هي رأى الفيلم. (She saw the movie.)

• هم ألعبوا في الحديقة. (They played in the park.)

7. Match the following subjects with their appropriate past tense verbs:

• أنا

• هو

• هي

a) قرأت

b) كتبت

c) لعب

8. Translate the following sentences into English:

• أنا زرت أصدقائي.

• هي غنت أغنية جميلة.

• هم قرأوا الكتاب في المكتبة.

9. Write a short paragraph about your last weekend using at least five past tense verbs.

10. Change the following sentences from masculine to feminine:

• هو ذهب إلى المدرسة. (He went to school.)

• أنا أكله في المطعم. (I ate at the restaurant.)

Solutions and Explanations

1. Translations:

• أنا جريت في الحديقة. (I ran in the park.)

• هي طبخت العشاء. (She cooked dinner.)

• هم رقصوا في الزفاف. (They danced at the wedding.)

• أنتَ زرت المتحف. (You (masculine) visited the museum.)

• إحنا شوفنا فيلم. (We watched a movie.)

2. Fill in the blanks:

• أنا كتبت رسالة. (I wrote a letter.)

• هي شافت الفيلم. (She saw the movie.)

• هم أكلوا في المطعم. (They ate at the restaurant.)

3. Change to past tense:

• أنا درست في المدرسة. (I studied at school.)

• أنتِ كتبتِ في الدفتر. (You (feminine) wrote in the notebook.)

• هو لعب كورة. (He played football.)

4. Complete the sentences:

• أنا رحت إلى السوق. (I went to the market.)

• أنتِ شفتِ البحر. (You (feminine) saw the sea.)

• هم سافروا إلى الأقصر. (They traveled to Luxor.)

5. Create sentences:

• زرت أصدقائي. (I visited my friends.)

• لعبت كورة. (I played football.)

• شربت شاي. (I drank tea.)

6. Identify errors:

• أنا شربت شاي. (I drank tea.)

• هي رأت الفيلم. (She saw the movie.)

• هم لعبوا في الحديقة. (They played in the park.)

7. Matching:

• أنا - b) كتبت

• هو - c) لعب

• هي - a) قرأت

8. Translations:

• I visited my friends.

• She sang a beautiful song.

• They read the book in the library.

9. Write a short paragraph: (Example)

Last weekend, I visited my friends. We ate together and watched a movie. Then, we went to the park and played football. It was a great day!

10. Change from masculine to feminine:

• هي راحت إلى المدرسة. (She went to school.)

• أنا أكلت في المطعم. (I ate at the restaurant.)

Congratulations on completing this lesson on the past tense in Egyptian Arabic! Keep practicing, and you'll find that using the past tense becomes second nature.

Table of Contents - Egyptian Arabic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb To Be

• Personal Pronouns
• Verb To Be

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Yes/No Questions
• Wh-Questions
• Negation

  ---

Everyday Vocabulary

• Common Adjectives
• Common Nouns
• Common Verbs

  ---

Present Tense

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

  ---

Egyptian Culture

• Egyptian Food
• Egyptian Traditions
• Egyptian History

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Common Conjunctions

  ---

Shopping and Services

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Services Vocabulary

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Adverbs

  ---

Egyptian Music and Cinema

• Famous Egyptian Singers
• Egyptian Cinema

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• Indefinite and definite articles
• How to Use Have
• Reflexive Pronouns
• Plurals
• Questions Words
• Command Form
• How to use the modal verb Must
• Subject Pronouns