Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Adverbs-of-Time-and-Frequency
As a language learner, it is important to understand how to express time and frequency. In this lesson, we will focus on adverbs of time and frequency, which are adverbs that express when or how often an action takes place in Egyptian Arabic.
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time are words that express when an action takes place. In Egyptian Arabic, adverbs of time are usually placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence. Here are some commonly used adverbs of time:
- دلوقتى /delwa'ti/: now
- كل يوم /koll yo:m/: every day
- بكرة /bokra/: tomorrow
- دلوقتى بكرة /delwa'ti bokra/: tomorrow (lit. now tomorrow)
- النهارده /elnaha:rdi/: today
- كل أسبوع /koll osbu'/: every week
- بكرة نهارده /bokra naha:rdi/: today and tomorrow (lit. tomorrow today)
Here is an example of how these adverbs can be used in a sentence:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| كنت ادرس دلوقتى | kunt edros delwa'ti | I was studying now |
| انا بتفرج على التلفزيون كل يوم | ana betfarrag ala'tele-vizyon koll yo:m | I watch TV every day |
| هحضر عيد ميلاد أمي بكرة | ha:drab eid milad 'ommi bokra | I will attend my mother's birthday tomorrow |
| هحضر السينما دلوقتى بكرة | ha:drab elsinema delwa'ti bokra | I will attend cinema now tomorrow |
| انا هشترى هدايا لأصدقائي النهارده | ana hashtary hadaya lasade'aya elnaha:rdi | I will buy gifts for my friends today |
| كيف حالك كل أسبوع؟ | kayf ha:lk koll osbu' | How are you every week? |
| هزور على أقاربى بكرة نهارده | hazzor ala a'qareby bokra naha:rdi | I will visit my relatives today and tomorrow |
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of frequency are words that express how often an action takes place. In Egyptian Arabic, adverbs of frequency are usually placed before the verb. Here are some commonly used adverbs of frequency:
- دايمًا /dayma:n/: always
- كل يوم /koll yo:m/: every day
- بينادى بيا /bayna:ddi bya:/: occasionally (lit. calls me)
- نادرًا /nada:ra:n/: rarely
- شبه كل أسبوع /shabah koll osbu'/: almost every week
- بيحصل مرة واحدة فى الشهر /bayHsal mara waHda fi elshahr/: once a month
- بيحصل اثنين مرات فى السنة /bayHsal etnan marat fi essana/: twice a year
Here are some examples of how to use these adverbs of frequency:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| صلاه الفجر دايمًا مهمه جدًا | sala:t elfagr dayma:n mahma jiddan | Praying the dawn prayer is always very important |
| انا بغير الجوارب كل يوم | ana baghyr el-gawarib koll yo:m | I change my socks every day |
| بيناسبنى الصيام بينادى بيا | baynasebni esseya:m bayna:ddi bya: | I find fasting occasionally suits me |
| بنوّم مبكرًا نادرًا | bnawwim mabkeran nada:ra:n | I rarely go to bed early |
| انا بشتغل شبه كل أسبوع | ana beshtaghel shabah koll osbu' | I work almost every week |
| بيصور صورة واحدة يوميًا | bysuwwar sorah waHda yomina:n | He takes one picture a day |
| المدرسة بتعمل رحلتين تخت فى السنة | elmadrasa bat'amel raHleten teHt fi essana | The school arranges two trips under the sea each year |
In conclusion, mastering adverbs of time and frequency is a crucial step for learners of Egyptian Arabic. They help learners to express when and how often an action takes place. It is important to practice using these adverbs in order to build fluency and confidence in speaking Egyptian Arabic.
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