Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Wh-Questions
As a beginner learning Egyptian Arabic, it's important to understand how to ask questions. One way to ask questions is by using what are called "wh-questions". In this lesson, we will learn how to form and use wh-questions in Egyptian Arabic.
Forming Wh-Questions
In English, wh-questions usually begin with words like "who", "what", "where", "when", "why", and "how". Similarly, in Egyptian Arabic, wh-questions also begin with these words.
To form a wh-question in Egyptian Arabic, you simply add the corresponding wh-word at the beginning of the sentence. For example:
- "What is your name?" = "Ismak eh?" (إسمك إيه؟)
- "Where are you from?" = "Inta mnin?" (إنت منين؟)
- "Why are you learning Arabic?" = "Lih bette'alem el 3arabi?" (ليه بتتعلم العربي؟)
- "When did you arrive?" = "Lemma wa'salt?" (لما وصلت؟)
Here are the most common wh-words used in Egyptian Arabic:
| Wh-Word | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Meen (مين) | meen | Who |
| Eih (إيه) | eh | What |
| Feen (فين) | feen | Where |
| Lemaza (ليه) | leh-maza | Why |
| Lamma (لمى) | lam-ma | When |
| Keda (كدا) | ke-da | How |
Note that the pronunciation guide is approximate and aimed at English speakers.
Examples of Wh-Questions
Here are some more examples of wh-questions in Egyptian Arabic:
- "Meen fakar?") (مين فكر؟) = "Who thought?"
- "Eih bet2ool?" (إيه بتقول؟) = "What are you saying?"
- "Feen ktabak?" (فين كتبك؟) = "Where is your book?"
- "Lemaza masakra?" (ليه مساكرة؟) = "Why are you happy?"
- "Lamma sawet el deem?" (لمى صوت الضم؟) = "When did you say the vowel?"
- "Keda batkalam?" (كدا بتكلم؟) = "How do you speak?"
Practice Exercises
Now that you understand how wh-questions work in Egyptian Arabic, it's important to practice using them. Here are some exercises to help you practice:
- Translate the following sentences into Egyptian Arabic using wh-questions:
1. What time is it? 2. Where do you live? 3. Who is your favorite singer? 4. Why do you want to learn Egyptian Arabic? 5. When is your birthday? 6. How do you say "thank you" in Egyptian Arabic?
- Answer the following questions using complete sentences in Egyptian Arabic:
1. "Meen el wa7ed elly gamal fi star academy?" (مين الواحد اللي جمال في ستار أكاديمي؟) 2. "Eih esmak?" (إيه اسمك؟) 3. "Feen wenty btestaghbel?" (فين وانتي بتستغبل؟) 4. "Lemaza bta3raf howa bey3amal keda?" (ليه بتعرف هو بيعمل كدا؟)
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned about wh-questions in Egyptian Arabic. Remember that wh-questions begin with words like "who", "what", "where", "when", "why", and "how", and are formed by adding the corresponding wh-word at the beginning of the sentence. Practice using wh-questions as much as possible to improve your Egyptian Arabic skills!