Language/Tunisian-arabic/Grammar/Negation-Usage-in-Tunisian-Arabic
As a Tunisian Arabic language teacher with 20 years of experience, I often get asked about negation in the language. Negation is an important aspect of any language as it allows speakers to convey negative meanings or express negation. In this lesson, you will learn how to form negative sentences and negate phrases or statements in Tunisian Arabic.
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Conditional Tense & Past Tense.
Negating Statements
To negate a statement in Tunisian Arabic, you can use the word "ما" (ma) or "مش" (mesh). The word "ما" (ma) comes before the verb while "مش" (mesh) comes after the verb. Both words are used interchangeably in Tunisian Arabic.
Here are some examples:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ما نحبوش المشاكل | ma nheboush elmechakel | We don't like problems |
| مش تلقاوش الكتب | mesh tlakaoush elketeb | They don't find the books |
| ما تلوّثش البحر | ma tlewwesch elbehar | Don't pollute the sea |
Notice how the word "ما" (ma) comes before the verb in the first and third examples, while the word "مش" (mesh) comes after the verb in the second example.
Negating Specific Parts of a Sentence
In Tunisian Arabic, you can also negate a specific part of a sentence by using the word "ما" (ma) before the part you want to negate. For example:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| نعرفش ما توجهتش | naarefsh ma tewjhetesh | We don't know where you went |
| ما تخافش منيش | ma tkhaafoush menich | Don't be afraid of me |
In the first example, the word "ما" (ma) comes before the verb "توجهتش" (tewjhetesh) to negate the word "where". In the second example, the word "ما" (ma) is used to negate the phrase "of me" which is "منيش" (menich).
Negating Questions
To negate a question in Tunisian Arabic, you can use the word "ما" (ma) at the beginning of the sentence. For example:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ما تحب اللون الأحمر؟ | ma tehb elwen elahmar? | Don't you like the color red? |
| ما تفتحش الباب؟ | ma tfathoush elbab? | Aren't you going to open the door? |
In both examples, the word "ما" (ma) is used at the beginning of the sentence to negate the question.
Conclusion
In conclusion, negation is an important aspect of Tunisian Arabic language. It allows speakers to convey negative meanings or express negation. To negate a statement, you can use the words "ما" (ma) or "مش" (mesh), while to negate a specific part of a sentence, you can use the word "ما" (ma) before the part you want to negate. Finally, to negate a question, you can use the word "ما" (ma) at the beginning of the sentence.
I hope this lesson has helped you understand how to use negation in Tunisian Arabic. Keep practicing and don't hesitate to ask any questions. Happy learning!
Finished this lesson? Check out these related lessons: Gender & Plurals.