Arabic Learning Notes

ش-ك-ر (sh-k-r) · gratitude/thanks

particle — و (by) + الله (God)

interjection — يا (O) + الله (God)

MSA: ت-م-م (t-m-m) · completion · Hijazi: م-ش-ي (m-sh-y) · walking/going

MSA: ج-و-د (j-w-d) · goodness · Hijazi: ز-ي-ن (z-y-n) · beauty/adornment

particle — no single derivational root

ج-و-ع (j-w-') · hunger · → جاع (ja'a) = he became hungry

MSA: ق-ل-ل (q-l-l) · smallness/fewness · Hijazi: شوية = colloquial (no single root)

ص-د-ق (s-d-q) · truth/sincerity · → صدق (sidq) = truth, صادق (sadiq) = truthful, صديق (sadiq) = friend (a sincere one)

خ-ل-ل (kh-l-l) · intimate friendship/closeness

ت-ع-ب (t-'-b) · tiredness/fatigue · → تعب (ta'iba) = he got tired

MSA: ع-م-ل ('-m-l) · action/doing · Hijazi: ش-غ-ل (sh-gh-l) · occupation/busyness

ح-م-د (h-m-d) · praise · → محمد (Muhammad) = the praised one

MSA: ن-ع-م (n-'-m) · blessing/softness · Hijazi: أيوه = colloquial

MSA: و-ج-ب (w-j-b) · obligation · Hijazi: ل-ز-م (l-z-m) · necessity/sticking to

ب-ع-د (b-'-d) · distance/separation · → بعد = after, far

MSA: ح-س-ن (h-s-n) · beauty/goodness · Hijazi: ط-ي-ب (t-y-b) · pleasantness

ط-ع-م (t-'-m) · food/eating/taste · → طعام (ta'am) = food

ز-و-ج (z-w-j) · pair/coupling · → زوج (zawj) = husband, زوجة (zawja) = wife

م-ي-ز (m-y-z) · distinction/excellence · → تميّز (tamayyaz) = to stand out

ر-و-ح (r-w-h) · rest/soul/spirit · → روح (ruh) = soul, راحة (raha) = comfort

ع-ر-ب ('-r-b) · Arab/Arabic · → عرب (arab) = Arabs, عروبة (uruba) = Arabness

غ-ر-ب (gh-r-b) · west/sunset · → غروب (ghurub) = sunset, مغرب (maghrib) = Morocco/west

ماليزيا (malaysia) · country name — ي (iy) suffix makes it an adjective

ع-ن-د ('-n-d) · possession/presence · → عند (ind) = have/at, عندي (indi) = I have, عندك (indak) = you have

MSA: نحن (nahnu) · Hijazi: إحنا (ihna) — same meaning, different register

ق-ر-ر (q-r-r) · decisiveness · → قرار (qarar) = decision, قرّر (qarrar) = he decided

ش-و-ف (sh-w-f) · seeing/looking (Hijazi) · MSA root: ن-ظ-ر (n-z-r)

خ-ل-ص (kh-l-s) · completion/finishing · → خلص (khalas) = it's done, أخلص (akhlus) = I finish

ع-ش-و (or ع-ش-ي) ('-sh-w/y) · evening/night · → عشاء (asha) = dinner, عشية (ashiyya) = evening time

م-ت-ع (m-t-') · enjoyment/pleasure · → متعة (mut'a) = pleasure, ممتع (mumti') = enjoyable

particle — و (wa) prefixed directly to the next word, no space needed

ق-ر-ب (q-r-b) · nearness/closeness · → قريب (qarib) = near, أقارب (aqarib) = relatives

ج-ن-ب (j-n-b) · side/flank · → جانب (janib) = side, بجانب = beside

MSA: ذ-ه-ب (dh-h-b) · to go/move · Hijazi: ر-و-ح (r-w-h) · to depart/go — same root as "rest"!

ص-ب-ح (s-b-h) · morning/becoming · → صباح (sabah) = morning, أصبح (asbaha) = he became/it became morning

آ-ن (a-n) · time marker · → الآن (al-an) = now

ي-و-م (y-w-m) · day/time · → يوم (yawm) = day, أيام (ayyam) = days, يومي (yawmi) = daily

preposition · no single derivational root

ج-د-د (j-d-d) · newness/renewal · → جديد (jadid) = new, تجديد (tajdid) = renewal

location marker · هنا (huna) = here, هناك (hunak) = there

ج-ه-ز (j-h-z) · preparation/equipment · → جهاز (jihaz) = device, جاهز (jahiz) = ready (one who is equipped)

ف-ض-ل (f-d-l) · virtue/grace/favour · → فضل (fadl) = grace, تفضّل (tafaddal) = please/go ahead

ق-ر-ح (q-r-h) · proposing · → اقتراح (iqtirah) = suggestion, اقترح (iqtaraha) = he suggested

أ-ي-ن (a-y-n) · location question marker

Hijazi: ل-م-ا (l-m-a) · MSA: عندما = عند (ind=at) + ما (ma=what/when)

م-ت-ي (m-t-y) · time question marker

ض-ي-ف (d-y-f) · adding/hosting · → ضيف (dayf) = guest! Same root — "adding someone to your home"

MSA: م-ر-ر (m-r-r) · passing/continuing · → استمر (istamarra) · Hijazi: كمّل from ك-م-ل (k-m-l) · completion

شاي (shai) · borrowed from Chinese via Persian — same word across most languages

د-ج-ج (d-j-j) · poultry · → دجاج (dajaj) = chicken, دجاجة (dajaja) = one chicken

ل-ح-م (l-h-m) · flesh/meat · → لحم (lahm) = meat, ملحمة (malahma) = butcher shop

ب-ق-ر (b-q-r) · cattle · → بقر (baqar) = cow/cattle, بقرة (baqara) = one cow

ك-ب-ر (k-b-r) · greatness/size · → كبير (kabir) = big, أكبر (akbar) = bigger/greatest — as in الله أكبر

ص-ح-ح (s-h-h) · correctness/health · → صح (sah) = correct, صحة (sihha) = health — same root!

demonstrative pronoun · هذا (hadha) = this [m] · هذه (hadhihi) = this [f] · ذلك (dhalik) = that

س-ر-ع (s-r-') · speed/haste · → سريع (sari') = fast, سرعة (sur'a) = speed, بسرعة (bi-sur'a) = quickly

س-ع-د (s-'-d) · happiness/fortune · → سعيد (sa'id) = happy [m], سعيدة (sa'ida) = happy [f], سعادة (sa'ada) = happiness

ع-ل-م ('-l-m) · knowledge — one of the biggest roots in Arabic! → علم ('ilm) = knowledge, عالم ('alim) = scholar/world, معلم (mu'allim) = teacher, تعليم (ta'lim) = education

إ-ل-ى (i-l-a) · direction/destination · → إلى (ila) = to/towards, أهلاً وسهلاً بك إليّ = welcome to me

م-ن (m-n) · preposition of origin/source

ل (li) · preposition of purpose/belonging · لل (lil) = for the [with definite noun]

ج-م-ل (j-m-l) · beauty · → جميل (jamil) = beautiful, جمال (jamal) = beauty — also a common name

ك-ث-ر (k-th-r) · abundance · → كثير (kathir) = much/many, كثيراً (kathiran) = very much, أكثر (akthar) = more

ج-د-د (j-d-d) · seriousness/earnestness · → جد (jidd) = seriousness, جداً (jiddan) = very/seriously

ق-ب-ل (q-b-l) · precedence/before · → قبل (qabl) = before, قبل كده (qabl kidah) = before this/previously

س-ن-و (s-n-w) · year/time passing · → سنة (sana) = year, سنوات (sanawat) = years

و-ح-د (w-h-d) · oneness/solitude · → وحيد (wahid) = alone [adj], وحدي (wahdi) = by myself

ر-و-ح (r-w-h) · departing · → رايح (ray'ih) = going [m], رايحة (ray'ha) = going [f], رايحين (ray'heen) = going [plural]

ث-ل-ث (th-l-th) · threeness · → ثلاثة (thalatha) = three, ثلاثاء (thulatha') = Tuesday (lit. the third day)

ع-ف-و (a-f-w) · pardoning/forgiveness · → عفو (afw) = pardon, عفواً (afwan) = excuse me/you're welcome

خ-م-س (kh-m-s) · fiveness · → خمسة (khamsa) = five, خميس (khamis) = Thursday (the fifth day)

د-ق-ق (d-q-q) · precision/fineness · → دقيقة (daqiqa) = minute/precise, دقائق (daqa'iq) = minutes

ك-م (k-m) · quantity question marker · → كم (kam) = how many/much, كمية (kammiya) = quantity

ب-ع-د (b-'-d) · distance/separation · → بعيد (ba'id) = far, بُعد (bu'd) = distance — same root as بعدين (ba'dayn)!

م-ع (m-') · accompaniment/togetherness · → مع (ma'a) = with, معي (ma'i) = with me, معك (ma'ak) = with you

ما (ma) = what · شاء (sha'a) = willed · الله (Allah) = God → "What God has willed"

ل-ق-و (l-q-w) · meeting/encountering · → لقاء (liqa') = meeting, لقي (laqi) = he met, التقى (iltaqa) = they met

ل-ا (la) · negation particle · → لا (la) = no, لا يمكن (la yumkin) = impossible, لا شكراً (la shukran) = no thank you

Hijazi particle — مش (mish) negates a noun or adjective · MSA: لست (lastu) = I am not

أ-س-ف (a-s-f) · regret/sorrow · → آسف (asif) = sorry [m], آسفة (asifa) = sorry [f], أسف (asaf) = regret

ع-ن-ي (a-n-y) · meaning · → يعني (ya'ni) = it means/like/you know, معنى (ma'na) = meaning

ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) · writing · → مكتب (maktab) = office/desk, كتب (kataba) = he wrote, كتاب (kitab) = book — all same root!

و-ظ-ف (w-z-f) · employment · → موظف (muwazzaf) = employee, وظيفة (wazifa) = job/position

س-أ-ل (s-'-l) · questioning/accountability · → مسؤول (mas'ul) = responsible, سؤال (su'al) = question — same root!

ص-م-م (s-m-m) · precision/design · → تصميم (tasmim) = design, مصمم (musammim) = designer, صمّم (sammama) = he designed

ص-م-م (s-m-m) · same root as tasmim (design) · → مصمم (musammim) = designer, the one who designs

ط-و-ر (t-w-r) · development/evolution · → تطوير (tatwir) = development, مطوّر (mutatawwir) = developer

ش-ر-ع (sh-r-') · undertaking/law · → مشروع (mashroo') = project, مشاريع (mashari') = projects, شريعة (shari'a) = Islamic law — same root!

د-و-ر (d-w-r) · managing/revolving · → مدير (mudir) = manager, إدارة (idara) = management, دار (dar) = house/revolves

و-ه-ب (w-h-b) · gifting/bestowing · → موهبة (mawhibah) = talent/gift, وهب (wahaba) = he gave/gifted

ب-ي-ع (b-y-') · selling/trading · → مبيعات (mabi'at) = sales, باع (ba'a) = he sold, بيع (bay') = selling

س-ب-ح (s-b-h) · glorifying/swimming · → سبحان (subhan) = glory of, سبح (sabbaha) = he glorified/swam — same root!

ب-ر-ك (b-r-k) · blessing/kneeling · → بركة (baraka) = blessing, تبارك (tabarak) = blessed is, مبارك (mubarak) = blessed — also a name!

ك-و-ن (k-w-n) · existence/being · → كان (kan) = was [m], كانت (kanat) = was [f], كنت (kuntu) = I was

ك-ل-م (k-l-m) · speaking/words · → كلام (kalam) = speech, كلّم (kallam) = he spoke to, تكلّم (takallam) = he spoke

ج-م-ع (j-m-') · gathering · → جمع (jama'a) = he gathered, جماعة (jama'ah) = group, جمعة (jum'ah) = Friday (the day of gathering)

particle — هل (hal) · opens a yes/no question · no root derivation

Hijazi: ي-م-ك-ن from أمكن (amkana) = it was possible · MSA: ر-ب-م-ا (rubama) = perhaps, no single root

ل-ذ-ذ (l-dh-dh) · pleasantness/taste · → لذيذ (ladhidh) = delicious, لذة (ladhdhah) = pleasure/enjoyment

س-ل-ق (s-l-q) · boiling · → سلق (salaqa) = he boiled, مسلوق (masluq) = boiled [passive adjective]

ق-ل-و (q-l-w) · frying · → قلى (qala) = he fried, مقلي (maqli) = fried [passive adjective]

ب-ي-ض (b-y-d) · whiteness/eggs · → بيض (bayd) = eggs, بيضة (bayda) = one egg, أبيض (abyad) = white — same root!

خ-ي-ر (kh-y-r) · goodness/choice · → خيار (khiyar) = cucumber AND = choice/option — same word, context tells them apart!

ف-ل-ف-ل (f-l-f-l) · pepper (borrowed) · حار from ح-ر-ر (h-r-r) · heat → حار (harr) = hot/spicy, حرارة (harara) = heat/temperature

خ-ل-ي (kh-l-y) · leaving/allowing · → خلّى (khalla) = let/allow, خلّاني (khallani) = let me, خلّانا (khallana) = let us, خلّه (khallah) = let him

ر-د-د (r-d-d) · returning/responding · → ردّ (radd) = reply [noun], ردّ (radda) = he replied [verb], ردّك (raddak) = your reply

أ-ي (a-y) · selection marker · → أي (ay) = any/which, أيّ (ayyu) = which [MSA formal]

خ-ي-ر (kh-y-r) · goodness/choice · → اختار (ikhtara) = he chose, اختر (ikhtar) = choose! [command], اختيار (ikhtiyar) = choice — same root as خيار (cucumber)!

ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) · writing — biggest root family! → كتب (kataba) = he wrote, كتاب (kitab) = book, مكتب (maktab) = office/desk, مكتبة (maktaba) = library (place of books)

ك-ل-م (k-l-m) · speaking/words — same root as كلام (kalam) = speech · → كلمة (kalima) = word [singular], كلمات (kalimat) = words [plural]

ح-ي-ن (h-y-n) · time/moment · → حين (hin) = time/moment, أحيان (ahyan) = times, أحياناً (ahyanan) = sometimes (at times)

ع-و-د ('-w-d) · returning/habit · → عاد (ada) = he returned/was accustomed, عادة (ada) = habit/custom, عادةً (adatan) = usually (by habit)

غ-ل-ب (gh-l-b) · prevailing/winning · → غلب (ghalaba) = he prevailed, الغالب (al-ghalib) = the dominant/prevailing, في الغالب = in the prevailing (= mostly)

ل-ك-ن (l-k-n) · contrast particle · → لكن (lakin) = but, لكنّ (lakinna) = but [followed by noun in MSA]

س-و-ق (s-w-q) · driving/herding → سوق (suq) = market (where goods are driven/brought), ساق (saqa) = he drove/herded

م-ح-ل (m-h-l) · place/opportunity · → محل (mahal) = shop/place, "give me a chance" uses same root

ش-ر-ي (sh-r-y) · buying · → اشترى (ishtara) = he bought, نشتري (nashtari) = we buy, اشتري (ishtari) = buy! [command]

ك-ث-ر (k-th-r) · abundance — same root as كثير (kathir) = much/many · → أكثر (akthar) = more, الأكثر (al-akthar) = the most

م-ش-ي (m-sh-y) · walking — same root as ماشي (mashi) = okay/alright (lit. walking/going) · → مشى (masha) = he walked, مشياً (mashyan) = on foot [adverb]

س-ي-ر (s-y-r) · moving/travelling · → سار (sara) = he travelled, سيارة (sayyara) = car (thing that moves), مسيرة (masira) = journey/march

ج-م-ل (j-m-l) · beauty/completeness — same root as جميل (jamil) = beautiful! · → جملة (jumla) = sentence (a complete/beautiful unit of speech)

ل-ح-ظ (l-h-z) · observing/watching · → لاحظ (lahaza) = he noticed, لاحظت (lahaztu) = I noticed, ملاحظة (mulahaza) = observation/note