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VERBS IN MOROCCAN
ARABIC
BY ABDELJABAR TAOUFIKALLAH
www.HelloDarija.com
THE CONTENT
Introduction
About the Author
Pronouns
Past Tense
Present Tense
Future Tense
Imperative
Active Participle
Summary
ii
iii
INTRODUCTION
In this book you will learn about pronouns, inflections and verbs. You will learn
about the different pronouns in Moroccan Arabic: subject pronouns, object
pronouns as well as the inflections used to conjugate verbs in Moroccan Arabic.
You will learn how to conjugate into the past tense by adding the right suffixes
which mark the person. You will also learn how to conjugate in the present
tense and future tense. The present tense and the future tense are quite
similar; all you have to do is replace the particle indicating either the present or
the future: ta or ka for the present and gha or ghadi for the future.
Last, you will see how to use and conjugate into the imperative and the active
participle. The former is easy to use and conjugate into; all you have to do is
use the present tense form while discarding the particle ta/ka.
The active participle is used to replace all the three tenses: past, present and
future. The meaning is understood through the context. Its formation, however,
is easy. With just a few changes on the verb, youll get the active participle.
Abdeljabar Taoufikallah,
Taoufikallah a linguist, a language
teacher and a programmer, with a bachelor degree in
linguistics and a diploma in Information Technology.
grammar on udemy.com.
Email: taoufikallah@gmail.com
PRONOUNS
1. SUBJECT PRONOUNS
Subject pronouns are rarely used in Moroccan Arabic; they are mostly
understood through the context.
Ana
Nta
you
Nti
you (feminine)
Huwa
he
Heya
she
7na
we
Ntuma
you (plural)
Huma
they
2. INFLECTIONS
Inflections are suffixes and prefixes attached to the verbs in the past, present
or the future tense. They are suffixes when attached to the verbs in the past
tense, and prefixes when attached to the verbs in the present and future
tenses.
tense. These prefixes mark the person, the suffix i/-y mark the gender (you
feminine), and the suffix u/-w mark the plural.
7
n-
t-
you
t--i /-w
you feminine
y-
he
t-
she
n--u/-w we
y--u/-w they
n-bghi
I like
t-bghi
you
y-bghi
he likes
t-bghi
she likes
n-bghi-w
we like
t-bghi-w
you
y-bghi-w
they
-t
-ti
you
8
he
-at
she
-na
we
-tu
you (plural)
-u
they
Nje7-t
I succeeded
Nje7-ti
you
Nje7
he
Nej7-at
she
Nje7-na
we
Nje7-tu
you
Nej7-u
they
3. OBJECT PRONOUNS
Object pronouns in Moroccan Arabic are suffixes attached to the verb.
-ni
me
-k
you
-h/u
him
-ha
her
-na
us
-kum
you (plural)
9
-hum
them
EXAMPLES
Nsi-ti-ni
you forgot me
Nsi-t-k
I forgot you
Nsi-t-u
I forgot him
Nsi-t-ha
I forgot her
Nsi-tu-na
Nsi-na-kum
Nsi-na-hum
we forgot them
The table below summarizes all the pronouns and inflections weve seen so far in Moroccan
Arabic
English
Subject
Pronouns
Pronouns
Inflections
Object
Inflectional
Inflectional
Suffixes
Prefixes
Pronouns
I, Me
Ana
-t
n-
-ni
You
Nta
-ti
t-
-k
You (feminine)
Nti
-ti
t--i
-k
He, him
huwa
y-
-u/h
She, her
heya
-at
t-
-ha
We, us
7na
-na
n--u
-na
You (plural)
Ntuma
-tu
t--u
-kum
They
Huma
-u
y--u
-hum
10
PAST TENSE
11
1. THE USE
The Moroccan Arabic past tense is used the same way as it is in English.
EXAMPLES
in the morning.
yesterday.
2. THE FORM
2.3. REGULAR FORMS
Ana V-t
Nta V-ti
Huwa V
Heya V-at
7na V-na
Ntuma V-tu
Huma V-u
Subject
Verb
Ana
Nta
-ti
Nti
-ti
Huwa
Heya
-at
7na
-na
Ntuma
-tu
Huma
-u
FURTHER EXPLANATION
THE SINGULAR
Third person feminine: add the suffix at to the end of the verb.
THE PLURAL
Ana kteb-t
13
Nta/nti kteb-ti
Howa kteb
Hia ketb-at
7na kteb-na
Ntuma kteb-tu
Huma ketb-u
Ana t3essh-i-t
Nta t3essh-i-ti
Nti t3essh-i-ti
Huwa t3essha
Heya t3essha-t
7na t3essh-i-na
Ntuma t3essh-i-tu
Huma t3essha-w
14
Verbs having a in the middle change it into e. For example the verb gal to
say becomes gel- except in the third person.
Ana gel-t
Nta gel-ti
Nti gel-ti
Huwa gal
Heya gal-t
7na gel-na
Ntuma gel-tu
Huma gal-u
Ana ma kteb-t-sh
Nta ma kteb-ti-sh
Huwa ma kteb-sh
Heya ma ketb-at-sh
7na ma kteb-na-sh
Ntuma ma kteb-tu-sh
15
Huma ma ketb-u-sh
So, we add the particle ma before the verb and the suffix sh to the end of
the verb.
Ma 3ref-t walu.
Ma der-t walu.
I didnt do anything.
16
PRESENT TENSE
17
1. THE USE
The Moroccan Arabic present tense, as is the case with the present tense in
English, refers to a situation that is permanent, an action we do on a daily basis
for example, but also an action that is being done at the time being. In other
words the present tense in Moroccan Arabic is equivalent to the present simple
and the present continuous in English.
EXAMPLES
I am watching a movie
right now.
2. THE FORM
2.1. THE REGULAR FORM
To form the Moroccan Arabic present tense, the root is usually kept the same
except in irregular verbs.
Here is the general rule illustrated:
Ana ta n-V
Nta ta t-V
Nti ta t-V-i
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Huwa ta y-V
Hia ta t-V
7na ta n-V-u
Ntuma ta t-V-u
Huma ta y-V-u
Subject
Present
particle
Person
indicator
Verb
prefix
Plural/gender
marker
Ana
ta
n-
Nta
ta
t-
Nti
ta
t-
Huwa
ta
y-
Heya
ta
t-
7na
ta
n-
-u/w
Ntuma
ta
t-
-u/w
Huma
ta
y-
-u/w
-i
FURTHER EXPLANATION
19
In the present tense, we add the particle ta or ka before the verb and then we
attach the prefixes indicating the subject to the beginning of the verb. For the
plural, we add the suffix -u to the end of the verb.
Hence, ta / ka prefix-V-suffix.
THE SINGULAR
First person (ana): add the prefix n to the beginning of the verb.
Second person feminine (nti): we add the prefix t to the beginning of the
verb, the suffix i to the end of the verb.
THE PLURAL
First person (7na): add n to the beginning of the verb and u to the end
of the verb.
20
Ana ta n-kteb
Nta ta t-kteb
Nti ta t-ketb-i
Howa ta y-kteb
Hia ta t-kteb
7na ta n-ketb-u
Ntuma ta t-ketb-u
Huma ta y-ketb-u
Ana ta n-bi3
Nta ta t-bi3
Nti ta t-bi3-i
Huwa ta y-bi3
Heya ta t-bi3
7na ta n-bi3-u
21
Ntuma ta t-bi3-u
Huma ta y-bi3-u
Some of these verbs change the vowel a- into u-; for example, daz to pass
becomes duz in the present.
Ana ta n-duz
Nta ta t-duz
Nti ta t-duz-i
Huwa ta y-duz
Heya ta t-duz
7na ta n-duz-u
Ntuma ta t-duz-u
Huma ta y-duz-u
Some of these verbs keep the vowel a-; for example, bat to stay over stays
Ana ta n-bat
Nta ta t-bat
Nti ta t-bat-i
Huwa ta y-bat
Heya ta t-bat
7na ta n-bat-u
Ntuma ta t-bat-u
22
Huma ta y-bat-u
Ana ta n-tmessha
Nta ta t-tmessha
Nti ta t-tmessha-y
Howa ta y-tmessha
Heya ta t-tmessha
7na ta n-tmessha-w
Ntuma ta t-tmessha-w
Huma ta y-tmessha-w
Notice here that the plural suffix u becomes a w when it occurs after the
vowel a.
Other verbs ending with the vowel a change it into the vowel i, for example
Ana ta n-mshi
Nta ta t-mshi
Nti ta t-mshi
Huwa ta y-mshi
Heya ta t-mshi
23
7na ta n-mshi-w
Ntuma ta t-mshi-w
Huma ta y-mshi-w
Ma ta n-l3eb-sh lkura.
Ma ta n-kteb-sh.
I dont write.
Ana ma ta n-kteb-sh
Nta ma ta t-kteb-sh
Nti ma ta t-ketbi-sh
Huwa ma ta y-kteb-sh
Heya ma ta t-kteb-sh
7na ma ta n-ketbu-sh
Ntuma ma ta t-ketbu-sh
Huma ma ta y-ketbu-sh
So, we add the particle ma before the particle ta and add the suffix sh to the
end of the verb.
24
We leave the particle ma as it is, remove sh and add the word walu after
the verb.
EXAMPLES
Ma ta-n-3ref walu.
Ma ta n-dir walu.
I dont do anything.
25
FUTURE TENSE
26
1. THE USE
Same as in English, we use the future tense to talk about actions that will or
may happen in the future.
EXAMPLES
2. THE FORM
The future tense is similar to the present tense; except that we use the particle
ghadi or gha to indicate the future tense. Both gha and ghadi work as the auxiliary verb which helps make the future tense in Moroccan Arabic. Ghadi can be
translated into English as going.
We always add ghadi or gha before the verb and add the prefixes indicating the
subjects and suffixes indicating the gender or plural to the verb.
2.1.
Notice that in the feminine ghadi becomes ghada, and in the plural it becomes
ghadin. In other words, the suffix a is the feminine marker, while the suffix in
is the plural marker.
2.2.
Lets have a look at the table below illustrating the future tense:
Subject
Future
Subject
Particle
prefix
Verb
Gender &
Plural
28
Ana
Gha/ghadi
n-
Nta
Gha/ghadi
t-
Nti
Gha/ghada
t-
Huwa
Gha/ghadi
y-
Heya
Gha/ghada
t-
7na
Gha/ghadin
n-
-u/w
Ntuma
Gha/ghadin
t-
-u/w
Huma
Gha/ghadin
y-
-u/w
-i/y
FURTHER EXPLANATION
THE SINGULAR
First person: add ghadi or gha before the verb and n to the beginning of
the verb.
Second person masculine: add ghadi or gha before the verb and t to the
beginning of the verb.
Second person feminine: add ghada or gha before the verb t to the
beginning of the verb, and i to the end of the verb.
29
Third person masculine: add ghadi or gha before the verb y to the
beginning of the verb.
Third person feminine: add ghada or gha before the verb t to the beginning of the verb.
THE PLURAL
First person: add ghadin or gha before the verb and n to the beginning
of the verb and u to the end of the verb.
Second person: add ghadin or gha before the verb and t to the beginning of the verb and u to the end of the verb.
Third person: add ghadin or gha before the verb and y to the beginning
of the verb and u to the end of the verb.
3.1.
The table below illustrates the negative form of the future tense:
Particle
Future
Negative
Subject
ma
Particle
Marker
Prefix
Ana
ma
ghadi
-sh
n-
Nta
ma
ghadi
-sh
t-
Nti
ma
ghada
-sh
t-
Huwa
ma
ghadi
-sh
y-
Heya
ma
ghada
-sh
t-
7na
ma
ghadin
-sh
n-
-u
Ntuma
ma
ghadin
-sh
t-
-u
Huma
ma
ghadin
-sh
y-
-u
Subject
Verb
Gender &
Plural
-i
3.2.
Future
Subject
ma
Particle
prefix
Ana
ma
gha
n-
Nta
ma
gha
t-
Subject
Verb
Gender &
Negative
Plural
marker
-sh
-i
-sh
33
Nti
ma
gha
t-
-sh
Huwa
ma
gha
y-
-sh
Heya
ma
gha
t-
-sh
7na
ma
gha
n-
-u
-sh
Ntuma
ma
gha
t-
-u
-sh
Huma
ma
gha
y-
-u
-sh
34
THE IMPERATIVE
35
1. THE USE
The imperative in Moroccan Arabic is used the same way it is used in English.
EXAMPLES
Ma t-l3eb-sh m3ahum!
Ma t-ketb-u-sh!
Dont write!
2. THE FORM
2.1. THE REGULAR FORM
To form the imperative in Moroccan Arabic, the root is usually kept the same
except in irregular verbs.
General rule:
Nta V
Nti V-i/y
Ntuma V-u/w
Subject
Verb
Nta
Nti
-i
36
Ntuma
-u/w
FURTHER EXPLANATION
THE SINGULAR
Second person masculine (nta): leave the base verb as it is except in the
irregular verbs.
Second person feminine (nti): add the suffix i or y to the end of the
verb.
THE PLURAL
Nta kteb
Nti ketb-i
Ntuma ketb-u
Nta bat
37
Nti bat-i
Ntuma bat-u
Nta bi3
Nti bi3-i
Ntuma bi3-u
Nta gul
Nti gul-i
Ntuma gul-u
Nta ma t-V-sh
Nti ma t-V-i-sh
Ntuma ma t-V-u/w-sh
Have a look at this table illustrating the negative form of the imperative:
38
Plural &
Subject
Particle ma
Verb
Gender
Marker
Negative
Marker -sh
Nta
ma
-sh
Nti
ma
-i
-sh
Ntuma
ma
-u/w
-sh
Nta ma t-kteb-sh
Nti ma t-ketbi-sh
Ntuma ma t-ketbu-sh
Nta ma t-gul-sh
Nti ma t-guli-sh
Ntuma ma t-gulu-sh
EXAMPLES
Ma tdir walu.
Dont do anything!
39
Ma tgul walu.
40
ACTIVE PARTICIPLE
41
1. THE USE
The active participle in Moroccan Arabic can replace the present tense, the past
tense and the future tense depending on the context.
EXAMPLES
Ma hadra-sh m3ak.
Ma la3eb-sh m3akum!
Ma katbin-sh!
2. THE FORM
2.1. THE REGULAR FORM
To form the active participle in Moroccan Arabic, we insert an a- after the first
two consonants in the verb root. For example, the verb kteb to write becomes
kateb writing.
General rule
CaCeC
Nti, heya
CaCC-a
CaCC-in
*C for consonant
42
Subject
Verb
masculine singular
CaCeC
feminine singular
CaCC
-a
masculine plural
CaCC
-in
feminine plural
CaCC
-at
FURTHER EXPLANATION
THE SINGULAR
Feminine: add a- after the first two consonants, and the suffix a to
mark the gender.
THE PLURAL
Masculine: add a- after the first two consonants, and the suffix in to
mark the masculine plural.
Feminine: add a- after the first two consonants, and the suffix at to
mark the feminine plural.
Singular: kateb
Feminine: katb-a
Plural: katb-in
Singular: qar-i
Feminine: qar-ya
Plural: qary-in
Notice that the vowel i changes into y when it is followed by another vowel.
VERBS HAVING A IN THE MIDDLE
This type of verbs change the vowel a into y. For example, fat to pass
becomes fayet passing.
Example with the verb bat to stay over
Singular: bayt
Feminine: bayt-a
Plural: bayt-in
44
Singular: ma CaCeC-sh
Feminine : ma CaCCa-sh
Have a look at the table below illustrating the active participle negative:
Plural &
Particle
Active
ma
Participle
masculine Singular
ma
CaCeC
feminine Singular
ma
CaCC
-a
-sh
masculine Plural
ma
CaCC
-in
-sh
feminine plural
ma
CaCC
-at
-sh
Subject
Gender
Marker
Negative
Marker -sh
-sh
Ma kateb-sh
Ma katb-a-sh
Ma katb-in-sh
Ma katb-at-sh
45
We leave the particle ma as it is, remove sh and add the word walu after
the active participle.
EXAMPLES
Ma dayer walu.
Ma gayel walu.
Ma kateb walu.
46
SUMMARY
47
This book focused mainly on pronouns and the conjugation of Moroccan verbs.
Using this book youll be able to speak in the most common tenses: past,
present, future, imperative and the active participle.
In the past tense, we use inflectional suffixes. In order: -t, -ti, -ti, -, -at, -na, tu, -u/w.
In the present and future tenses, we add the particles ta or ka and ghadi or gha
respectively, and then add the inflectional prefixes and suffixes marking the
person and number. In order: n-, t-, t--I, y-, t-, n--u, t--u, y--u.
The active participle as we have seen in the book is very common in Moroccan
Arabic. It can be tricky though as it can replace the past tense, the present
tense or the future tense. Hence, it is understood mostly through the context.
The table below summarizes all the tenses weve seen in this book
Pronouns
Past
Present
Tense
Tense
V-t
Ta n-V
Future Tense
Imperative
Active
Participle
CaCC
Ana
Nta
V-ti
Ta t-V
ghadi t-V
CaCC
Nti
V-ti
Ta t-V-i
ghada t-V-i
V-i
CaCC-a
48
Huwa
V-
Ta y-V
ghadi y-V
CaCC
Heya
V-at
Ta t-V
ghada t-V
CaCC
7na
V-na
Ta n-V-u
ghadin n-V-u
CaCC-in
CaCC-at
CaCC-in
Ntuma
V-tu
Ta t-V-u
ghadin t-V-u
V-u
CaCC-at
CaCC-in
Huma
V-u
Ta y-V-u
ghadin y-V-u
CaCC-at
49