Arabic A2, Unit 2: Adverbs: always, often, never

Adverbs: always, often, never

Arabic A2 · Unit 2

GoalSay how often something happens.

New words

دَائِمًا (dāʾiman) · alwaysغَالِبًا (ghāliban) · often, mostlyعَادَةً (ʿādatan) · usuallyأَحْيَانًا (ʾaḥyānan) · sometimesنَادِرًا (nādiran) · rarelyأَبَدًا (ʾabadan) · never (with لَا)

Explanation

Words like “always” and “often” tell us how often. They end in -an, written ـًا (عَادَةً ends in ـَةً). Put them after the verb or at the start of the sentence: أَنَا أَشْرَب الشَّاي دَائِمًا. The scale goes from دَائِمًا (always) through غَالِبًا (often) and أَحْيَانًا (sometimes) to نَادِرًا (rarely). For “never”, use لَا with the verb and put أَبَدًا after it: لَا أَشْرَب الْقَهْوَة أَبَدًا. Time phrases such as كُلّ يَوْم (every day) also tell how often.

Word	Meaning	Example
دَائِمًا	always	أَدْرُس دَائِمًا
غَالِبًا	often	نَلْعَب غَالِبًا
أَحْيَانًا	sometimes	أَحْيَانًا أَقْرَأ
نَادِرًا	rarely	يَشْرَب الشَّاي نَادِرًا
لَا … أَبَدًا	never	لَا أَشْرَب أَبَدًا

Worked examples

From always to never. Press each line.

Salma

هَل تَشْرَب الْقَهْوَة؟

Omar

لَا، لَا أَشْرَب الْقَهْوَة أَبَدًا.

Salma

وَالشَّاي؟

Omar

أَشْرَب الشَّاي دَائِمًا.

Salma and Omar talk about drinks.

Two adverbs, one verb: the meaning changes.

Class activity

My week. Write a line for six things you do: drinking tea, reading, playing, studying, writing, watching TV. Put a different adverb in each line, from دَائِمًا to أَبَدًا. Read the lines aloud and say if they are true for you.

Practice

Press Listen. “We go ___.” Does this mean “a lot” or “never”?

…

Write: “I never drink milk.”

The picture shows a clock. Say: “she usually reads in the evening.”

The picture shows tea. Say: “he sometimes drinks tea.”

Put in order, from most to least often: نَادِرًا، دَائِمًا، أَحْيَانًا، غَالِبًا

Sentences with verbs

Adverbs: always, often, never