Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 13: Common verbs

Common verbs

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 13

GoalLearn eight common verbs in the «I» form.

New words

بَرُوح (barūḥ) · I goبَشُوف (bashūf) · I see, I watchبَشْتَغَل (bashtaghal) · I workبَنَام (banām) · I sleepبَذَاكِر (bazākir) · I studyبَكْتِب (baktib) · I writeبَسْمَع (basmaʿ) · I listen, I hearبَاكُل (bākul) · I eat

Explanation

These verbs are very common. Every «I» form starts with بَـ. Some verbs have a long vowel, such as بَرُوح، بَشُوف and بَنَام. In the other persons, the first vowel of the verb can disappear: بَرُوح, but بِتْرُوح and بِنْرُوح. Say the verb in the table below for all persons. The letter ذ is said z in Egyptian, so بَذَاكِر is bazākir.

Pronoun	go	see
أَنَا	بَرُوح	بَشُوف
إِنْتَ	بِتْرُوح	بِتْشُوف
إِنْتِي	بِتْرُوحِي	بِتْشُوفِي
هُوَّ	بِيرُوح	بِيشُوف
هِيَّ	بِتْرُوح	بِتْشُوف
إِحْنَا	بِنْرُوح	بِنْشُوف
هُمَّا	بِيرُوحُوا	بِيشُوفُوا

Worked examples

Four short sentences. Press each card.

Salma

إِنْتَ بِتِشْتَغَل؟

Yusuf

لَأ، أَنَا بَذَاكِر.

Salma

وِبِتْرُوح الجَامْعَة؟

Yusuf

أَيْوَه، بَرُوح الجَامْعَة.

Salma asks Yusuf. Press each line.

Class activity

Choose five verbs. Say each one as «I …» and act it out at the same time. Then say what another person does: هِيَّ بِتْرُوح … or هُوَّ بِيشُوف … . Write six sentences.

Practice

Say «I sleep».

Which verb means «I work»?

Say «he goes».

Say «you (woman) see».

Press Listen. Who watches a film: I, we or they?

Daily routine: the present tense

Common verbs