Dialogue

Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Notes

Unlock In-Depth Explanations & Exclusive Takeaways with Printable Lesson Notes

Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
ArabicPod101.com presents Arabic Survival Phrases. This course is designed to equip you with the language skills and knowledge to enable you to get the most out of your visit to Arabic speaking countries, with particular focus on Morocco. So join us for Arabic Survival phrases. You will be surprised at how far a little Arabic will go.
Now before we jump in, remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com, there you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. In addition, you’ll find more information in the post. And if you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment.

Lesson focus

In today's lesson, we'll introduce a phrase that is certain to come in handy for capturing your memories on film. Morocco is full of beautiful scenery, and there are times when you'll want to be in the picture or have everyone in your party in the picture. Therefore, there are times when the question, "Can you take our/my picture?" will be invaluable!
In Arabic, "Can you take my picture?" is: yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī? (يمكن ليك تصورني؟)
yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
Let’s break it down by syllable: yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
Now let's hear it once again: yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
The first word yimkiin (يمكن) means "possible"
Let's break it down and hear it one more time: yimkiin
yimkiin
This is followed by liīk (ليك), "for you"
liīk
Liīk
So to recap here, we have: yimkiin liīk, literally this means “possible for you?”
Let’s take a look at the next, tṣūrnī (تصورني) means "take my picture."
tṣūrnī
tṣūrnī
So altogether, we have: yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
Literally, this means "Possible for you take my picture?" meaning "Can you take my picture?"
Now if you want to say "Can you take our picture?", it is yimkin liīk tṣūrnā? (يمكن ليك تصورنا؟)
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
It’s the same as the question before, except for the very last sound, ī, which you substitute with the sound ā.
So "Can you take my picture?" is yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
And "Can you take our picture?" is yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
Now let's hear it again:
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
Let’s break it down by syllable: yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
Cultural Insights
In English, before someone takes a picture, the person taking the picture may say, "1, 2, 3 Cheese." In Arabic, before a picture is taken, the person taking the picture may say just “1, 2, 3”; this is ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
Let’s break it down by syllable: ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
Now let's hear it once again: ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
The first word, ūāḥid, means “one.”
ūāḥid
ūāḥid
This is followed by ǧūǧ, which in Arabic is “two.”
ǧūǧ
ǧūǧ
Now, let’s take a look at the next, ṯlātah, which means “three.”
ṯlātah
ṯlātah
So altogether, we have: ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah, literally, this means “one, two, three.” So if you’re taking the picture, you’ll say this. And if you’re having your picture taken, you’ll hear it again. At the end of the picture, you may want to say a simple “thank you,” which is šukran (شُكراً) in Arabic.
Let's hear it again: šukran
šukran
Now, what if you're not happy with your picture and you want to ask the person to take it again? In this case, you may want to say: marrahʾuḫrā ‘afâk, which means “one more time, please.”
marrahʾuḫrā ‘afâk
marrahʾuḫrā ‘afâk
marrah is “time”; ʾuḫrā is “another”; ‘afâk means “please.”
Altogether, marrahʾuḫrā ‘afâk.

Outro

Okay, to close out today's lesson, we'd like for you to practice what you've just learned. I'll provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you're responsible for saying it aloud. You'll have a few seconds before I give you the answer, so حظ سعيد, that means "good luck" in Arabic.
Ok, here we go!
"Can you take my picture?" - yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
yimkiin liīk tṣūrnī?
"Can you take our picture?" - yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
yimkin liīk tṣūrnā?
“One, two, three” - ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
ūāḥid ǧūǧ ṯlātah.
“Thank you” - šukran
šukran
šukran
All right. This is going to do it for this lesson of Arabic Survival Phrases. Remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com. There you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. See you soon, which in Arabic is - ilā al-liqāʾ.

Comments

Hide