sentences and grammar

Hi… I would like to email one of my Moroccan friends in Darija, as well as get a feel for some grammar. Could you translate these sentences for me:

I haven’t seen you online these days, so I am e-mailing you to see how you are doing.
I know that you are busy. (mostly I am wondering how you translate “that” in this kind of sentence, or in something like “I hope that I will see you.”)
I start class tomorrow night.
I am trying to be healthy.
When it is not too hot outside, I run for exercise.

And a question on grammar: am I right in presuming that the difference between “-li” as in goulli and “-ni” as in “'ajebni” are indirect and direct objects? like I would use “-li” or “-lek” for something that one does for or to you/me, etc., like khlesli lflus = “pay (to) me money” where as “-ek” and “-ni” would be for the direct object.

Or have I misinterpreted that so far? and if I am correct, why do they say “'ateyni” for “give me” rather than “ateyli” ?

Thanks. :slight_smile:

Er… you didn’t say whether you want these transcribed or in Arabic letters. I believe it’s better in the latter form, or maybe you want both for your own learning?
By the way, can you read Arabic?

[quote]And a question on grammar: am I right in presuming that the difference between “-li” as in goulli and “-ni” as in “'ajebni” are indirect and direct objects? like I would use “-li” or “-lek” for something that one does for or to you/me, etc., like khlesli lflus = “pay (to) me money” where as “-ek” and “-ni” would be for the direct object.

Or have I misinterpreted that so far? and if I am correct, why do they say “'ateyni” for “give me” rather than “ateyli” ?[/quote]
Gôl liyyâ (your goulli) = Say to me./ Tell me.
Ktb liyyâ = Write for me.
Those are two separate words.

3Tinî = Give me.
Drbnî = Hit me.
Qrrînî = Teach me.
KhllSnî = Pay me.
Now “nî” is a suffix.

You guys learn Darija following grammatical rules, we learned it orally! So I need a little moment of reflexion to define the rule behind this… or a Darija book to guide me :hap:.
This has to do with cases, the genitive one I guess… Those cases I was afraid to study in my German class.

Anyways, does anyone please have a course on this?

genitive case? I am lost there. I’ll to my best to likewise learn them by practice in the meantime.

I can read Arabic, but I need practice to read it as quickly as I can English.
So both English and Arabic letters would be helpful if you please. :slight_smile:

genitif is a declension used to express the complement of the noun. I think that, in extension, the word “genitif” is used to speak about the noun’s complement itself
(sorry I’m not sure that I’m clear, it isn’t easy to explain grammar in a language wich isn’t the mine…)
(le génitif est une déclinaison utilisée pour exprimer la fonction “complément du nom”. Je pense que, par extension, le mot “génitif” est utilisé pour parler du la fonction “complément du nom” elle-même et plus seulement de la terminaison qu’on ajoutait au nom.

For example:
Dad’s car
La voiture de papa

Dans une langue à déclinaison (allemand, russe, latin…), tu auras une terminaison particulière à la fin de “papa” qui est ici complément du nom de voiture: le génitif.

J’espère que je n’ai pas embrouillé davantage les choses … :huh:

Génitif, COD, COI, pffff… compliqué tout ça !

Il suffit de dire que “nî” est un promom personnel et “lî” une préposition et qu’il est impossible de les confondre quand on a compris ça.

[quote=elise_m]genitif is a declension used to express the complement of the noun. I think that, in extension, the word “genitif” is used to speak about the noun’s complement itself
(sorry I’m not sure that I’m clear, it isn’t easy to explain grammar in a language wich isn’t the mine…)
(le génitif est une déclinaison utilisée pour exprimer la fonction “complément du nom”. Je pense que, par extension, le mot “génitif” est utilisé pour parler du la fonction “complément du nom” elle-même et plus seulement de la terminaison qu’on ajoutait au nom.

For example:
Dad’s car
La voiture de papa

Dans une langue à déclinaison (allemand, russe, latin…), tu auras une terminaison particulière à la fin de “papa” qui est ici complément du nom de voiture: le génitif.

J’espère que je n’ai pas embrouillé davantage les choses … :huh:[/quote]
non pas du tout, les déclinison sont très compliquées à comprendre, j’ai fait du latin et de l’allemand et c’est très compliqué!

I think I get it, though I am not sure if that would apply to those cases because they are not possessives.

Could anyone translate the above sentences?

Thanks!

I am back to you with the translations. As for the -ni, -li difference, we can see about it later :).

Here you go:
[large]?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???. ??? ??? ???.??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???. ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???.
??? ? ???.[/large]

I added “take care” at the end. You can delete it if you want.

Transcription:
Mâ shftksh mkônnikTî hâd liyyâmât, glt nktb lîk nswwl fîk. 3rftk wâsh mshghôl. Anâ ghâdî nbdâ lqrâya ghddâ bllîl. Rânî kan7âwl n7âfD 3lâ SS77a dyâlî, w kankhroj njrî mllî mâ kâykônsh SS-hd.
T-hllâ f râsk.

It’s probably not “starting class tomorrow”, so let me know if you want to change it.

That’s perfect. Thanks! :slight_smile:

You’re welcome :).