LIMBA Palestinian ArabicFree written course · 100 lessons Audio course

A2Unit 7 · Health, shopping and plans · Lesson 69 of 100

When, before, after

lamma wṣilna · ʾabl ma niṭlaʿ · baʿd ma akalna · awwal ma …

Goal: Link two actions in time with "when", "before", "after" and "as soon as", in the past and in the future.

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Dialogue

It is the day before the wedding in Nablus, and the women of the family are getting ready for the evening party. You will learn to join two actions with lamma "when", ʾabl ma "before", baʿd ma "after" and awwal ma "as soon as".

Friday afternoon at Rana's aunt's house in Nablus, the day before the wedding. Everyone is getting ready.

  1. Imm Khalilyalla, ya banāt! is-sahra is-sāʿa tamānye, w lāzim nistaʿjel.Come on, girls! The evening party is at eight, and we have to hurry.
  2. Ranaṭayyib, yamma! bass ʾabl ma niṭlaʿ, lāzim abaddel.OK, Mom! But before we go out, I have to change.
  3. Linaya Rana, shaʿrik ḥilu ktīr il-yōm!Rana, your hair looks lovely today!
  4. Ranashukran! w Khalīl rāḥ yiḥliʾ awwal ma wṣilna ʿa-Nāblis.Thanks! And Khalil went for a haircut as soon as we arrived in Nablus.
  5. Linaw ana baddalt fustāni talat marrāt!And I've changed my dress three times!
  6. Imm Khalililbisi z-zahri, ya Līna. ktīr ḥilu ʿalēki.Wear the pink one, Lina. It looks really nice on you.
  7. Linamāshi, khālto. w lamma nrūḥ ʿas-sahra, shu bnākhod lal-ʿarūs?OK, auntie. And when we go to the party, what are we taking for the bride?
  8. Imm Khaliliḥna jibna hidiyye dahab. inti mumkin taʿṭīha ward.We've brought a gold present. You could give her flowers.
  9. Ranashūfi, ya Līna: khālti zayyanat il-bēt kullo!Look, Lina: my aunt has decorated the whole house!
  10. Linawallāhi ḥilu! w hāda kart il-ʿurs?It's really pretty! And is this the wedding card?
  11. Ranaā. lamma wiṣilni l-kart, friḥt ktīr.Yes. When the card reached me, I was so happy.
  12. Imm Khalilyalla! baʿd ma nirjaʿ min is-sahra, lāzim nnām bakkīr: bukra l-ʿurs!Come on! After we get back from the party, we have to go to bed early: the wedding is tomorrow!
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New words

Palestinian ArabicEnglish
lammawhen (+ a verb)not a question: "when?" is ēmta?
ʾabl mabefore (+ a verb)ʾabl ma nrūḥ = before we go
baʿd maafter (+ a verb)baʿd ma akalna = after we ate
awwal maas soon as
zayyanto decoratezayyan / yzayyen; b-present bazayyen
zahripinkfeminine zahriyye
baddalto change (clothes); to exchangebaddal / ybaddel; b-present babaddel; badal = instead of
dahabgoldhidiyye dahab = a gold present
kartcard (invitation card, postcard, bank card)plural krūt
istaʿjalto hurry, be in a hurryistaʿjal / yistaʿjel; b-present bastaʿjel
shaʿrhairshaʿri = my hair
ḥalaʾto get a haircut; to shaveḥalaʾ / yiḥliʾ; b-present baḥliʾ
sahraevening gathering, evening partyplural sahrāt
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Grammar

1. When: lamma

lamma "when" joins two actions. If they happened, the verb after lamma is in the past. If they are still to come, it is the present without b-.

lamma wṣilna, khālti kānat fil-maṭbakh. When we arrived, my aunt was in the kitchen.
lamma nrūḥ ʿas-sahra, bnākhod ward. When we go to the party, we'll take flowers.

lamma never asks a question. "When?" is ēmta?: ēmta wṣilt? "When did you arrive?"

2. Before and after: ʾabl ma, baʿd ma

Before a noun, "before" and "after" are ʾabl and baʿd: ʾabl il-ʿurs, baʿd is-sahra. Before a verb, add ma.

Word+ verbExample
ʾabl mapresent without b-ʾabl ma niṭlaʿ before we go out
baʿd mapast, for what happenedbaʿd ma akalna after we ate
baʿd mapresent without b-, for what is to comebaʿd ma nirjaʿ after we get back
ʾabl ma niṭlaʿ, lāzim abaddel. Before we go out, I have to change.
baʿd ma akalna, raʾaṣna. After we ate, we danced.

3. As soon as: awwal ma

awwal ma "as soon as" works like lamma: the past for what happened.

awwal ma wṣilna, Khalīl rāḥ yiḥliʾ. As soon as we arrived, Khalil went for a haircut.
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Practice

1Choose the right answer

  1. "When did you arrive?" (to a man)

  2. "before we go out"

  3. "after the wedding"

  4. "a pink dress"

2Complete the sentence

  1. ___ wṣilna, khālti kānat fil-maṭbakh. = When we arrived, my aunt was in the kitchen.

  2. ʾabl ma ___, lāzim abaddel. = Before we go out, I have to change.

  3. baʿd ma ___, raʾaṣna. = After we ate, we danced.

  4. ___ ma wṣilna, Khalīl rāḥ yiḥliʾ. = As soon as we arrived, Khalil went for a haircut.

  5. lāzim ___! = We have to hurry!

  6. khālti ___ il-bēt. = My aunt decorated the house.

3Match the Arabic and the English

  1. shaʿr

  2. dahab

  3. kart

  4. sahra

  5. baddal

  6. istaʿjal

4Put the words in order

  1. When we go to the party, we'll take flowers.

  2. Before we go out, I have to change.

5Say it in Palestinian Arabic, then check

  1. After we get back, we'll sleep.

  2. Wear the pink dress! (to a woman)

6True or false?

  1. Khalil went for a haircut as soon as they arrived in Nablus.

  2. The family has brought flowers as a present for the bride.

Well done — your score: .
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Summary

  • You can say when something happened: lamma wṣilna …, awwal ma wṣilna ….
  • You can say when something will happen: lamma nrūḥ …, baʿd ma nirjaʿ ….
  • You can use ʾabl ma with the present without b-: ʾabl ma niṭlaʿ.
  • You know the difference between ʾabl / baʿd + noun and ʾabl ma / baʿd ma + verb, and between lamma and ēmta?

Unit 7: Health, shopping and plans

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