The Past Tense in Algerian Arabic
Welcome to today’s grammar lesson on the past tense. It is a very useful tense in Algerian Arabic, but a bit more complicated than the simple present; since not all the verbs follow the same rule as they do in the present tense. So I broke the verbs down into groups which follow the same rule, illustrated with examples to make it easy, especially for non-arabic speakers. So let’s get started!
*** The Usage ***
In Algerian Arabic, we use the past tense to talk about an action that was completed in the past.
*** The Forms with Examples ***
Unlike the present tense where the general rule; adding a prefix to the root or a prefix and a suffix together, is the same for all the verbs. The past tense however has a different rule; adding a suffix (or not) to the root but with different changes to the verb, depending on which type the verb is.
Based on the number of letters of the root of the verb and its pronunciation, we have four types of verbs in general where changes happen to the verb.
1- Long root verbs/ 3 letter root verbs with NO long vowel:
Like the verbs (to answer = /y’ja:wib/ يجاوب) or
(to write = /yektib/ يكتب)
These types of verbs follow the general past tense rule without any change to the verb.
Examples:
جاوِبْتي مليح
/ja:wibti: mli:7/
You gave a good answer.
هي كتبت كُلْشي
/hiya kitbit kolchi:/
She wrote everything.
2- Long root verbs ending with long vowel /a:/
/3 letter root verbs with the long vowel /a:/
Like the verbs (to have dinner = /yet3acha:/ يتعشى) or
(to read = /yaqra:/ يقرا)
The long vowel /a:/ changes to long vowel /i:/ before the suffix with the first five pronouns in the table. However, with the last three pronouns, the verb keeps the long vowel /a:/ positioned before the suffix.
Examples:
تْعشّينا شخشوخة لبارح
/t’3achi:na: lbari7 chakhchoukha/
We had Chakhchoukha for dinner yesterday
قْرا مِيَة كْتاب لعام لي فات
/qra: miyat kta:b l’3a:m li: fa:t/
He read 100 books last year
3- 3 letter root verbs with middle long vowel /ou/ or /i:/
Like the verbs (to sell = /ybi:3/ يبيع) or
(to say,to tell = /yqoul/ يقول)
The middle long vowel disappears with the first five pronouns in the table. However, with the last three pronouns, the long vowel /ou/ or /i:/ changes to the long vowel /a:/.
Examples:
بِعت طونوبيلتك؟
/bi3t tonobi:ltik/
Did you sell your car?
قالولْنا على لِخبر
/qa:loulna 3la lekhbar/
They told us the news
4- All verbs that end with the long vowel /i:/
Like the verbs (to buy = /yechri:/ يشري) or
(to run = /yejri:/ يجري)
They follow the general past tense rule without any changes to the verb, like group one above, with the first five pronouns. However, with the last three pronouns, the long vowel /i:/ changes to the long vowel /a:/
Examples:
شرينا دار جديدة
/chri:na: da:r jdi:da/
We bought a new house
هوما جراو عشرة كيلو
/houma: jra:w 3achra ki:lou/
They ran 10km
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this lesson useful.
P.S. There are exceptions to the rules which I did not mention in this lesson to keep it simple and easy.
