3. Meeting people

Click on the ear to play sound.

		mā-smuk? What's your name?
		'ismī salīm My name is Salim
		'ismuhu rashīd His name is Rashid
		'ismuhā warda Her name is Warda
		'anā sā'ih I'm a tourist (as uttered by a man)
		'anā sā'iha I'm a tourist (as uttered by a woman)
		'acmal hunā I'm working here
		'anā tālib I'm a student (as uttered by a man)
		'anā tāliba I'm a student (as uttered by a woman)

Grammar: Basic Arabic sentences

"To be" and "to have" — verbs you don't use!

Two verbs are normally ommitted from Arabic (this thing makes learning the language a little bit easier). These two are to be and to have. The first of these two is well exemplified above. Instead of saying "My name is Erik", you say "Name mine Erik" — 'ismī 'īrīk
The same applies for qualities: Instead of saying "She is a teacher", you say "She teacher" — hiyya mudarrisa, "he tourist" — huwa sā'ih
As for the verb "to have", which can also equal "to own": Instead of saying "He has a car", you say "To him a car" — lahu sayyāra, "to her a book" — lahā kitāb, "to me a house" (="I own a house") — lī bayt
Elegant, don't you think?
Even if this could appear slightly confusing at the very first, the rules are terribly simple, and soon you will see yourself forming basic sentences,- without the use of any verb. However, be prepared, Arabic is full of verbs, and there is no way around them if you want to communicate properly in Arabic.