Learn Tunisian _ Lesson 1

Summary

This lesson introduces the Tunisian dialect, highlighting its Arabic roots and influences from French, Italian, Spanish, Tamazight, Greek, and Turkish. The video teaches basic Tunisian phrases for greetings, farewells, and asking how someone is. It also covers important pronouns in Tunisian Arabic and demonstrates how to conjugate verbs in the present, future, and past tenses. The teacher explains how the dialect simplifies certain elements of Arabic grammar, making it easier for learners to use in daily conversations. Viewers are encouraged to interact and request more lessons for future videos.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tunisian Arabic is a dialect of Arabic influenced by several languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Tamazight (Berber), Greek, and Turkish due to Tunisia's history and geographical location.
• 😀 Basic greetings in Tunisian Arabic include 'asslema' (hello), 'bisslema' (goodbye), 'sbeh el khir' (good morning), and 'tesbh'ala'khir' (good night).
• 😀 'Chnahwelek' is the common phrase for 'How are you?' in Tunisian Arabic, and the response 'labes' means 'I'm fine'.
• 😀 A less formal way to ask 'How are you?' in Tunisian is by using the French phrase 'ça va?'.
• 😀 Tunisian Arabic uses 7 pronouns, as opposed to 13 in standard Arabic. Examples include 'ena' (I), 'enti' (you, singular), and 'houwa' (he).
• 😀 Pronouns in Tunisian Arabic do not distinguish gender for the second person (you), making the language simpler in this regard.
• 😀 To say 'I am [name]' in Tunisian Arabic, you would say 'ena [name]'. For example, 'Ena John' for 'I am John'.
• 😀 Verbs in Tunisian Arabic are conjugated similarly for both genders, with a focus on simplicity in structure.
• 😀 To conjugate verbs in the present tense, you use different forms depending on the subject: 'ena nekel' (I eat), 'houwa iekel' (he eats), 'ahna neklou' (we eat), etc.
• 😀 The future tense is formed by adding 'bech' before the verb. For example, 'ena bech nekel' (I will eat) and 'ahna bech neklou' (we will eat).
• 😀 In the past tense, there are slight variations for different pronouns. For example, 'ena klit' (I ate), 'houwa klé' (he ate), and 'ahna klina' (we ate).

Q & A

What languages and influences make up the Tunisian dialect?

Tunisian Arabic is primarily based on Arabic but also includes words and expressions from French (due to French colonization), Italian, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, and Tamazight (Berber language).

What is the meaning of 'asslema' in Tunisian Arabic?

'Asslema' is the Tunisian equivalent of 'Assalamu alaykum' (peace be upon you) and is commonly used as a greeting in Tunisia.

How do you say 'goodbye' in Tunisian Arabic?

'Bisslema' is the word for goodbye in Tunisian Arabic.

What is the difference between 'sbeh el khir' and 'tesbh'ala'khir'?

'Sbeh el khir' means 'Good morning' (literally 'morning of good things'), while 'tesbh'ala'khir' means 'Good night' and is used when leaving at night.

How do you ask 'How are you?' in Tunisian Arabic?

You can say 'Chnahwelek?' to ask 'How are you?' in Tunisian Arabic.

What is the response to 'Chnahwelek?' in Tunisian Arabic?

The response to 'Chnahwelek?' is usually 'Labes', meaning 'I’m fine' or 'I’m in good shape.'

What does 'Hamdoulah' mean in Tunisian Arabic?

'Hamdoulah' means 'Thank God' and is commonly used in response to 'How are you?' as a way of expressing gratitude for being well.

What is the plural form of 'you' in Tunisian Arabic?

The plural form of 'you' in Tunisian Arabic is 'Entouma'.

What are the pronouns for 'I', 'he', and 'she' in Tunisian Arabic?

'I' is 'Ena', 'he' is 'Houwa', and 'she' is 'Hia' in Tunisian Arabic.

How do you conjugate the verb 'to eat' (nekel) in the present tense?

In the present tense, 'to eat' conjugates as follows: 'Ena nekel' (I eat), 'Enti tekel' (You eat), 'Houwa iekel' (He eats), 'Hia tekel' (She eats), 'Ahna neklou' (We eat), 'Entouma teklou' (You all eat), 'Houma ieklou' (They eat).

What is the pattern for conjugating verbs in the future tense in Tunisian Arabic?

In the future tense, you add 'bech' before the verb. For example: 'Ena bech nekel' (I will eat), 'Ahna bech neklou' (We will eat), 'Entouma bech teklou' (You all will eat).

How do you conjugate the verb 'to drink' (charaba) in the past tense?

In the past tense, 'to drink' conjugates as follows: 'Ena chrabt' (I drank), 'Enti chrabt' (You drank), 'Houwa chrab' (He drank), 'Hia charbet' (She drank), 'Ahna chrabna' (We drank), 'Entouma chrabtou' (You all drank), 'Houma charbou' (They drank).