Lesson 2 • Darija Basics
The Past Tense in Darija — Very Simple!
To put a verb in the past, you only need endings. No prefix — everything is logical and quick to learn.
Remember
- Past tense = verb + ending
- Negation = ma … sh (like brackets)
- “to have” is extremely useful in Darija
Transcription style: ae = ع •
H = ح
Past Tense Endings
Everyday Examples
Endings (example: “to eat” = akl)
In the past tense there are no prefixes. You only add an ending.
| Person | Ending | Example (akl) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | -t | aklt | I ate |
| You (m) | -ti | aklti | You ate |
| You (f) | -ti | aklti | You ate |
| He | — | akl | He ate |
| She | -at | aklat | She ate |
| We | -na | aklna | We ate |
| You (plural) | -tu | akltu | You ate |
| They | -u | aklu | They ate |
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| I ate bread | Ana aklt l-khobz |
| She drank water | Hia shrabat l-ma |
| We went | Hna mshina |
| He called me | Howa aeyt lia |
Negation — Very Practical
ma … sh like brackets
Negation is formed with ma … sh around the verb.
Present
Form: ma + kat/kan/kay… + sh
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| I don’t eat | Ana makanakulsh |
| He doesn’t want to | Howa maybghish |
Past
Form: ma + verb + sh
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| I did not eat | Ana makaltsh |
| She did not drink | Hia mashrabatsh |
Tip: the -sh is pronounced softly, like “sh”.
Possession — “to have”
Example Sentences
“to have” = عند (aend) / 3nd…
“To have” is extremely common in Darija. Here are the most important forms:
| Person | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | aendi | I have = aendi |
| You (m) | aendk | You have time = aendk l-waqt |
| You (f) | aendk(i) | — |
| He | aendu | He has a car |
| She | aendha | She has money |
| We | aendna | We are hungry |
| You (plural) | aendkom | You have a house |
| They | aendhom | They have problems |
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| I don’t have money | Ana maaendish flus |
| We don’t have time | Hna maaendnach l-waqt |
| She has a car | Hia aendha tomobil |
Mini Dialog — Past & Future
Short & Clear
A: Fin mshit gheda?
→ Where did you go yesterday?
B: Mshit l-souk.
→ I went to the market.
A: W ghedwa, fin ghadi?
→ And tomorrow, where are you going?
B: Ghadi nmshi l-bHar.
→ I’m going to the sea.
Exercises
Please translate
- “I did not eat the bread.”
- “We want to drink tea.”
- “She does not have time.”
- “I went home yesterday.”
- “He called me.”