Fusha question words go at the start of the question.
The question words
| English | Fusha | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| what (before a verb) | ู ุงุฐุง | maadha |
| what (before a noun) | ู ุง | maa |
| where | ุฃูู | ayna |
| when | ู ุชู | mataa |
| why | ูู ุงุฐุง | limaadha |
| how | ููู | kayfa |
| who | ู ูู | man |
| how many | ูู | kam |
| which | ุฃูู | ayy |
Examples
- ู ุงุฐุง ุชูุนููุmaadha taf3alu?What are you (m) doing?
- ู ุง ุงุณู ูููุmaa ismuki?What is your (f) name?
- ุฃูู ุชุณูููุayna taskunu?Where do you (m) live?
- ู ุชู ุงูุญููุฉูุmataa al-7aflatu?When is the party?
- ูู ุงุฐุง ุชุฃุฎุฑุชูุlimaadha ta2akhkharta?Why were you (m) late?
- ููู ุญุงููููุkayfa 7aaluka?How are you (m)?
- ู ูู ูุฐุงุman haadha?Who is this?
kam + accusative singular
- ูู ูุชุงุจุงู ูุฑุฃุชูุkam kitaaban qara2ta?How many books did you read?
- ุจูู ูุฐุงุbikam haadha?How much is this?
Yes/no questions: hal and a-
Start a yes/no question with hal, or attach a-:
- ูู ุฃูุชู ู ุตุฑููุhal anta misriyy?Are you Egyptian?
- ุฃุชุชูููู ู ุงูุนุฑุจูุฉูุa-tatakallamu al-3arabiyya?Do you speak Arabic?