Possession: Suffixes and Bita3
Practice Egyptian Arabic possessive suffixes, the feminine -it rule, and the possession word bita3.
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Questions Covered in This Set
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How do you say 'my book' in Egyptian Arabic (suffix method)?
كتابي — kitaabi (suffix ‑i / ‑ya for 'my'); never say il-kitaabi, the suffix already makes it definite.
List the possessive suffixes for: your (m.), your (f.), his, her
‑ak (your m.), ‑ik (your f.), ‑u/‑o (his), ‑ha (her) → kitaabak, kitaabik, kitaabu, kitaabha
What are the suffixes for 'our', 'your (plural)', and 'their'?
‑na (our), ‑ku (your pl.), ‑hum (their) → kitaabna, kitaabku, kitaabhum
What happens to feminine nouns ending in ‑a before a suffix?
The ‑a becomes ‑it: shanTa → shanTiti (my bag); sha22a → sha22itak (your flat); 3arabiyya → 3arabiyyitu (his car)
What are the three forms of bita3 and what do they agree with?
bita3 (masc. thing), bita3it (fem. thing), bituu3 (plural things) — they agree with the THING OWNED, not the owner.
Say 'my keys' and 'my bag' using bita3.
il-mafatii7 bituu3i (my keys); ish-shanTa bita3iti (my bag) — note the noun keeps il- with bita3.
When is bita3 preferred over a suffix?
For objects you merely own, borrowed/long words (il-mobile bita3i), for emphasis/clarity, and when the noun already has an adjective (il-3arabiyya il-7amra bita3iti).
Which words prefer the suffix rather than bita3?
Inherently 'yours' things: name, body parts, family, house, work, feelings — ismi, wishshi, miraati, bayti, shughli
Give the irregular family possessives for dad and brother.
abuuya (my dad), abuuk, abuuha; akhuuya (my brother), akhuuk, akhuuha — after a vowel 'my' is ‑ya, not ‑i.
What is the iDaafa (noun + noun) construction?
Two nouns side by side with il- only on the second: muftaa7 ish-sha22a (the key of the flat), baab il-bet, mudiir ish-sherka
