The subjunctive

MSA

Conjugating the subjunctive in MSA - remove the ن from any present tense conjugations, then add an ا to any of the conjugations that end in و. With the remaining persons, change the final short vowel damma to the short vowel fatha

After set phrases

a) it is necessary that x. This is not conjugated. The following verb is, however.

يجب أن يدرسوا - they must study / it is necessary that they study

b) he wants to x. This is conjugated based on subject, as is the following verb:

تريد أن تأكل الدجاج معي - she wants to eat the chicken with me

Negation

  • أن + لا = ألّا (for negating verbs)

  • ليس used otherwise.

Egyptian Arabic

Conjugating the subjunctive in EA - remove the ب from the present tense conjugation of the verb.

Second verb/verb in a question

The first verb is conjugated normally, the second verb takes the subjunctive. Verbs in questions take the subjunctive.

ساعدته يعمل الواجب

إيه رأيك نروح مصر؟

Opinion / emotion with أن

Used mostly with natural / important.

مهم إني أشوفه - it’s important to me to see him. The attached pronoun is optional here

مش طبيعي إننا نتفرج كل الوقت ده على التلفزيون - it’s not normal that we watch the TV all this time.

عشان - in order to

To express the sentiment of in order to / because / so that

بيدرس تاريخ عشان يروح الجامعة - he studies history so that he can go to university

قبل ما - بعد ما - before/after

مش ممكن أشوفكوا بكرة بعد ما أوصل - I can’t see you tomorrow after I arrive

كان - when not followed by a verb

مش لازم يكون فيه مشاكل - there doesn’t have to be any problems

عايز أكون مشهور - I want to be famous

Questions

تيجي معايا؟ - are you coming with me?