Lesson 11
People and Places
الناس والأماكن
Describe where you are from, discuss countries and nationalities, and use relative adjectives (nisba). This unit expands your geographic Arabic vocabulary significantly.
Countries and Nationalities
CountryArabicNationality (m)Nationality (f)
Egyptمِصْرمِصْرِيّمِصْرِيَّة
Moroccoالْمَغْرِبمَغْرِبِيّمَغْرِبِيَّة
Saudi Arabiaالسُّعُودِيَّةسُعُودِيّسُعُودِيَّة
Turkeyتُرْكِيَاتُرْكِيّتُرْكِيَّة
Relative Adjective النِّسْبَة
The nisba suffix ـِيّ (m) / ـِيَّة (f) converts a noun into a relational adjective. مِصْر → مِصْرِيّ (Egyptian). This suffix is used for nationality, origin, specialisation, and affiliation.
أَنَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ، أَنَا مَغْرِبِيّ وَزَوْجَتِي مِصْرِيَّة
Anā min al-Maghrib, anā Maghribī wa-zawjatī Miṣriyya
I am from Morocco, I am Moroccan and my wife is Egyptian.
أَيْنَ تَسْكُن؟ أَسْكُنُ فِي مَدِينَةِ لَنْدَن
Ayna taskun? Askunu fī madīnati Landan
Where do you live? I live in the city of London.
- Nisba ـِيّ: Add to any noun عَرَبِيّ (Arab/Arabic), إِسْلَامِيّ (Islamic), دِينِيّ (religious).
- Feminine nisba: Always ـِيَّة لُغَةٌ عَرَبِيَّة (an Arabic language).
- Iḍāfa for locations: مَدِينَةُ لَنْدَن (the city of London) first noun has no article or tanwīn.
- Islamic geography: The 57 OIC member states cover much of the Arabic-speaking world knowing their Arabic names is practically useful.