Arabic Lessons

We have had a grand total of two Arabic lessons. Just enough to know how much we need to learn. Now we can say please, thank-you, ask to go to the bathroom and instruct a taxi drive to turn left, right, go straight or stop here.

One of the interesting things has been the differences between masculine and feminine words.

For example, the pronoun you. The masculine you is enta. If speaking to a female, you would use entee. To use a plural y'all, ento.

Please is another fascinating example:
If I were speaking to Brian, I would use menfadlake.
To Sophie, menfadlek.
To Emily and Savannah, menfadloco.

To ask someone "how are you?" when speaking to a man you say, ezayak? or to a woman, ezayek? yes, it is an incredibly subtle difference. Even though I asked our language tutor to repeat it several times, I couldn't distinguish a difference.  But she assured me there is one.

The response by a man is kewayes, alhumduallah which means, "I am fine, praise be to God."
I would respond, kewayesa, alhumduallah and if I were responding for a group, I would say, kewayseen, alhumduallah.

Tonight, as I was painting my toenails, I memorized the numbers from 1 to 10.

Yes, I am just that awesome. Now, we shall see if I remember them tomorrow... insha'allah.