Greetings

1. ⴰⵣⵓⵍ

   Azul

   Hello

   Usage

   The basic all-purpose greeting for any time of day. In Morocco, greeting in Amazigh is warmly appreciated.

   Grammar Note

   Stands alone as a greeting; listed as a masculine noun in the IRCAM dictionary. Many speakers answer Islamic greetings in Arabic.

2. ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⵍⵍⴰⴽ

   Azul fllak

   Hello (to one man)

   Usage

   A warmer greeting to one man; literally "(peace) upon you".

   Grammar Note

   Preposition "on" plus a pronoun suffix. This form is attested in the Tashelhit corpus; the plural is ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⵍⵍⴰⵡⵏ. The feminine form is derived and unverified.

3. ⵜⵉⴼⴰⵡⵉⵏ

   Tifawin

   Good morning

   Usage

   Morning greeting; literally "lights".

   Grammar Note

   A feminine plural noun. Not a dictionary headword, but attested in all three corpora.

4. ⵜⵉⵎⵏⵙⵉⵡⵉⵏ

   Timnsiwin

   Good evening

   Usage

   Evening greeting.

   Grammar Note

   A feminine plural noun listed in the IRCAM dictionary as "bonsoir".

5. ⵎⴰⵏⵉⴽ ⵜⴳⵉⵜ?

   Manik tgit?

   How are you? (to one man)

   Usage

   Asking one man how he is.

   Grammar Note

   Built as "how + you are" from a Tashelhit example; ⵜⴳⵉⵜ is common in both corpora. Feminine ⵜⴳⵉⵎ is derived and unverified.

6. ⵓⵔ ⵉ ⵢⴰⵖ ⵢⴰⵜ

   Ur i yaɣ yat

   I'm fine

   Usage

   Reply when asked how you are; literally "nothing is wrong with me".

   Grammar Note

   The frame "ⵓⵔ ... ⵢⴰⵜ" means "not at all". The same sentence appears in both the zgh and Tashelhit corpora.

7. ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ

   Tanmmirt

   Thank you

   Usage

   The basic way to say thanks; works for any addressee.

   Grammar Note

   The noun "gratitude" doubles as the thanks formula; "ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ ⵏⵏⴽ" (your [m.] thanks) also occurs in the corpus.

8. ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ ⴽⵉⴳⴰⵏ

   Tanmmirt kigan

   Thank you very much

   Usage

   Stronger thanks.

   Grammar Note

   The corpus has "ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ ⴽⵉⴳⴰⵏ ⵖⴼ …" (thanks a lot for …); this card is composed from it. Tashelhit speakers also say ⴱⴰⵀⵔⴰ.

9. ⵖⴼ ⵓⵎⵢⴰ

   Ɣf umya

   You're welcome

   Usage

   Reply to thanks; literally "for nothing".

   Grammar Note

   ⵖⴼ is a preposition. ⵓⵎⵢⴰ is frequent in the corpora but is not a dictionary headword.

10. ⴱⵔⵔⴽ

    Brrk

    Welcome

    Usage

    Welcome to a guest; also used to mean "you're welcome".

    Grammar Note

    A word of Arabic origin, in the dictionary and in both corpora. ⴰⵏⵙⵓⴼ is a synonym.

11. ⴰⵔ ⵜⵉⵎⵍⵉⵍⵉⵜ

    Ar timlilit

    Goodbye

    Usage

    Parting phrase, close to "see you".

    Grammar Note

    Literally "until the meeting". Attested in the zgh corpus.

12. ⴰⵢⵢⵓⵣ!

    Ayyuz!

    Congratulations!

    Usage

    Congratulations.

    Grammar Note

    An exclamation attested in both corpora.

13. ⴰⵙⵙ ⵏⵏⴽ ⵉⴼⵓⵍⴽⵉⵏ

    Ass nnk ifulkin

    Have a good day

    Usage

    Said when parting.

    Grammar Note

    "May your day be fine." Attested in the Tashelhit corpus; ⵉⴼⵓⵍⴽⵉⵏ is also frequent in zgh.

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