Question Words

1. ⵎⴰ?

   Ma?

   What?

   Usage

   Asking "what?" on its own.

   Grammar Note

   An interrogative in the dictionary, frequent in both corpora; it also opens sentences such as ⵎⴰ ⵉⵙⵎ ⵏⵏⴽ?.

2. ⵎⴰⵏⵉ?

   Mani?

   Where?

   Usage

   Asking about a place.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary interrogative; 259 hits in zgh, 298 in Tashelhit.

3. ⵎⴰⵏⴰⴳⵓ?

   Managu?

   When?

   Usage

   Asking about time.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary interrogative; the variant ⵎⴰⵏⴰⴳⵯ also appears in the zgh corpus.

4. ⵎⴰⵏⵡⴰ?

   Manwa?

   Who?

   Usage

   Asking about a person.

   Grammar Note

   Frequent in both corpora (99 and 105), though not a dictionary headword.

5. ⵎⴰⵅ?

   Max?

   Why?

   Usage

   Asking for a reason.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary interrogative, attested in both corpora.

6. ⵎⴰⵏⵉⴽ?

   Manik?

   How?

   Usage

   Asking about manner or state.

   Grammar Note

   32 zgh and 75 Tashelhit hits; the form varies (ⵎⴰⵏⵎⴽ, ⵎⴰⵏⴽⴰ).

7. ⵎⵏⵛⴽ?

   Mnck?

   How many? How much?

   Usage

   Asking about number or amount.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary interrogative; ⵎⵏⵛⵜ is a variant attested in both corpora.

8. ⵎⴰⵏ?

   Man?

   Which?

   Usage

   Choosing among options.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary interrogative followed by a noun (ⵎⴰⵏ ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ? "which man?").

9. ⵎⴰⵢⴷ ⵉⴳⴰ ⵡⴰ?

   Mayd iga wa?

   What is this?

   Usage

   Asking about an object.

   Grammar Note

   The same sentence is in the zgh corpus. ⵡⴰ is the masculine demonstrative (feminine ⵜⴰ). Tashelhit says ⵎⴰ ⵉⴳⴰ ⵡⴰ?.

10. ⵎⴰ ⵉⵙⵎ ⵏⵏⴽ?

    Ma ism nnk?

    What is your name? (to a man)

    Usage

    Asking one man's name.

    Grammar Note

    Literally "what [is] your name". For a woman use ⵏⵏⵎ, for several men ⵏⵏⵓⵏ (both attested).

11. ⵎⴰⵏⵉ ⵣⵖ ⵜⴳⵉⵜ?

    Mani zɣ tgit?

    Where are you from?

    Usage

    Asking one man where he is from.

    Grammar Note

    The Tashelhit sentence Mani zɣ tgit? rewritten in IRCAM spelling; there is no identical zgh sentence.

12. ⵎⴰⵏⵣⴰ ⴰⵊⵎⵉⵔ?

    Manza ajmir?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    Asking for the toilet.

    Grammar Note

    "ⵎⴰⵏⵣⴰ + noun" with no copula means "where is …?". ⴰⵊⵎⵉⵔ is listed as "toilets" in the dictionary. Composed from verified words; spoken usage may prefer Arabic-origin words.

13. ⵎⴰⵏⵣⴰ ⴰⵙⵏⵙⵓ?

    Manza asnsu?

    Where is the hotel?

    Usage

    Asking where the hotel is.

    Grammar Note

    Same pattern as the corpus sentence ⵎⴰⵏⵣⴰ ⴰⴷⵍⵉⵙ? "where is the book". ⴰⵙⵏⵙⵓ is listed as "place to spend the night; hotel". Composed.

14. ⵉⵙ ⵜⵣⵎⵔⴷ?

    Is tzmrd?

    Can you? (to a man)

    Usage

    Asking whether someone is able.

    Grammar Note

    The exact sentence is in the zgh corpus; Tashelhit also uses another verb (ⵜⵥⴹⴰⵕⵜ).

15. ⵎⴰⵢⴷ ⵜⵔⵉⴷ?

    Mayd trid?

    What do you want? (to a man)

    Usage

    Asking what someone wants.

    Grammar Note

    Drawn from the zgh sentence ⵎⴰⵢⴷ ⵜⵔⵉⴷ ⵙⴳ ⵟⵓⵎ? with the complement dropped. Tashelhit writes ⵜⵔⵉⵜ.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages