Breakdown of في أي شهر عيد ميلادك؟
فيfî
in / about, regarding
كka
your / you (object)
شهرshahr
month
أيayy
which (+ noun) / any
Questions & Answers about في أي شهر عيد ميلادك؟
Why doesn't the word for month (شهر) have the word "the" (الـ) attached to it here?
The word أي (which/any) acts like the first part of an "Idafa" (a possessive phrase). Because of this rule, the noun immediately following it is always indefinite (no الـ) and takes the genitive case. So it translates directly as "Which month" rather than "Which the month".
How does the phrase عيد ميلادك (your birthday) break down?
It is a three-part chain (a complex Idafa). It combines عيد (festival/feast), ميلاد (birth), and the attached pronoun suffix ـك (your). Literally, it means "the festival of the birth of you".
How do I know whether to pronounce the end of ميلادك as "-ka" or "-ki"?
It depends on who you are talking to! If you are asking a male, use the masculine suffix ـكَ (-ka). If you are asking a female, use the feminine suffix ـكِ (-ki). Since short vowels usually aren't written, the spelling looks identical either way.
Where is the verb "is" in this Arabic sentence?
Arabic does not use a present tense verb for "to be" (is/am/are) in standard equational sentences. You just state the two parts: "In which month [is] your birthday?" and the "is" is naturally understood by the listener.