Questions & Answers about البصل والثوم على الترابيزة جنب الزيت والملح.
Why is و attached to the next word in والثوم and والملح?
In Arabic writing, the conjunction و meaning and is normally written attached to the following word.
So:
- والثوم = و + الثوم
- والملح = و + الملح
It is not part of the noun itself; it is just the written form of and.
Why is there no word for are in this sentence?
Because Egyptian Arabic usually leaves out the verb to be in the present tense.
So a sentence like this is very normal without any word for is/are:
- البصل والثوم على الترابيزة
- literally: the onion and the garlic on the table
This is how Arabic says The onion and garlic are on the table in the present.
If you wanted the past, you would add a form of كان:
- كانوا على الترابيزة = they were on the table
Why does the definite article الـ appear on each noun: البصل والثوم and الزيت والملح?
Arabic usually marks each definite noun separately.
So:
- البصل والثوم = the onion/onions and the garlic
- الزيت والملح = the oil and the salt
This is different from English, where the does not have to be repeated before every noun.