ما دام صديقي هنا، نفكك الأريكة.

ما دام is a common expression meaning as long as, so long as, or sometimes since, depending on context.

Here it introduces a condition or time frame: the main action is connected to the fact that the friend is here.

It comes from the verb دام meaning to last, to continue, or to remain.

That is a very common question. Although دام is formally a past-tense verb, ما دام works as a fixed expression in Arabic.

So even though it looks past in form, the whole phrase can refer to a present ongoing situation:

• ما دام صديقي هنا = as long as my friend is here

Also, دام can still agree with its subject when needed. For example, with a feminine singular noun, you would often see ما دامت.

Because Arabic normally leaves out the present-tense verb to be in sentences like this.

So:

• صديقي هنا literally = my friend here
• natural English = my friend is here

This is a standard feature of Arabic nominal sentences. If you wanted was or will be, then Arabic would use an actual verb such as كان or another form.

صديقي means my friend.

It is made from:

• صديق = friend
• ـي = my

So:

• صديق + ي = صديقي

When a noun is possessed in this way, it normally does not take الـ. So Arabic says صديقي, not الصديقي, for my friend.

نفكك is a verb in the imperfect (non-past) tense, with a we subject.

It comes from فكّك = to dismantle, to take apart, to break down into parts.

So نفكك means something like:

• we dismantle
• we are dismantling
• we will dismantle

The exact time depends on context.

With full vowels, it would be نُفَكِّكُ.

Literally, نفكك is we dismantle / we are dismantling.

However, in context, English may translate it as let's dismantle if the sentence is being understood as a suggestion or proposal.

So if your translation gives let's, that is a natural English rendering of the situation, not the most literal word-for-word grammar.

In very explicit formal MSA, let's dismantle would more clearly be expressed with لِـ plus the jussive, such as لِنُفَكِّكْ.

Because Arabic verbs usually include the subject inside the verb itself.

In نفكك, the prefix نـ tells you the subject is we.

So Arabic does not need a separate pronoun here. You could add نحن for emphasis, but it would not be necessary:

• نفكك الأريكة = we dismantle the sofa
• نحن نفكك الأريكة = we are dismantling the sofa / we, specifically, are dismantling the sofa

الأريكة means the sofa or the couch.

Here it is the direct object of the verb نفكك, because it is the thing being taken apart.

So the structure is:

• نفكك = we dismantle
• الأريكة = the sofa

In fully marked formal Arabic, the direct object would be in the accusative case: الأريكةَ.

A straightforward vocalized version is:

ما دامَ صديقي هنا، نُفَكِّكُ الأريكةَ.

That shows:

• دامَ with its past-form ending
• نُفَكِّكُ as the imperfect we form
• الأريكةَ as the direct object in the accusative

If the intended meaning is specifically let's dismantle the sofa, a more explicitly formal wording would use لِـ with the verb instead.