أخبرني.

It is a verb + attached object pronoun:

• أخبرْ = tell / inform! (imperative command, addressed to one male)
• ني = me

So the whole word literally breaks down as tell-me.

The dictionary form is أخبرَ in Form IV, meaning to inform / to tell.

Its basic forms are:

• أخبرَ = he informed
• يُخبرُ = he informs / he is informing
• أخبرْ = inform! / tell!

The root is usually identified as خ ب ر and is connected with the idea of information, news, knowledge, report.

That initial أ is part of the verb pattern, not a separate word.

The verb أخبرَ is a Form IV verb. Form IV often begins with أَ in the past tense. In the imperative, that beginning remains part of the form:

• past: أخبرَ
• imperative: أخبرْ

So the أ is built into the verb itself.

Because Arabic often attaches object pronouns directly to the verb.

Here:

• ني = me

So instead of saying something like tell to me as separate words, Arabic commonly says it as one unit:

• أخبرني = tell me

This is very normal in Arabic.

For the object pronoun me, Arabic uses ني after verbs.

Examples:

• أخبرني = tell me
• علمني = teach me
• رآني = he saw me

So after verbs, ني is the usual attached form for me.

A careful pronunciation is approximately:

akh-bir-nī

Breakdown:

• أخ = akh
• بر = bir
• ني = nī

A few pronunciation notes:

• خ is the throaty sound like German Bach or Scottish loch
• the final ي in ني is a long ee sound
• the stress is commonly heard around -bir-

So: akh-BIR-nee is a useful learner approximation.

In Arabic, imperatives change according to who you are addressing.

For أخبر:

• to one man: أخبرني
• to one woman: أخبريني
• to two people: أخبراني
• to a group of men or mixed group: أخبروني
• to a group of women: أخبرنني or more often a different style may be preferred in actual usage because this form can feel heavy

For a beginner, the most important contrast is:

• أخبرني = tell me! (to one male)
• أخبريني = tell me! (to one female)

By itself, أخبرني is an imperative, so grammatically it is a command.

But in actual use, the tone depends on context, voice, and situation. It can sound:

• direct: Tell me.
• neutral: Inform me.
• even polite enough in some formal contexts, especially if the relationship allows direct speech

To make it softer or more polite, Arabic often adds words such as:

• من فضلك، أخبرني = please tell me
• هل يمكنك أن تخبرني...؟ = can you tell me...?

So أخبرني alone is direct, but not automatically rude.

Both can be translated as tell me, but they are not exactly the same.

• أخبرني comes from أخبر and leans toward inform me / tell me some information
• قل لي literally means say to me

Very roughly:

• أخبرني ماذا حدث = tell me what happened / inform me what happened
• قل لي اسمك = tell me your name / say your name to me

In many contexts they overlap, but أخبرني can sound a bit more formal or informational.

Yes, أخبرني is perfectly good Modern Standard Arabic.

In everyday spoken Arabic, many dialects use other verbs more often, depending on the region. For example, colloquial speech might prefer expressions closer to tell me using different verbs.

So:

• أخبرني = normal and correct in MSA
• in casual speech, dialect speakers may use other forms instead

If you are learning MSA, this sentence is completely standard and useful.

That sukoon marks the imperative ending.

The imperative form here is أخبرْ with no final vowel in pause. Then when ني is attached, it becomes:

• أخبرْ + ني → أخبرني

So the base imperative is أخبرْ, and the pronoun attaches directly after it.

Yes, very often. For example:

• أخبرني الحقيقة. = Tell me the truth.
• أخبرني ماذا تريد. = Tell me what you want.
• إذا عرفتَ شيئًا، فأخبرني. = If you learn anything, tell me.

So although أخبرني can stand alone as a complete sentence, it is also commonly followed by the thing you want to be told.