Arabic Vocabulary and Adverbs
Welcome to another blog dear Arabic learners!
Today, our focus is Arabic vocabulary. We will look at an essential world-class in the Arabic language, adverbs. Adverbs constitute a crucial part of this language. They provide information on when, where, how, and to what extent an action takes place. In this guide, we will explore 11 common Arabic adverbs to help you enhance your understanding and communication skills in this beautiful language.
Are you ready?
Let’s start.
Arabic Adverbs of Frequency
1. دَائِمًا (Dāʼiman)
“دائمًا” translates to “always,” and is used to express something that is constantly or unchangingly true. It can be used to indicate consistency in people’s behavior, natural phenomena, or daily routines.
| Always |
دائمًا |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| The sun always rises in the east |
الشَّمسُ دائمًا تشرق من الشّرق |
| Sarah always smiles |
سارة دائمًا تبتسم |
| He always arrives early to work |
هو دائمًا يأتي باكرًا إلى العمل |
2. أحْيَانًا (Aḥyānan)
“أحيانًا” is the Arabic equivalent of “sometimes,” illustrating events or actions that occur on some occasions but not always. It reflects inconsistency or a lack of a fixed pattern.
| Sometimes |
أحيانًا |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Samer sometimes watches the news |
سامر يشاهد الأخبار أحيانًا |
| Sarah sometimes reads |
سارة تقرأ أحيانًا |
| I sometimes do sports |
أنا أمارس الرّياضة أحيانًا |
3. طوالَ الوَقْت (Ṭwāla alwaqt)
“طَوالَ الوقت” means “all the time” and signifies something happening continuously without interruptions. It can be used to describe habits, emotions, or events that persist consistently.
| All the time |
طَوالَ الوقت |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| He jokes all the time |
هو يمزح طَوالَ الوقت |
| He is sad all the time |
هو حزينٌ طَوالَ الوقت |
| The bear sleeps all the time during winter |
الدُّبُّ ينام طَوالَ الوقتِ في فصل الشّتاء |
4. في كَثيْرٍ مِنَ الأَحْيانِ (Fī kathyrin mina alʼaḥyāni)
The phrase “في كثيرٍ من الأحيان” corresponds to “frequently.” It is a formal and polite way to say that something happens often, but not all the time.
| Frequently |
في كثيرٍ من الأحيان |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Samer frequently comes late to work |
في كثيرٍ من الأحيان يأتي سامرٌ متأخرًا إلى العمل |
| My grandfather frequently forgets to take his medicine |
في كثيرٍ من الأحيان ينسى جدّي أن يأخذ أدويته |
| I frequently earn high grades |
في كثيرٍ من الأحيان أنالُ الدّرجات العالية |
5. مِنْ وَقْتٍ لِآخَر (Min waqtin liʼākhar)
“من وقتٍ لآخرَ” translates to “from time to time” and refers to something happening occasionally or at irregular intervals. It’s used to describe infrequent or periodic events.
| From time to time |
من وقتٍ لآخرَ |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| The moon changes its shape from time to time |
القمر يتغيّر شكله من وقتٍ لآخرَ |
| The river floods from time to time |
النّهر يفيض من وقتٍ لآخرَ |
| I like to try new food from time to time |
أنا أحبُّ أن أجرِّب طعامًا جديدًا من وقتٍ لآخرَ |
6. بَينَ الحِيْنِ وَالحين (Bayna alḥīni wālḥyn)
“بين الحين والحين” corresponds to “every now and then,” indicating that an event occurs occasionally or at somewhat regular intervals. It provides a sense of spontaneity and variety.
| Every now and then |
بين الحين والحين |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Every now and then I visit my grandfather |
بين الحين والحين أزور جدي |
| Every now and then I go camping |
بين الحين والحين أذهب للتخييم |
| Every now and then I travel to new countries |
بين الحين والحين أسافر إلى بلادٍ جديدةٍ |
7. كُلَّما\عِنْدَما (Kullamā / ʻindamā)
“كلّما / عندما” is used to express “whenever” or “every time” an event happens. These adverbs introduce a condition, often implying a habitual action or reaction.
| Whenever |
كلّما / عندما |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Whenever I see a police car, I slow down |
كلّما رأيت سيّارة الشّرطة أخفّف من سرعتي |
| Whenever Sarah feels tired, she takes a break |
كلّما شعرت سارة بالتّعب تأخذ استراحة |
| Whenever I feel thirsty, I drink water |
كلّما شعرت بالعطش أشرب الماء |
8. في كُلِّ مَرّةٍ (Fī kulli marrtin)
“ٍفي كلِّ مرّة” translates to “every time” and emphasizes the consistency of an event occurring whenever a specific condition is met. It’s often used to describe habits or recurring actions.
| Every time |
في كلِّ مرّةٍ |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Everytime I leave the house, I lock the door |
في كلِّ مرّةٍ أغادر منزلي أقفل الباب |
| Everytime I use the restroom, I wash my hands |
في كلِّ مرّةٍ أستعمل فيها الحمام أنظّف يدي |
| Everytime I visit my grandfather, I bring a gift |
في كلِّ مرّةٍ أزور جدّي أحضر هديّةً |
9. كَثيْرًا مَا (Kathyran mā)
“كثيرًا ما” equates to “often” and is used to express the frequent occurrence of an event or action, although not continuously.
| Often |
كثيرًا ما |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| Sarah often drinks coffee in the morning |
سارة كثيرًا ما تشربُ القهوة في الصّباح |
| I often read before sleep |
أنا كثيرًا ما أقرأ قبل النّوم |
| Samer often plays with his friends after work |
سامر كثيرًا ما يلعب مع أصدقائه بعد المدرسة |
10. قَليْلَاً مَا (Qalylāan mā)
“قليلًا ما” corresponds to “hardly,” indicating that something rarely happens or is barely the case. It conveys a sense of rarity or scarcity.
| hardly |
قليلًا ما |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| In my city, electricity hardly goes out |
في مدينتي قليلًا ما تنقطع الكهرباء |
| I hardly use the computer |
قليلًا ما أستخدم الحاسوب |
| I hardly see Samer |
قليلًا ما أرى سامر |
11. نَادِرًا مَا (Nādiran mā)
“نادرًا” means “seldom” and expresses an action or event that rarely or infrequently happens. It’s commonly used to describe uncommon occurrences or behaviors.
| Seldom |
نادرًا ما |
| Examples: |
أمثلة |
| At the desert, it seldom rains. |
في الصّحراء، نادرًا ما يهطل المطر |
| Samer seldom comes late to the meeting |
سامرٌ نادرًا ما يأتي متّأخرًا إلى الاجتماع |
| Haifa seldom watches the news |
هيفاء نادرًا ما تُشاهد الأخبار |
Arabic adverbs are essential for expressing frequency, and providing a clear context for actions or events. Mastering these common adverbs will allow you to better express your thoughts, understand others, and enrich your overall Arabic language skills.
Further Practice
Remember, language learning is a journey, not a destination. So, take your time, enjoy the process, and keep practicing. To make sure you have enough practice, we have prepared a Quiz for you to test your information on the newly learned adverbs.
And make sure to explore our Planner, which features a rich 30-page worksheet accompanied by over 200 practical exercises and activities. This all-inclusive planner serves as an effective tool to reinforce your acquired knowledge and propel your learning journey with ample practice opportunities.
