الأسبوع الماضي
al-usbūʿ al-māḍī
In Arabic, last week is الأسبوع الماضي (al-usbūʿ al-māḍī).
The phrase is used to refer to the week before the current one. It translates literally to "the previous week".
Meaning: week before this one (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase الأسبوع الماضي is composed of the definite noun الأسبوع (the week) and the adjective الماضي (the past).
Which one should you use?
الأسبوع الماضي and الأسبوع السابق both mean last week and are used in formal contexts. الأسبوع اللي فات is an informal way to say last week and translates to the week that passed, while الأسبوع الفائت means the week that passed.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because الأسبوع (week) is a masculine noun, the adjective الماضي (past) must also be in the masculine form to agree with it.
How do you pronounce it?
al-usbūʿ al-māḍī
Did you know?
- In many Arabic-speaking countries, the work week typically begins on Sunday rather than Monday.
- The word الأسبوع is derived from the root word for 'seven', reflecting the seven-day cycle of the week.
- The term الفائت in الأسبوع الفائت carries a sense of something that has 'escaped' or 'slipped away', adding a slightly more poetic weight to the phrase.
Examples in context
- ماذا حصل الأسبوع الماضي؟What happened last week?This sentence shows how to ask what happened during الأسبوع الماضي.Tatoeba #4939831 by Safa_Alfulaij, translation #4937925 by CK
- مات زيري الأسبوع الماضي.Ziri died last week.This sentence uses الأسبوع الماضي to state when someone died.Tatoeba #11616027 by dididodo, translation #10207707 by Amastan
- كنت مشغولاً الأسبوع الماضي.You were busy last week.This sentence uses الأسبوع الماضي to describe being busy.Tatoeba #595314 by saeb, translation #69156 by CK
- أتذكر الندوة التي حضرتها الأسبوع السابق.I remember the seminar I attended last week.
- رحت رحلة جميلة الأسبوع اللي فات.I went on a beautiful trip last week.
- ماذا فعلت الأسبوع الفائت؟What did you do last week?
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziyad and Maryam are talking about their schedules.
- زياد Ziadهل سافرتِ الأسبوع الماضي يا مريم؟Hal safarti al-usbu' al-madi ya Maryam?Did you travel last week, Maryam?
- مريم Maryamنعم، ذهبت إلى دبي الأسبوع الماضي.Na'am, dhahabtu ila Dubai al-usbu' al-madi.Yes, I went to Dubai last week.
- زياد Ziadكيف كانت الرحلة؟Kayfa kanat al-rihla?How was the trip?
- مريم Maryamكانت رائعة حقاً.Kanat ra'i'a haqqan.It was truly wonderful.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
