عمري
‘umrī
The English phrase "my age" is translated into Arabic as عمري (‘umrī).
The phrase refers to the number of years a person has lived.
What does it mean word for word?
عمري is composed of عمر, which means age or lifetime and the possessive suffix ي, which means "my".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Levantine dialects, the phrase أنا عمري X ويومين is used to mean "I am X and two days".
How do you pronounce it?
‘umrī
Did you know?
- While عمري literally means 'my age', it is also a very common term of endearment used for children or loved ones, meaning 'my life' or 'my lifetime'.
- In some poetic contexts, the word عمري is used as an oath, similar to saying 'by my life'. This is a way of emphasizing the truth of a statement.
- In many Arabic cultures, it is common to respond to a compliment about one's youth by saying عمرك طويل, which literally means 'your age is long'.
Examples in context
- هل بإمكانك معرفة عمري؟Can you guess my age?This sentence is useful for asking someone to guess the age of the speaker using عمري.Tatoeba #1597838 by Amastan, translation #251565 by CK
- عمري عشرين.I am twenty.
- لا أعرف عمري بالضبط.lā a‘rifu ‘umrī bi-ḍ-ḍabṭ.I don't know my age exactly.
Example conversation
Omar and Maryam are talking about their ages.
- عمر Omarهل تعرفين عمري يا مريم؟hal ta'rifin umri ya maryam?Do you know my age, Maryam?
- مريم Maryamأعتقد أن عمرك خمسة وعشرون سنة.a'taqid anna umraka khamsa wa 'ishrun sana.I think your age is twenty-five years.
- عمر Omarلا، عمري أكبر من ذلك بقليل.la, umri akbar min dhalika baqlil.No, my age is a bit older than that.
- مريم Maryamلقد خدعني شكلك إذاً!laqad khada'ani shakluka idhan!Your look fooled me then!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
