عمري
ʿumrī
In Arabic, "my age is" is expressed as عمري (ʿumrī).
The phrase عمري is used to introduce the number of years a person has lived and is the standard way to respond to the question كم عمرك؟ (How old are you?).
What does it mean word for word?
The word عمري is a combination of عمر, meaning age or life and the possessive suffix -ي, which means "my".
How does it change in a sentence?
When stating your age, you can follow عمري with a number and the word سنة (year) to be more precise, forming the structure عمري [your age] سنة.
How do you pronounce it?
ʿumrī
Did you know?
- Because عمر can mean 'life', a person might use the phrase يا عمري as a term of endearment for a loved one, literally meaning 'oh my life'.
- The word عمر shares a root with عمران, the Arabic term for 'civilization'. This suggests that 'age' is viewed not just as time passing but as a process of growth and development.
- In some traditional contexts, people avoid saying عمري followed by a specific number to ward off the 'evil eye'. They may instead use vague terms or pray for a long life during the conversation.
Examples in context
- أنا في عمر خمسة وعشرينI am at the age of twenty-five.
- عمري سبعة سنينI am seven years old.
- أنا عشرينI am twenty.
- عمري عشرون سنة.ʿumrī 'ishrūna sanah.My age is twenty years.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances are meeting at a social gathering.
- مريم Maryamهل تعرف كم عمري؟hal ta'rif kam ʿumrī?Do you know my age?
- عمر Omarلا، كم عمر مريم؟lā, kam ʿumru Maryam?No, what is Maryam's age?
- مريم Maryamعمري خمسة وعشرون عاماً.ʿumrī khamsa wa-'ishrūna 'āman.My age is twenty-five years.
- عمر Omarأنتِ شابة جداً يا مريم.anti shābba jiddan yā Maryam.You are very young, Maryam.
