طفلي
tifli
In Arabic, the phrase for "my baby" is طفلي (tifli).
طفلي is used to refer to one's own infant or young child.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the noun طفل (child/baby) and the possessive suffix -ي (my).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Gulf countries, parents may affectionately address their baby using the informal expression يا غالي.
How do you pronounce it?
tifli
When do people say it?
When addressing a baby in an affectionate and informal manner, parents often use terms of endearment such as يا حبيبي (my beloved) or the tender expression يا قلبي (my heart).
Did you know?
- In some cultures, parents avoid calling their child by their actual name and instead use terms like يا حبيبي to avoid 'attracting the evil eye' or bad luck.
- While طفلي means 'my baby', parents often use the word نونو (nunu) in Egypt to refer to a baby, mimicking the sound of a baby's babble.
- In many Arabic-speaking households, the concept of 'my baby' is often expressed through terms that refer to 'light' (نور), such as calling a child 'my light' to signify they brighten the home.
Examples in context
- هذا طفلي.This is my baby.Tatoeba #10291561 by alhamdi, translation #1898108 by CK
- أنت طفلي.You're my baby.Tatoeba #10291568 by alhamdi, translation #2218209 by CK
Example conversation
Nour and Youssef are talking about their newborn child.
- نور Nourانظر إلى طفلي الجميل.Unzur ila tifli al-jamil.Look at my beautiful baby.
- يوسف Youssefإنه يشبهك كثيراً.Innahu yushbihuki kathiran.He looks a lot like you.
- نور Nourأنا أحب طفلي كثيراً.Ana uhibbu tifli kathiran.I love my baby very much.
- يوسف Youssefونحن نحبه أيضاً.Wa nahnu nuhibbuhu aydan.And we love him too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
