والداي
walidayya
The English phrase "my parents" is translated into Arabic as والداي (walidayya).
والداي is used to refer specifically to the father and mother of the person speaking.
What does it mean word for word?
The word والداي is composed of the dual form of the word for parent (والد) and the first-person singular possessive suffix (ي), literally meaning "my two parents".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the form والداي, the final ي carries a shadda (doubling) to represent the combination of the dual ya and the possessive ya. However, when the phrase is an object or follows a preposition, the dual alif changes to ya, resulting in the form والديّ.
How do you pronounce it?
walidayya
Did you know?
- To show extreme respect, some speakers avoid saying والداي directly and instead use phrases like تاج رأسي, which translates to 'the crown of my head'.
- In Arabic, the word والد specifically emphasizes the biological act of procreating, whereas the word أب is more commonly used for the social role of a father.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, referring to 'my parents' is often a way to express profound respect or even religious duty, as the concept of 'Bir al-Walidayn' (devotion to parents) is a core moral principle.
Examples in context
- كلا والداي لا يعرفان كيف يسبحانBoth of my parents don't know how to swim.Tatoeba #7531585 by Rose_qudairi, translation #7530627 by CK
- والداي كلاهما يتكلم الأمازيغية.Both my parents speak Berber.Tatoeba #7755975 by MisterBrown, translation #7748864 by Amastan
- لا يحبُّ والدايَّ حبيبي لأنه فقير.My parents don't like my boyfriend because he's poor.Tatoeba #5042322 by Crataegus, translation #5041984 by Hybrid
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariam and Ahmed are talking about a family visit.
- مريم Maryamسيزورني والداي في عطلة نهاية الأسبوع.sayazuruni walidaya fi utlat nihayat al-usbu'My parents will visit me this weekend.
- أحمد Ahmedهذا رائع! هل يعيشان في مدينة بعيدة؟hadha ra'i'! hal ya'ishani fi madina ba'ida?That's great! Do they live in a distant city?
- مريم Maryamنعم، والداي يسكنان في الشمال.na'am, walidaya yaskunani fi ash-shamal.Yes, my parents live in the north.
- أحمد Ahmedأتمنى لهما رحلة سعيدة.atamanna lahuma rihla sa'ida.I wish them a happy trip.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
