عمي
'ammī
The English phrase "my uncle" is translated into Arabic as عمي ('ammī).
In Arabic, عمي specifically refers to a paternal uncle, which is the brother of one's father.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of عم, meaning paternal uncle and the suffix ي, meaning "my".
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between types of uncles: عمي refers to a paternal uncle, whereas خالي is the term used to refer to a maternal uncle.
How do you pronounce it?
'ammī
Did you know?
- The word عم is the root for the word عموم, which means 'generality' or 'the general public'.
- In many Arabic dialects, you might call a close family friend or even a stranger عمي as a sign of respect, even if there is no blood relation.
- In some traditional Arab cultures, a paternal uncle عم is historically seen as a primary guardian or authority figure for children after the father.
Examples in context
- مات عمي منذ سنة.My uncle died a year ago.This sentence is useful for expressing when an uncle passed away using عمي.Tatoeba #375537 by saeb, translation #266635 by CK
- يسكن عمي في شقة.My uncle lives in an apartment.This sentence is useful for describing where an uncle lives using عمي.Tatoeba #493341 by saeb, translation #250252 by CK
- يعيش عمي قرب المدرسة.My uncle lives near the school.This sentence is useful for stating an uncle's proximity to a location using عمي.Tatoeba #493340 by saeb, translation #65069 by CK
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziad and Maryam are talking about family visits.
- زياد Ziadهل زرتِ عمي مؤخراً؟Hal zurti ammi mu'akharan?Have you visited my uncle recently?
- مريم Maryamنعم، رأيته الأسبوع الماضي.Na'am, ra'aytuhu al-usbu' al-madi.Yes, I saw him last week.
- زياد Ziadماذا قال عمي عني؟Madha qala ammi anni?What did my uncle say about me?
- مريم Maryamقال إنك شاب مجتهد.Qala innaka shabb mujtahid.He said that you are a hardworking young man.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
