مرة واحدة
marratan wahida
The English phrase "one time" is translated into Arabic as مرة واحدة (marratan wahida).
مرة واحدة is used to describe an event that happens only a single time. Other variations exist depending on context, such as مرة واحدة فقط to mean "once" or في مناسبة واحدة to mean "on one occasion".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egypt, the informal phrase مرة واحدة وخلاص is used to mean "one time and that's it". In many other Arabic-speaking countries, the informal expression وحدة بس is used to mean "one time only".
How do you pronounce it?
marratan wahida
Did you know?
- The word مرة meaning 'one time' is also used in Arabic to describe something 'bitter'.
- Arabic has a specific dual grammatical form for 'two times' مرتان that is distinct from the plural and the singular مرة واحدة.
- If you are talking about a single time in a historical or storytelling sense, the phrase might shift to ذات مرة (dhata marra), which translates to 'once upon a time'.
Examples in context
- لقد زرتُ دبي مرة واحدة.Laqad zur-tu Dubai marratan wahidatan.I visited Dubai one time.
- أكلتُ هذا الطعام مرة واحدة فقط.Akaltu hadha al-ta'am marratan wahidatan faqat.I ate this food only one time.
- شاهدتُ هذا الفيلم مرة واحدة.Shahad-tu hadha al-film marratan wahidatan.I watched this movie one time.
Example conversation
Ahmad and Nour are talking about a movie they watched.
- أحمد Ahmedهل شاهدتِ هذا الفيلم من قبل؟Hal shahad-ti hadha al-film min qabl?Have you watched this movie before?
- نور Nourنعم، شاهدته مرة واحدة.Na'am, shahad-tuhu marratan wahidatan.Yes, I watched it one time.
- أحمد Ahmedهل أعجبكِ الفيلم؟Hal a'jabaki al-film?Did you like the movie?
- نور Nourنعم، لقد كان رائعاً جداً.Na'am, laqad kana ra'i'an jiddan.Yes, it was very wonderful.
